Welcome to the new monthly newsletter from KLR Gardening.

🌱 From Kirsty

August, like July, has been challenging again for the garden. With most of the month having very little rain, at least the last weekend brought around 7cm of rainfall in total across the Bank Holiday weekend.

I have used the drought period to take some time off and enjoy some days out with Reggie and my family. Although the rainfall will certainly help, it is likely that leaf fall will come earlier this year because of the prolonged drought.

🏡 August in the Gardens

A few highlights from my work in your gardens this month:

🌸 Plant of the Month

One of my favourite plants is Sempervivum arachnoideum (Cobweb Houseleek).

This is an evergreen plant which produces mats of fleshy leaf rosettes. It gets its name from the incredibly fine hairs it produces, which mat together to give the appearance of a cobweb across the top of the rosette.

It flowers in summer, producing small pink flowers, while the rosettes are green with some pinky-red colouring.

It benefits from full sun and likes to be planted in well-drained soil. Amazingly, this plant has an RHS H7 hardiness rating, meaning it can withstand temperatures down to around -20°C!

I have mine potted in a mix of compost and gravel. It can easily be propagated by separating a rosette and potting this on.

🌿 Kirsty’s Gardening Tips

Although it seems counterintuitive, treating your lawns as you would in spring can help get them looking their best again, ready for autumn.

Summer can last that little bit longer, and with temperatures even in December often staying above the minimum temperature needed for grass growth, it is better to start helping your lawn recover now rather than waiting until next spring!

🍂 September in the Garden

Hedge Trimming – Looking to get the final hedge trim completed before autumn, especially with deciduous hedges such as privet.

Spring Bulbs – Now is an ideal time to start planning which spring bulbs to plant. Why not plan for a continuous display, from snowdrops through to irises?

Keep on Top of Weeds – With the rain and warmer temperatures, we have perfect conditions for weeds to germinate and reappear. Keeping on top of them through the autumn and winter will certainly give your borders a head start come next spring.

🌿 Until Next Month

And that’s a wrap on August!

As we head into September, the gardens will start to take on their autumn feel, with plenty to keep us busy as we prepare for the changing season.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of KLR Gardening. I really enjoy looking after your gardens and seeing them change throughout the seasons.

If there’s something in your garden that you’d like a little help with this autumn, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

See you next month!

Kirsty & Reggie