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The final flourishDon't say goodbye to summer too soon. Instead, turn up the heat and try my plant choices to keep borders bubbling.Find out the best way to deadhead flowersThanks to today's Mediterranean climate, summer now stretches into early

pretty display for the Christmas table. In colder situations it will flower prolifically until the first frosts, then bloom intermittently in warmer spells until the end of the year.Dig in plenty of organic matter before planting the bulbs and water them

Free and easyFavouring a more laid-back approach to gardening, I love plants that self-seed with abandon. Here are a few of my favourites...Find out how to collect allium seedsSelf-seeders are the opportunists of the plant world. They may

and naturalise in borders, so any plants lost to frost should be replaced by their offspring.More features and advice on growing herbaceous perennialsLearn how to take verbena cuttingsGrow plants to attract beesChoose flowers for late-summer colour

in these conditions. You can even find plants that suit really difficult situations such as shady watersides or areas under large trees whose roots suck all the moisture out of the ground in summer. If you have borders of moist but well-drained and humus-rich soil

staking than other varieties, which tend to have dense, heavy heads of petals.Cactus dahlias are perfect for providing extra colour to herbaceous borders, as they have such a long flowering season. They also come in a rangeof heights, so can be planted

flowerheads in summer. It will perform equally well in a sunny border or a container.Jarava ichuThis easy-to-grow bearded iris, with butter yellow and lavender petals, will flower from late-May to mid-June.Iris 'Lullaby of Spring'This short, smoky yellow iris

For a short but glorious time in June oriental poppies come into their own, providing flamboyant displays to enliven borders, says Carol Klein.Most gardeners yearn for a splash of glamour, and the most flamboyant of all June's flowers has