Here is a list of my favourite gardens that evoke summer scents, cream teas on the lawns and the best home made cakes.

• Dorothy Clive Garden Staffordshire, Intimate and formal garden in North Staffordshire with a variety of landscape features, including a woodland garden, an alpine scree, a damp garden and …
  www.dorothyclivegarden.co.uk/
• Abbotsbury Gardens, Dorset. A paradise of subtropical plants, Many Huge trees, including unusual and tender specimens.
• Ness Botanic gardens : Multi-award winning garden with breathtaking views across to the River Dee. Visitor Centre with Four Seasons café, gift shop, plant sales, seasonal events:
• www.nessgardens.org.uk/

“There’s simply no better place to be in Summer than in your own garden. A great mass of young foliage and flower will fill your days with colour and perfume and you’ll come in at twilight with a heart full of joy and satisfaction.” Says the late Geoff Hamilton whom sums up our feelings entirely, so we have compiled a Gardener’s Diary for you to get out and make the most of your precious time in the garden.

Vegetables

Peas and Beans should be tied in on canes and watered well in dry weather.

Salad Crops should be sown every 3 weeks to ensure leaves throughout the summer.

Potatoes planted in early march should be ready to harvest, otherwise keep building soil up around the stem (earthing up) to ensure a heavy crop and water well.

Tomatoes should be tied in to Bamboo canes and watered well.

Fertilize all crops with an organic fertiliser ( I use seaweed)