Whilst the sun has decided to finally make an appearance (well kind of), British summertime has been far wetter than we’d like.
According to the Met Office, the UK has recorded 58.7mm of rainfall already this month, which is 71 percent of its long-term meteorological average for July.
However, experts say this high rainfall is good for avid gardeners who want to give their outdoor space one last colourful boost.
Craig Wilson, a gardening expert and founder of Gardeners Dream, said: “I’d be lying if I said this summer hasn’t been disappointing, with July alone being 42 percent wetter than average.
“But, in the interest of looking on the bright side, the high levels of rain we’ve experienced are a blessing for those invested in their garden.”
The extra rain helps new plants’ roots to establish – so now is actually the perfect time to plant flowers and other garden plants to have a fresh batch of healthy and good-looking plants for the remainder of the summer.
“The sun is starting to make an appearance again, so make sure you get to planting before it dries out your soil again.”
This has led to the gardening expert sharing his top tips for what you need to do now in order to a have ‘colourful’ bloom.
Choose plants that like moist soil
Wilson explained: “Most plants will benefit from extra moist soil as this helps them to establish strong and healthy roots.
“However, plants such as Hydrangeas, Hostas, Lobelia and Hibiscus thrive in more moist soil conditions, so these would be my first choice for planting now.
“By planting these now, you’ll be treated to a fresh round of colourful blooms before the summer is out.”
You might even have a chance with wildflowers
He said: “I wouldn’t usually recommend sowing wildflower seeds in July, as the conditions normally aren’t suitable for them to grow.
“However, the moist and mild weather conditions we have experienced this month are more than ideal and may give them a chance to grow, resulting in a burst of colour at the end of August.”
Do you have any gardening tips for July? Let us know in the comments below.
