In July, we enjoy the (literal and metaphorical) fruits of our labour. Beds and borders stand in full bloom, while fruit trees hang heavy with apples and pears, and vegetable plots are producing a steady supply of kitchen staples.
But as nice as it is to sit back and admire all the lush greenery, a gardener's work is never quite done. Now is the perfect time to trim some of the season's more vigorous growers to keep them in shape and extend floral displays well into late summer.
"As we head into July, the garden is truly in full bloom," says Noah Mabey, Senior Gardener at Thornbridge Hall and Horticultural Advisor to Platinum Spas. "It has been an absolutely fantastic year for roses, and with a little bit of careful maintenance this month, we can keep the spectacular show going right through the summer."
If you're wondering what needs your attention right now, here is Noah's essential July pruning checklist to keep your garden looking its very best.
Roses
As Alan Titchmarsh once said, no garden is complete without a rose. It's hard to disagree: they bring beauty, fragrance and cottage garden romance to any outdoor space. To extend their flowering season, you should give them a trim now.
"Keep deadheading diligently," says Noah. "When a rose flower fades, don't just snip the head off; cut the spent stem back to a healthy set of five leaves. This tricks the plant into pushing out another flush of gorgeous blooms."
Wisteria
Loved for its beautiful trailing clusters of lilac blooms, Wisteria benefits from being pruned twice a year: once in winter and again in summer.
"July is the perfect time for a summer wisteria prune," says Noah. "By now, it has likely sent out long, grabby, whippy green vines. Cut these unruly shoots back to about five buds to control the shape and encourage better flowering next year."
Herbaceous perennials
Prune herbaceous perennials such as delphiniums, catmint or salvia now, and they will reward you with another burst of colour later in the season.
"If hardy geraniums, also known as cranesbill, or other early-summer perennials have finished their first round of flowering, don't be afraid to give them a chop," says Noah. "Cutting them back hard now will encourage fresh foliage and a second wave of flowers."
Sweet peas
The Sicilian native has long been a cottage garden favourite in Britain – and there's a simple trick to keeping the flowers coming all summer.
"The secret to sweet peas is simple: the more you pick, the more they grow," Noah shares. "Keep harvesting the flowers for your indoor vases and snip off any spent heads before they go to seed to keep the blooms coming."
Topiaries
Looking for more plants to prune? Your topiaries could probably do with a tidy-up, too. "Give your box hedges, bays or yew topiary a neat summer haircut now to sharpen up their silhouettes for the rest of the season."
Tree fruit
Finally, it's worth checking your apple and pear trees, which are often prone to producing more fruit than they can properly support.
“If you see large, congested clusters of fruit, thin them down to just two or three healthy fruits per cluster," Noah advises. "This ensures the tree channels its energy into growing larger, healthier fruit rather than a crowd of tiny ones."
Summer in the garden edit
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Wanda Sachs is the Multiplatform Writer for Country Living and House Beautiful, exploring the latest in gardening, wildlife and sustainable living alongside interiors and property. She is particularly interested in human-interest stories, the intersection of design and pop culture, and the evolving relationship between urban and rural life. Previously, she served as Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she reported on culture and fashion. Wanda studied English and German at the Goethe University Frankfurt and Exeter University.
