Garden Tips

Replace the odd failed 'Box Grown Bedding' plant with 'Pot Grown' plants.
The size of the pot grown plants will be closer the size of the plants in the ground that haven't failed.

Do not be afraid to prune shrubs, doing so promotes sturdy growth and can keep roots in check on larger specimens. Always be sure to follow guidlines for specific species, but as a general rule, 'little and often' is better than hacking away. Some shrubs do require severe pruning once a year, such as Lavatera, some clematis and cornus (colour stem species).

Remember, you must not rely on rain fall alone to water your containers. Your container has not got sufficient surface area to collect enough rain to do the job properly. You must continue to hand water or irrigate. Try to keep the soil in containers moist. Make sure that they are correctly drained so that excess water can escape freely.