London (change)
Today 19°C / 8°C
Tomorrow 17°C / 11°C

Job of the week

Shape box topiary

Clipped box topiary adds style, elegance and fun to the garden. It can be grown as individual trained geometric shapes and standard specimens in borders or large pots, as well as dwarf hedges or edgings. To keep topiary in shape, the young shoots need clipping two or three times during the growing season.
Takes just 20 minutes for each plant

Flowers

  • Plant out container-grown roses and shrubs
  • Prepare soil in flower beds for summer bedding
  • Tie in new growth on climbing plants

Fruit & veg

  • Sow bean, marrow, courgette and squash seeds
  • Spray peaches and nectarines with fungicide
  • Pick rhubarb stems as they develop

Greenhouse

  • Fit automatic openers to greenhouse vents
  • Plant tomatoes in growing bags or large pots
  • Bring pots of strawberries into the greenhouse

Around the garden

  • Dig out lawn weeds, such as daisies and dandelions
  • Watch out for greenfly and blackfly on developing plants
  • Collect hellebore seeds from ripe pods