I love our hot Australian summers with walks on the beach and longer days spent outside in the garden.  Sometimes our gardens need a little bit more TLC to cope with all the heat.  Today I have some simple tips and inspiration on how to keep your garden looking beautiful, lush and green all Summer long.

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Mulch

Preparation is the key to keeping your summer garden green.  Not only does mulch help keep your weeds away but will also protect your garden from the hot summer winds and help prevent your plants from drying out.   It is recommended to spread a two inch layer of mulch over your garden beds.

I have used a general garden mulch over my garden beds and a bale of organic pea straw on my vegetable garden, this works really well at keeping my tomato plants happy and its inexpensive and easy to use.

Ensure your garden beds have a border in front of them.  I have found this has helped to protect my hedges at the front of my home when we get the hot summer winds.  It really has made a big difference.

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Watering

Water your garden early in the morning or at the end of the day in the cool of the evening.

Install a water tank or an irrigation system for your garden.  Your local hardware store will have a large selection of pop up sprinklers to small sprays for your irrigation system.

I have a few terracotta pots filled with boxed hedges clipped into a ball.  Use saucers under your pot, this will help your pot plant retain most of the water.

Check your garden hoses and that your garden spray is working correctly, it’s so much easier when you have the right equipment and it works well.

A bird bath can make a great feature in the garden and don’t forget to fill it regularly for all the local bird life.

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Gardening

Just like watering, I try to keep my work and maintenance in the garden to early in the morning or later in the afternoon.  I mostly prune the roses and geraniums this time of year to encourage more buds.

Check any plants that have a garden stake in them and remove old flowers from plants.  Add colour to your garden with summer annuals, I love petunias in my garden in summer.

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Planning New Projects

Plan new projects for the cooler months in the garden for Autumn.  Whether it’s a new hedge or garden path, it’s the perfect time to begin your planning for a new project.

By keeping your garden tidy each season it makes your general garden maintenance so much easier.  Do you have any summer garden tips to share?