June 2026: Summer displays are officially IN!

Get set for Summer....

I'm sure we're all loving this brief break in the summer heat! Just remember to step up the watering when those temperatures climb again—and don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated, too! As we gear up for a beautiful season, here's some tips and thoughts for this month:

June Gardening Tips

Smart Watering: Focus water at the base of plants rather than wetting the leaves. Prioritise newly planted shrubs, fruit trees, and containers.  Try to avoid watering during the hottest parts of the day – mornings or late evenings (but be aware that some plants just don’t like sleeping with wet feet!)

The "Chelsea Chop": The wonderful RHS Chelsea Flower Show has come and gone - if you haven't already, trim back late-flowering perennials by a third to encourage bushier growth and more blooms later in summer.

Making Space for Nature This Summer

A beautiful village isn't just about flowers; it's about the wildlife they support. As the weather warms up, there are a few simple things we can all do to make our gardens a haven for local biodiversity:

• The "Lazy Lawn" Approach: Consider leaving a section of your lawn unmown for a few weeks. Letting clover, daisies, and dandelions flower provides an absolute lifeline for local bees and pollinators.
  

• Provide a Drinking Station: A shallow dish or birdbath filled with water and a few pebbles (so insects don't drown) will be incredibly popular with birds, bees, and hedgehogs during dry spells.
  

• Leave the Trimmings: If you are cutting back early-flowering shrubs, leave a small pile of twigs and leaves in a quiet corner to create a natural bug hotel for beetles and solitary bees.

See you all at the Hawkhurst Fete on June 6^th!!  Feel free to stop by and chat anything gardening!!

And let's not forget to enter our wonderful gardens into the Annual Garden Competition!! Check out our recent posts for details! Happy Gardening Hawkhurst!