Gardener's World with Paraic Horkan NDH

Summer gardening.

The past couple of weeks has provided ideal conditions for planting new garden plants in all areas of the gardening.
Trees, summer flowering shrubs, summer flowering bedding, foliage and flowering climbers, scented roses and mixed garden herbs can be planted now for long lasting summer colour and scent.

Colour in containers can also be planted now to provide you with instant colour for patios, rockeries, balconies or as a splash of colour anywhere in the garden.

Some of my own favourites include:

Summer colour from dahlias.

Dahlias are an old favourite summer flowering border plant, available in many different colours and flowering height's.
Over the past number of years new and improved compact varieties have been introduced to create a bushy plant which produces their double flowers from June until late November.
This range of new varieties are called dahletta which are available in a wide range of colours from red, orange, burgundy, pink, bright yellow and white.
Dahletta are ideal for long-lasting colour in patio planters, planted amongst shrubs or in mixed plantings with other summer bedding.

For patio planters.

A wide selection of good garden plants are now available for patio planters and window boxes. Lysimachia Outback gives a super performance all summer from June to November.

Bright waxy yellow flowers cover this plant throughout the summer. The foliage is bright golden and green which makes a good contrast to the bright deep yellow flowers.

Lysimachia outback is an easy to grow plant and look 's good planted on its own in large planters or hanging baskets. Regular watering and liquid feeding every two weeks will have this plant flowering until early winter.

Diascias

A beautiful range of basket and patio plants which produce their small flowers in profusion from June to November.
Diascia can be planted on its own for a dramatic effect or used as a mixed planting with other bedding in mixed tubs, window boxes, or planters.
There are a range of colours available in the diascia family from orange, to red, bright pink and dark pink. All are suitable for planting out of doors now.

Horkys tip: Plant diascias and lysimachia in rockeries or as border plants now for summer colour.

Good garden plants for planting now include:

Gold Brian.

Gold Brian is a relatively new introduction to the Irish market but a good garden shrub which has proved its hardiness and suitability to the west of Ireland climate.

Gold Brian has wonderful bright yellow foliage all year round followed by deep pink flowers throughout the summer.
It is suitable for all gardens and will with stand quite open situations.
This is a plant to plant in groups of three or fives to form large strong clumps and mix's well with red foliage shrubs as a striking contrast.

Gold Brian will eventually form a medium sized shrub ideal for mixed planting with other shrubs or can be grown as a container plant with mixed bedding.

Olearia semidentata.

Olearia have always been associated with open exposed Gardens. This particular variety is another winner in open exposed gardens and in particular coastal gardens where salt laden air is a problem for many plants.

Olearia semidentata has bright silver foliage which is slender in shape but thick in texture. From June to November the entire shrub is covered with large pink flowers.
An excellent plant for the back of any shrub border and particularly in exposed areas. A light trim in autumn keeps this olearia looking its best.

Horkys tip: Remember the soil conditions are ideal for planting now, good root growth will occur over the summer months with lots of flower colour to follow.

June is the ideal time to take stock in the garden, all garden plants are growing well having put on strong growth over the past number of weeks.

Vacant or bare areas can be planted up now with foliage and flowering plants to give instant effect.
Good fillers like summer flowering "Dahlias", "Mallows" in mixed colours, garden "lilies", "chrysanthemums" and summer flowering "Fuchsias" are now available as larger plants for a quick replacement or filler.

Consider weed control.

For newly planted shrub borders I recommend the use of plantex weed material. Simply place the plantex over the shrubs cutting a small hole to allow the stems of the shrub to pass through. Pin the plantex in several locations with wire and cover with bark mulch or washed pea gravel.

Plantex will stop weeds from germinating whilst allowing water and nutrition to pass through. Plantex will give years of weed control and is ideal used with roses, fruit, trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and Alpines.

Apply a layer of bark mulch over the plantex material to create a natural look to your borders this summer.

Remember Horkans Garden Centre's in Sligo and Castlebar are open seven days Sunday 2 to 6pm. horky@iol.ie

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