Our resident green-fingered expert Adam Kirtland gives his tops tips to help you keep your garden looking good in June

June is when perhaps some of the real growth comes about in your gardens and it’s also the time to try and sit back and enjoy some of it…but how do we keep it looking at its best? I’ve compiled my top tips for keeping your greenspaces at their peak for this month.

Put together a summer container or basket

You may already have some pots with shrubs or other perennial plants in them that are looking good right now but how about creating something brand new for this summer? You could either put together a pot or container or how about a sizzling summer hanging basket?

Pots and baskets were once thought of as old-fashioned in the gardening world but no more! Pots are perfect for those of us with tighter greenspaces and hanging baskets are ideal for creating some interest at heights where plants wouldn’t normally be.
Putting together yours couldn’t be easier – garden centres and nurseries are awash with summer bedding plants at this time of year and there is always something for everyone. Grab yourself a container or basket and then select the plants that take your eye. Good staples are fuchsias, pansies, geraniums and petunias– but how about trying something different with herb hanging baskets?
A herb basket hanging by your backdoor is a smashing way to grow a few plants that you can use in your everyday cooking. Why not try mint (for those mojitos), creeping thyme to trickle down the edge of the basket, and lavender always adds a pop of purple in the middle. Experiment with a few things and let me know how you get on with yours…

To mow or not to mow… that is the question?

Mowing the lawn is one of those jobs that no gardener really enjoys but if you do mow yours then you’ll want to keep on top of it fairly regularly (once a week or so) to keep it looking trim and in ship-shape. But… why not go WILD this year and leave some, or all, of your lawn to do its own thing?
‘No Mow May’ has become quite well known now but how about extending that into June and leaving your lawn alone for the whole month? You’ll be surprised what might happen to your lawn if you turn off the mower for a while. Over these summer months your lawn will grow at its fastest rate and eventually it’ll put out attractive seed heads and you may even see the odd daisy or dandelion.

All of this might sound like the stuff of nightmares if you’re after a highly manicured lawn, but it helps native wildlife and insects to thrive, and those dandelions and daisies are a wonderful source for pollinators such as bees and butterflies. So, do you have the courage to take the plunge and go wild this month??

Fancy trying your hand at some veg growing?

Most seed sowing tends to happen during spring, but it might surprise you to know that it’s not too late to sow some superb salad and vegetables to keep you going through the season. And it might also surprise you that you don’t need huge, raised beds like you see on Gardener’s World to grow your own. Try these:
Spring Onions – These can be sown right up until August and if you sow some now and then again in a few weeks you’ll have a longer supply. These can be done in pots and containers easily in any space.
Fancy a pumpkin? – You’re cutting it fine, but pumpkins can still be grown from seed as long as you get them going now at the start of the month. Just imagine having your own home-grown pumpkin to carve later in the year
And easiest of all… Salad! – Mixed salad leaves can be sown now and most lettuce can also be sown over this month and next to give you plants for longer, just like the spring onions above. It won’t be long before you’re out there picking a whole bowl of salad from your very own mini-veg plot.