The good news is that a handful of simple jobs will keep your garden looking its best for the rest of summer and well into autumn. Think of it as a little midsummer reset: a little deadheading here, a deep watering there, and a basket or two of flowers and vegetables to bring indoors.
High Summer: The Garden Jobs To Do Right Now
High summer’s heat and abundance can leave even the prettiest gardens looking a little wild. These are the simple jobs that will keep everything blooming beautifully into autumn.
As July slips into August, the high summer garden begins to teeter on the edge of glorious chaos. Roses have had their first flush, sweet peas are scrambling skywards, tomatoes are busy ripening and the borders are growing before your very eyes. It is, of course, glorious – but it can also feel as though everything needs attention at once.
The good news is that a handful of simple jobs will keep your garden looking its best for the rest of summer and well into autumn. Think of it as a little midsummer reset: a little deadheading here, a deep watering there, and a basket or two of flowers and vegetables to bring indoors.
The good news is that a handful of simple jobs will keep your garden looking its best for the rest of summer and well into autumn. Think of it as a little midsummer reset: a little deadheading here, a deep watering there, and a basket or two of flowers and vegetables to bring indoors.
Deadhead For More Flowers
July is the month to keep your secateurs close at hand. Regularly removing spent blooms encourages many plants to produce more flowers, extending the display well into September. Roses, cosmos, dahlias, sweet peas and geraniums all respond beautifully to a little attention.
Make a habit of a quick evening wander around the garden with a trug in hand, snipping away faded flowers as you go. It's one of those satisfying tasks that pays dividends almost immediately.
Make a habit of a quick evening wander around the garden with a trug in hand, snipping away faded flowers as you go. It's one of those satisfying tasks that pays dividends almost immediately.
Keep Containers Well Watered
Container gardens are at their most beautiful in high summer – and their thirstiest. In hot weather, pots can dry out astonishingly quickly, sometimes needing watering twice a day.
Water deeply rather than little and often, and try to do so early in the morning or in the evening when temperatures are cooler. Grouping pots together also helps them retain moisture.
Water deeply rather than little and often, and try to do so early in the morning or in the evening when temperatures are cooler. Grouping pots together also helps them retain moisture.
Pick Flowers And Cut Back
If you've been growing sweet peas, now is the moment to be generous with them. The more you pick, the more flowers the plant produces. The same goes for cosmos, zinnias and dahlias. Bring armfuls indoors and don't be afraid to cut generously. A house filled with flowers is one of summer's greatest pleasures.
Harvest And Preserve
This is the season of abundance. Courgettes appear overnight, herbs need constant picking and runner beans seem to multiply by the day. Harvest little and often, and if you have more than you can eat, now is the time to freeze, pickle or preserve. A jar of homemade courgette chutney or pesto made with handfuls of basil is a lovely way to bottle summer for later.
Feed Hungry Plants
By late July, many plants are beginning to flag. Tomatoes, dahlias and anything growing in pots particularly appreciate an extra boost. Tomatoes benefit from a weekly high-potash feed once fruits start to form, while flowering plants will reward regular feeding with more blooms and healthier foliage.
Think Ahead To Autumn
It may seem impossible to imagine cooler days, but now is the perfect time to plan for the seasons ahead. Sow biennials such as foxgloves, wallflowers and honesty for next year's display, and begin thinking about spring bulbs before the best varieties sell out. A little forward planning now will be richly rewarded when the garden bursts into life again next year.
FAQs: The High Summer Garden
What should I be deadheading in July?
Roses, sweet peas, cosmos, dahlias, geraniums and salvias all benefit from regular deadheading, which encourages more flowers to form.
How often should I water containers in hot weather?
Most pots will need watering once a day during warm spells, and potentially twice a day during a heatwave.
Is it too late to sow anything?
Not at all. Biennials such as foxgloves and wallflowers can be sown now, as can salad leaves and quick-growing herbs.
Should I feed tomatoes every week?
Yes. Once tomatoes have begun setting fruit, a weekly tomato feed helps encourage healthy growth and plentiful crops.
What flowers can I pick now for the house?
Sweet peas, dahlias, cosmos, zinnias, phlox and hydrangeas all make excellent cut flowers in high summer.
Why are my pots drying out so quickly?
Terracotta containers and smaller pots lose moisture rapidly in hot weather. Moving them into partial shade or using an olla watering pot can help.
What can I do with a glut of courgettes?
Grill them, make courgette fritters, turn them into soup, pickle them or bake them into a loaf cake. Your neighbours may also appreciate a few left on the doorstep.
By
Nancy Alsop
·
Published July 2026
Nancy is a magpie for the best in design and culture.
