News - Page 71

Herb harvesting time!

Harvest herbs regularly at this time of year to enjoy them at their very best, taking care to pick at the right time of day to make sure they’re packed full of fragrance and flavour.

Lost treasures have been exposed as a result of last heatwave

The ghostly shadows of long-lost gardens have emerged in the wake of this summer’s heatwave after browning grass revealed the foundations under lawns.

What to do in the garden in August?

Now that August has arrived, the gardening to-do list might have become a little shorter, but there are still plenty of jobs to get on with this month!

Basil is among the most popular herbs in Mediterranean cooking – you’ll find it chopped into mozzarella and tomato salads, shredded onto pizzas or simply torn up and tossed raw among salad ingredients for a lift of rich, tangy flavour.

Hosepipe ban

This year has seen the longest heatwave in more than 40 years, with weather watchers recording the fourth hottest and driest June since 1910. Most of the country now experiencing soil moisture levels much lower than normal for this time of year.

Watering the garden

Watering can be a real chore at this time of year – so hand the work over to one of our automatic watering systems.

Plant of the Week: Parsley

You want to be generous with parsley, chopping fistfuls of flavour-packed greenery into salads, soups and Italian sauces to lift them from good to sublime.

What to do with onions, garlic and shallots?

Lift and dry onions, shallots and garlic as soon as the leaves start to yellow and droop. There’s nothing wrong with them: it’s just a sign they’ve finished swelling those big fat bulbs and are ready to harvest.

Lavender care

Cut and dry lavender flowers just as the buds begin to open, when they will retain their colour and scent better, rather than waiting for the flowers to fully mature.

Plant of the Week: Dill

Dill isn’t one of the more commonly-grown herbs, but it’s more than earns its place in the garden with good looks, versatility and generosity

RHS Tatton Park Flower Show

The north of England’s premier flower show opens its doors this week as the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show gets under way – a real celebration of the sheer variety and fun of growing, whether you enjoy flowers, fruit, veg or a combination of them all.