During the summer months the focus in the garden is on water: ensuring that all your plants get enough of it. Whenever possible, but especially in long periods of warm dry weather, use rainwater collected in a butt hooked up to your downpipe.
Dahlia, the flower of late summer
July:
keep the weeds down by hoeing the soil regularly when dry,
mow the lawn weekly but set the blades higher in periods of drought,
water your hanging baskets and containers using diluted (as per label) tomato or rose food; this will help the plants produce more flowers, deadhead the plants for the same reason,
prop up tall perennials, if not done earlier,
clip box hedges and fast-growing hedges such as Leyland Cypress; this may need to be done 2 or 3 times in the growing season
clear algae, blanket weed and debris from the pond, and keep the water topped up.
August:
keep up the mowing, weeding, deadheading and watering routine,
if you can, mow lightly and frequently, leaving the clippings on in hot weather to act as moisture-retaining mulch,
continue removing pondweed which thrives in warm weather; barley straw pads may help keep it down,
now, as you can see it clearly, is a good time to prune any deadwood out of your shrubs,
cut and rake up wild flower areas, they will soon green up again.
But most of all, remember to enjoy your garden. And how about inviting your neighbours for a friendly chat and a cuppa on the patio?