Elizabeth Swane has the low down on summer jobs in the temperate garden.
It's time to get summer underway.
Plant now
Silver foliage plants are sun and heat hardy. Try wormwood (Artemesia), licorice plant (Helichyrysum petiolare), and white-flowered
Convolvulus cneorum.
Hydrangeas are at their peak right now. Photo Igotabeme / shutterstock
Fast-growing climbers, such as Chinese star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), allamanda, mandevilla and potato vine (Solanum) will rapidly cover walls
and fences for quick privacy, a green backdrop and bonus flowers.
Fill gaps in shady corners with colourful coleus. Colours range from limes to russet, burgundies, pinks and purples.
Princess lilies are long-blooming and easy-care: perfect in patio pots.
Do now
Tip prune lavender after the first flush of flowers. Trim whippy tendrils of vigorous climbers such as wisteria, jasmine and wonga vines back to 30cm.
Time to trim the wisteria. Photo - Sandra Ross
Water potted plants frequently. Apply liquid soil wetter to water-repellant potting mix. Take hanging baskets down and soak them in a mixture of soil wetter
and seaweed solution, let drain, then re-hang.
Raise the mower blades a notch or two to allow longer grass blades to shade the roots. Deep water occasionally to encourage an optimal balance of lawn
roots to shoots.
Prepare the garden for summer outdoor entertaining. Weed garden beds, trim edges and use hose-on liquid lawn food for a quick green-up.
Flowering now
Hydrangea: elegant, large heads of blooms are teamed with impressive foliage in a range of white and soft colours for semi-shaded gardens. The long-flowering
‘You and Me’ range make superb pot plants. Keep these beauties moist.
Photo - Mariola Anna S / shutterstock
Trees: NSW Christmas bush, angels trumpet (Brugmansia), golden cassia
Shrubs: gardenia, abelia, Chinese lantern (Abutilon), lavender
Annuals: portulaca, sunflower, marigold, impatiens
Perennials: gazania, pig face, shasta daisy, Billy buttons
Ground covers and climbers:verbena, nasturtium, bougainvillea, Chinese star jasmine, gloriosa lily
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