Fit and proper

16 July 2026, The Tablet

High summer can be a relatively sleepy time for gardeners. The half-hardy seedlings that went out in May are now in full flower;

Repeat roses have had their first flush and been deadheaded; spring-flowering shrubs are long since pruned, and the summer shrubs won’t need attending to for another couple of months yet. It’s too early for planting bulbs, too late for taking softwood cuttings. Just for once, we can sit back and relax.

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