In The Flower Garden This June

June is one of the best months for flower gardens — borders are full, roses peak, pollinators are active, and long daylight hours make gardening easier. Here are the most useful tips for keeping your flower garden thriving through June:

✂️ Deadhead regularly

Remove faded flowers from plants like:

• Roses
• Sweet peas
• Geraniums
• Dahlias
• Cosmos

This encourages continuous blooming instead of seed production.

💧Water deeply, not little and often

In warm spells, soak plants thoroughly 1–2 times a week rather than shallow daily watering. Early morning is best.

Containers and hanging baskets may still need daily watering in hot weather.

🌱Feed flowering plants

June is peak growth time. Use:

• Liquid tomato feed for pots and baskets
• Rose feed for roses
• Balanced fertiliser for borders

Especially important for:

• Roses
• Dahlias
• Petunias
• Fuchsias

🪢Tie in tall plants before they flop

Support fast-growing stems now:

• Delphiniums
• Sweet peas
• Dahlias
• Hollyhocks

Use soft twine or plant supports before heavy rain or wind arrives.

🪵Mulch to retain moisture

A layer of compost or bark mulch:

• Keeps soil cooler
• Reduces weeds
• Helps sandy soils hold water

Particularly useful during dry English summers.

🐌Watch for pests early

Common June issues:

• Aphids on roses
• Slugs/snails after rain
• Lily beetles
• Blackspot or mildew in humid weather

Check plants every few days so problems don’t spread.

🌸Keep picking sweet peas and cut flowers

The more you cut:

• Sweet peas
• Cosmos
• Cornflowers
• Roses

…the more flowers they produce.

🌻Sow fast summer flowers now

You can still sow:

• Nasturtiums
• Calendula
• Cosmos
• Nigella

They’ll flower later in summer and extend colour into autumn.

🌼Trim spring-flowering plants

After flowering:

• Cut back aubrieta
• Trim forget-me-nots
• Shear hardy geraniums if untidy

This encourages fresh foliage and sometimes a second flush.

🐝Think ahead for pollinators

June is ideal for adding nectar-rich plants such as:

• Lavender
• Verbena bonariensis
• Salvia
• Foxgloves
• Echinacea

These help bees and butterflies throughout summer.