How to holiday-proof your garden

empty garden hammock when owners are on holiday
It’s ok to leave your garden alone while you go on holiday – just prepare!
Image source: pixabay

It can be hard to leave your garden to go on a summer holiday when watering, deadheading and veg harvesting are daily jobs. There’s the worry that hanging basket plants will die, courgettes will turn into marrows and you’ll return to flower borders full of seed heads.

Finding a friend or neighbour – preferably another gardener – to take care of your plot is the ideal answer, but it’s not always possible. Here are some practical ideas for holiday-proofing your garden to make sure you both survive the separation!

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Biennials to sow in July

foxgloves on a terrace
Tall foxgloves brighten up this stylish terrace
Image source: Del Boy

If you’re itching to sow seeds in June and July, try beautiful biennials for colour next spring and summer. These wonderful plants complete their life cycle in two years. In the first they form roots and leaves, and in the second year they flower. It might seem like a long wait, but it’s worth every minute of it.

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How to grow blueberries

Here’s everything you need to know to grow brilliant blueberries
Image source: Anna Subbotina

Packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, blueberries are not only delicious, they make beautiful garden plants too! White flowers in spring are followed by blue-grey fruits in mid-summer and fiery red foliage in autumn. Read our blueberry growing guide to learn how to grow and care for blueberry plants in your garden.

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How to grow orchids

With both indoor and outdoor varieties, you can’t go wrong with growing orchids.
Image source: Sornram Yamtanom

Orchids are a massive family of plants consisting of hundreds of different species. They’re popular for their exquisite flowers which often last for months indoors.

Most indoor orchids are epiphytic or lithophytic, meaning they grow on trees or rocks in their natural habitat. Outdoor orchids are terrestrial meaning they grow in the ground and many can be successfully overwintered outdoors in the UK.

Read on to learn how to grow these exotic plants successfully in your home and garden!

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