July in the Garden

July is summer at its fullest.

The borders are overflowing, pollinators are everywhere, and the garden feels wonderfully abundant. There are armfuls of flowers to cut, vegetables to harvest, and warm evenings that seem to invite you outside for "just five minutes" that somehow turn into an hour.

It can feel like the busiest month of the year, but July isn't about starting over. It's about maintaining the momentum. Feeding, deadheading, pruning and watering little and often will keep your garden looking its best well into late summer.

What to Do in the Garden in July

• Feed Roses and Dahlias - Roses and dahlias are giving everything they've got this month, so return the favour. Regular feeding will encourage stronger plants, healthier foliage and, most importantly, plenty more blooms right through until autumn.

  
  

• Pinch Out Annuals - If you haven't already, there's still time to pinch out annuals such as cosmos. Removing the growing tip encourages branching stems, creating fuller plants covered in flowers.

  
  

• Prune Wisteria - Wisteria benefits from its summer prune in July. Cut this year's long, whippy shoots back to around five or six leaves from the main framework to keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowers next spring.

  
  

• Thin Fruit Trees - Missed thinning your apples or pears in June? There's still a small window in early July. Removing excess fruit improves airflow, reduces the risk of branches snapping, and allows the remaining fruit to develop into larger, healthier harvests.

  
  

• Clip Topiary - July is one of the best months to give topiary and evergreen hedging a gentle trim. Fresh growth has slowed, making it the perfect time to sharpen those beautiful shapes for the rest of summer.

  
  

• Continue Sowing Biennials - Keep sowing biennials such as wallflowers and honesty (Lunaria) for a spectacular display next spring. Gardening is always teaching us to think ahead.

  
  

• Keep Deadheading - One of the simplest jobs, but one of the most rewarding. Regular deadheading encourages roses, cosmos, sweet peas and many summer perennials to keep producing flowers for weeks to come.

  
  

• Harvest Lavender - Cut lavender stems just as the flowers begin to open and hang them upside down somewhere cool and airy to dry. I still have two bunches hanging in our guest room from last year, and every time I walk in, the scent instantly transports me back to summer. Be sure to leave some for the bees though.

  
  

• Feed, Feed, Feed Your Pots - Containers need almost daily attention during warm weather. Alongside regular watering, keep feeding them weekly to replace nutrients washed out through frequent watering.

  
  

  I use Shropshire Seaweed Feed, which gives everything in my pots a gentle boost throughout the growing season. (Affiliate link.)

  
  

• Cut Back Tired Perennials - If plants like hardy geraniums, Alchemilla mollis and nepeta are looking a little exhausted after their first flush, don't be afraid to give them a haircut. Cutting them back encourages fresh foliage and often rewards you with a second display of flowers later in the season.

  
  

What's Happening in the Garden?

• Dahlias are beginning to steal the show.

• Sweet peas are producing armfuls of flowers.

• Bees and butterflies fill every border.

• Herbs are at their most fragrant, ready to harvest.

• Evenings become the perfect time to wander the garden with a watering can in hand.

  
  

July is generous. It asks for a little care in return, but rewards you daily with colour, fragrance and abundance.

Final Thoughts

July reminds us that gardening isn't just about planting.

It's about nurturing what you've already grown. A little feed here, a quick deadhead there, tying in a stem, harvesting a handful of lavender before the rain arrives.

These small, repeated moments are what keep the garden flourishing.

And if you're anything like me, you'll probably head outside to do one quick job... and still be there an hour later.

All my love, love from Donna 🌷