Summer Baubles

For most of us lucky enough to be living in the Mediterranean or Californian region, June signifies summer. A return to endless days of sunshine, blue skies and warm to very hot temperatures. It’s a gardeners dream when extra hours can be spent in the garden catching up on the summer chores, harvesting fruit and vegetables, or just relaxing amongst the flowers and the scents. These early summer weeks are particularly important to enjoy while you can as we’re all too aware that the latter months of summer become rather too uncomfortable in the extreme heat, to carry out even the most basic of jobs. At that point, the essential watering of parched plants becomes the main criteria of the day.

Plants will often semi-hibernate during the hottest months, and quite often the early summer colours we experience in May and June will disappear as their energies switch to survival during the oppressive weeks. However, for those wanting a bit of drama in the summer garden, many of us turn to annuals, whose short life is all about a quick growth period and a profusion of colour. And providing you keep them well hydrated and dead-headed, August can be like the 1st of July.

So, that’s where we introduce hanging baskets. Northern countries, especially the UK, are awash with them. No self-respecting high street could be without them. Shops, pubs and private houses compete which each other to liven up their…