Garden Update: Hedges, Harvests, and Pollinator-Pleasant Blooms

This week in the garden, we’re looking at evergreen hedges, summer vegetable yields, meadow management, and a beautiful perennial for attracting pollinators.For a classic, formal hedge providing excellent screening, yew ( Taxus baccata) is a superb choice. As a native plant, it boasts dark green leaves and red berries, though it requires annual pruning to maintain its shape.Establishing a yew hedge takes time and patience,as it needs a few years to fully fill out. A crucial safety note: all parts of the yew plant are poisonous, except for the fleshy red coating surrounding the seeds.

Hedges aren’t just aesthetically pleasing; they’re vital for wildlife.They offer secure nesting and foraging spots for birds and create ground-level corridors allowing safe passage for other garden creatures. While frequently enough planted for privacy and shelter, their ecological value should not be underestimated.The warmer weather is proving beneficial for fruiting vegetables grown under cover. Tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, and aubergines are all thriving and producing good harvests.Consistent watering and weekly feeding with tomato fertilizer are key to maximizing yields.

The unusually dry and sunny summer is impacting grass and wildflower meadows. Grass growth is slowing,and wildflowers are setting seed earlier than usual. Proper meadow management involves cutting down the meadow after seed dispersal and removing the clippings. This process reduces soil fertility, which is essential for encouraging a vibrant display of wildflowers. Grass is a strong competitor,and wildflowers struggle in rich,fertile soil. Removing clippings not only lowers fertility but also contributes to the seed bank for future blooms.

Plant of the Week: Phlox paniculata

This summer-flowering perennial, Phlox paniculata, is a delightful addition to any cottage garden. Its classic fragrance is reminiscent of warm summer days, and it blooms in a range of pastel shades from June to August.’Famous cerise’ is a particularly striking variety currently adding a vibrant splash of color to herbaceous borders.

Phlox paniculata is clump-forming and benefits from division every 3-5 years to maintain vigorous flowering.It’s a fantastic plant for attracting pollinators,providing them with valuable nectar and pollen,and also makes an excellent cut flower.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has recently updated its online guide to plants valuable for pollinators, based on extensive research. This resource is a great way to learn which plants support beneficial insects in your garden. You can find it at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/research/plants-for-pollinators.