Pruning

Laurel is a common garden plant, which can take over a space if left to its own devices. If you visit a stately home, local parks or woodlands, you’ll see how dominating they can become, blocking out

If your apple tree has become overgrown, or you’ve inherited a neglected tree, now is the perfect time to give it a summer prune. By pruning in summer rather than winter, you remove some of the tree’s

Save seeds from the heads of grasses that may not survive the winter. Ornamental grasses such as pennisetum are marginally tender and particularly susceptible to frost damage when grown in heavy soil.

Give rambling roses a prune now to keep the plant in good shape and attached to its support. They produce exuberant growth so will need a good annual cut now. First, spend time examining your rose and

Take cuttings of your favourite salvias to make new plants for next year, in case the parent plants don’t survive the winter. Salvia cuttings are easy to root and if kept in a greenhouse or cold frame

Make sure your borders look as colourful as possible by promptly deadheading this month to encourage more blooms. Annuals such as cosmos and pot marigolds can run out of steam this month if the flower