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Fuchsias used to be very popular, but in recent years have suffered a decline in sales. Some suppliers say they’ve simply gone out of fashion, while others argue that there’s just too much competition from other types of bedding. Whatever the reason, we reckon they’re due for a revival!

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Fuchsias originate from the mountains of Central and South America and so are perfectly adapted to the cool, wet summers we’ve been having of late. They flower for weeks on end too, from July through to October. The secret is to remove the old blooms once they start to fade. A regular dose of tomato food won’t go amiss either – once a week every week once they start flowering is a good target to aim for.

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There are many varieties to choose from in a wide range of colours. But the selection on offer in garden centres is often very limited. A visit to a specialist fuchsia nursery may pay dividends in this respect. Trailing varieties are good for hanging baskets while bush varieties are better for a container. If in doubt, we’d always recommend you ask for advice.ÌýÌý

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Garden House

Cottered

Hertfordshire

SG9 9PZ

The stunning Japanese garden Joe Swift went to see in Hertfordshire is privately owned and is not normally open to visitors. But on Sunday 23 June 2013, it will be open to the public from 11.00am – 4.00pm as part of the Cottered Village Festival. For more details about the garden, please visit the link below.

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Strawberries and other soft fruit are now starting to ripen and before you know it, the birds will be helping themselves! But if you net them now, you’ll have plenty to harvest. It doesn’t matter how you go about it so long as the netting is pulled taut over the support and is pegged down along the bottom.

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It’s important to support your tomatoes before they grow too big. If you’re growing them outside, a bamboo cane or post should suffice, tying in the stem as it grows. But in the greenhouse, you could tie a long piece of string to the base of the plant and attach it to either the roof or a wire strung out across it. Then, as the plant grows, you can simply twist it around the string.

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To keep box hedging and topiary looking its best, it needs cutting now. Either use a lightweight electrical trimmer or a sharp pair of shears. Whatever you use, the secret is to keep moving as you do it, cutting lightly in as flowing an action as possible.

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