Sometimes at this time of year our gardens will be under much heat stress and drought – not this year! We have had fantastic rainfall over the past couple of weeks that has replenished soil
moisture levels. The level of rainfall has brought forward the opportunity to start seasonal autumn planting. If you are on lighter, sandy-type soils then now is a great time to start applying mulch. This will help to lock in the moisture and to keep the soil cooler; it will reduce weed growth too.
If you are planning on sowing a lawn this autumn then starting on preparation – removing of weeds, old grass and spraying now is recommended.
During February in our late summer period, many gardens reach their full beauty. Bedding plants are at their best and brightest and the orange and yellow marigolds and the various colours of petunia, lobelia and geranium brighten many a border, pot or container and hanging basket. Another flower at its best is the tropical impatiens with their bright-red, pink and white flowers making a stunning display and are a good addition for a shady spot.
One of the heat-loving perennials that has really caught my eye this summer is the gaura. Commonly known as the butterfly bush, these plants stand up to the full sun and flower prolifically through these hot summer days. They are really dry hardy and there are a number of varieties available, in colours ranging from pinks, rose to pure white. They generally form a small bush about 30-40cm high and wide. If you have a little gap where you would like some summer colour then I highly recommend these.
Another of strong recommendation is the recently released Salvia Amistad. The family of salvias are long known for their hardiness to drought, hot sun and constant flowering. The salvia family is a diverse range of varieties in many colours, flowering from summer late into the autumn months. Salvias are part of the mint family, also referred to as sage. Like the herbs, the leaves are delightfully aromatic when crushed. In Latin the name salvia means healthy, feel well or to heal, given the healing properties of some varieties.