Gardening jobs for the week ahead

Summer may be on its last legs but us gardeners certaintly aren't, and there's plenty to be getting on with...
It's a good idea to prune summer-flowering shrubs once the blooms are finished.It's a good idea to prune summer-flowering shrubs once the blooms are finished.
It's a good idea to prune summer-flowering shrubs once the blooms are finished.

Dead-head annual bedding plants and perennials to encourage them to flower into the autumn and stop them from self-seeding.

Cut back faded perennials to keep borders tidy and do the same with herbs – this should also encourage a new flush of leaves to harvest before the first frost.

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Trim any lavender plants after they’ve finished flowering to keep them compact.

Collect ripened seeds and store them for next year. Leaving some seed heads in place allows the plant to self-seed.

Top up ponds and bird baths regularly.

Prune all summer-flowering shrubs (pictured) once the blooms are finished.

Water evergreen shrubs (like camellias and rhododendrons) to help next year’s buds develop.

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