Also suitable for planting are verbena, zinnia, statice, stock, coleus, tuberous begonia, carnation, dianthus, alyssum, aquilegia, aster, armeria and African daisies.

Check grafted plants for any signs of new growth coming from below the graft union.  

If there is, rub it out or remove with secateurs. 

In summer, raise the height of the lawnmower as longer grass is more drought resistant and stays cooler at soil level.

Prune tomatoes by removing the side shoots that form in the leaf axils until the plants reach the required height.  

Sprinkle with tomato dust to control pests and diseases and water regularly.

Most herbs are easy to grow and thrive in the open garden with no special care, in fact their flavour is often enhanced when grown in rather harsh conditions.

Plant chives, basil, parsley, thyme, marjoram, borage, mint, sage, shallots, oregano and rosemary.

To harvest fresh herbs pick the young leaves or whole sprigs from the stem ends, wrap in foil and keep in the refrigerator. 

Parsley and mint can be kept in water for a few days.

Armeria, or thrift, is a lovely little plant that at one time was considered to belong to the carnation family, but is now classed as belonging to the Plumbago family.

‘Ladies cushion’ and ‘sea pink’ were among the names commonly given to this plant which became very popular during Tudor times, especially in the small cottage gardens where it was used for edging and growing in between stepping stones.

Today, thrift finds a place as an attractive, low-growing plant for working into paved areas and for small pockets in the rock garden.   

As a family, thrifts are low-growers forming neat clumps of foliage just a few centimetres above the ground and being hardy, they lend themselves admirably to crazy paving designs. 

During their flowering season, which with some varieties extends through late spring, summer and autumn, they throw up stems topped with a head of small flowers.  

Gorgeous and insect-friendly, Buddlejas, with their deliciously honey-scented flowers, attract butterflies to the garden and come in a range of colours including white, ivory, pink, blue mauve and dark purple.  

After flowering, giving them a trim will help to keep them in a manageable shape. 

After glorious bottlebrushes have finished flowering, they will also enjoy a bit of a tidy-up by removing all spent flowers and seed pods.