The top priority for your August garden is usually to just sit back, relax and enjoy your garden and who are we to say anything otherwise? Go on, get out there and enjoy it before the weather changes for good!

Traditionally, this is the holiday month so if you are managing to be away this year remember to arrange for a neighbour/friends/family to pop round to keep an eye on plants for you. You’ll need to ask them to pick the fruit and veg that has ripened on any edible plants or it will spoil what is left still growing.

Containers and hanging baskets will need watering so consider drip feed irrigation systems if family and friends can't step in for you while you're away.

Indoor plants do need to be watered this time of year so if you can’t leave your key with anyone sink the pots in the soil in a shady area where they won’t dry out so quickly.

August can also bring with it lots of thunderstorms and heavy downpours which is great for cleaning the leaves of trees, shrubs and hostas and bringing the lawn back to it’s lush green colour. Make sure that your water butts are at the ready and delicate plants are supported to prevent possible damage.

August Garden Jobs

There have been some major growth spurts going on in our gardens this year and one of the biggest problems for gardeners is to make sure things don't get too much out of hand. As ever deadheading is the order of the day for August along with watering. Don't forget to try to water late afternoon or evening if possible, avoiding the heat of the day (although roses do prefer a morning drink!). Some summer pruning is also on the cards to help keep things under control along with the usual August jobs:

• Check plants at least twice a week to check for infestation of bugs like aphids and red spider mite
• Weed borders so plants aren’t competing for nutrients in the soil or water
• Deadhead flowers regularly to encourage more flowers and to extend their flowering season
• Consider saving bath and dish water for the garden (non-edibles)
• Concentrate on watering newly planted trees, shrubs, window boxes and containers
• Feed plants that require it
• Remove the growing tip from greenhouse tomatoes to encourage fruit growth
• Start thinking about planting bulbs for Christmas displays (yes, I really did mention the C-word!!)
• Protect dahlias from earwigs
• Check if repairs to the greenhouse or shed are needed before autumn sets in
• Water and feed house plants remembering to clean the foliage
• Cut sweet peas as soon as they flower to encourage more and to prevent seed pods forming
• Trim hedges at the end of the month it should hopefully be the last time they'll need it this year
• Harvest fruit and veg as necessary
• Make sure bird baths have fresh clean water every day
• Water levels in ponds may have evaporated so top up to ensure the fish don’t die
• Remember if you do have to garden while the sun is out protect yourself adequately with sun screen, a hat and drink plenty of water!

There are always some things in the garden that you'd do differently, and your July garden is often a good time to spot those difficult patches. Make a note of the changes that you'd like to make and take photos to help your memory so that when you do come to make changes later in the season it'll be an easier job.

Pests are usually rampant this month with aphids, particularly greenfly and blackfly multiplying fast. It's time to get the ladybirds into your garden for a sumptuous feast and if you haven't built a ladybird home yet it's a great thing to do with children. All you need is some lengths of hollow bamboo bundled together with either string or bunched inside a plant pot or something like a catering size coffee tin. Putting them inside something ensures the canes don't become a wind tunnel and if you've tied them up without putting them inside something do make sure one end of the canes are blocked up with something. Another way of providing insect homes is to drill some holes into one end of a log. Ladybirds and other insects will thank you for providing them with safe harbour to either lay eggs or to hibernate.

Managing pests and diseases is especially important in your fruit garden to help keep fruits healthy and with the hoped for sunshine also comes a plethora of weeds. Keep them under control in order to give your flowers, fruit and vegetable plants room to grow without too much competition.

July Garden Jobs

With summer well underway here is the job list for July, which includes…

• Summer prune your fruit cordons and espaliers
• Keep weeds down around fruiting trees and other edibles to reduce the competition for nutrients
• Thin out fruit crops.
• Deadhead as often as possible to encourage more flowers
• Keep an eye on water levels - especially containers, pots and hanging baskets
• Harvest any fruit and vegetables that are available and if there is too much to eat either give it away or freeze it
• Hoe the borders regularly to keep weeds at bay
• Check plants regularly for pests and diseases
• Make sure bird baths and watering stations have plenty of clean and fresh water
• If you have a pond check it regularly and top it up as necessary
• Trim hedges this month (if you're sure there are no nests or existing ones have been vacated, remember that some birds come back for a second brood). If you're unsure, wait a bit longer
• Plan the autumn vegetable plot and sow seeds as appropriate
• Pinch out side shoots on tomatoes and keep them evenly moist to avoid blossom end rot (fruit splitting)
• If you have a greenhouse keep it well ventilated and shaded
• Keep your potted acers well watered and out of direct sunlight in order to avoid leaf scorch
• If you do get the chance to get into your garden and the sun is shining do wear a hat and sun lotion and don't forget to stay hydrated too.

This is the time we usually get to relax and enjoy our gardens with the first vegetables ready to harvest, flowers in full bloom and long summer nights to appreciate our hard work! We have hurtled into June already enjoying lovely balmy evenings but this month the scent that June is reknowned for should really start taking over.

Make sure that plants in greenhouses, conservatories and windowsills get some good ventilation and shading protection too to make sure they’re not scorched.

It's still not too late to do the 'Chelsea chop' on parts of some of your late flowering perennials - doing this will help stagger and prolong their flowering period. Early flowering perennials like geraniums can also benefit from the Chelsea chop they'll reward you with a second flush of flowers later in the summer.

Try to keep up good garden hygiene by deadheading when you can. And slugs, snails, aphids, greenfly and blackfly, to name but a few, are really active at this time of year so keep your eyes open and deal with them at the first signs of activity which normally works in most cases.

Although it would be lovely to say you have nothing to do now, it’s not true; there are still lots of routine jobs that need doing to keep your garden looking vibrant.

June Garden Jobs

June is a prolific time in our gardens and while it's usually a great time to break out that well deserved drink to help us savour the warm, scented evenings there are also lots and lots of jobs to be getting on with this month.

Just in case you're not sure where to begin, here's a list to get you started:

• Deadhead flowers to maintain displays and encourage more growth
• Hoe borders to discourage weed growth and competing with plants for water
• Tie climbers to trellises or canes to get the benefit from the display and to support during growth
• Keep a look out for pests and diseases and start to treat at the first signs of activity
• Water borders and lawns thoroughly every few days which is better than a little every day - the soil is drying out quickly and if you have clay it's already cracking in some places…
• Check containers and hanging baskets daily to see if they need watering - rain doesn't always get into your containers so keep an eye on them just in case
• Make sure that there is plenty of ventilation in greenhouses and conservatories
• Lift and fully dry spring flowering bulbs and store away
• Lift your mower's cutting blades - the dryer the weather the higher the cutting blades should be
• Remove any suckers found on roses as soon as they appear
• Plant bedding plants and/or annuals grown from seed or buy from garden centres to fill any gaps or for an additional splash of colour
• Give lawns a good feed
• Plant up some containers for that late summer spectacular
• Time to think about planting seeds for winter and next spring displays
• Harvest vegetables as and when they are ready to be lifted.