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ÌýThe Churchill Arms
119 Kensington Church Street
London
W8 7LNÌý
Tel: 020 7727 4242

Gerry O’Brien has been landlord at the Churchill Arms in Kensington for 30 years. His collection of plants started as a couple of hanging baskets and now covers the entire building,ÌýstretchingÌýall the up to the chimney pots. His display can be enjoyed all summer long.

National Collection of Aquilegia
'Touchwood'
4 Clyne Valley Cottages
Killay, Swansea
SA2 7DU
Telephone, 01792 522443ÌýÌý

Aquilegias are Carrie Thomas’s passion. Breeder and owner of the National Collection, she knows them inside out. You can visit Carrie and her garden at this time of year to see aquilegias in all their glory. For more details please follow the link below.

Ìý (www.touchwoodplants.co.uk)

By using raised beds and adding huge amount of drainage, Monty has grown his most successful thyme plants ever. By adjusting the type of soil you can provide the perfect conditions for your kitchen herbs andÌýyou replicate thisÌýin pots -Ìýjust think about what each herb requires and adjust the soil with varying amounts of grit, sand, compost and nutrients.

With the beds flourishing, Monty adds French tarragon and lemon verbena. French tarragon is hardy and, with protection from winter wet, can be left outside. Lemon verbena is also hardy but will be brought in over winter to ensure its survival and encourage an early flush of leaves -Ìýperfect for a cup of refreshing herbal tea in spring.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

Now that the Chelsea Flower Show is over it’s time to give some summer flowering perennials the Chelsea chop. Cut them back by between a third and a half. This staggers the period over which the perennials flower, giving a longer season of colour in your garden and shorter, sturdier plants that give more texture and form.

Ìý(www.rhs.org.uk)

Cordon tomatoes need regular pruning throughout the season. Now is the time to start pinching out the sideshoots. Look for shoots which grow between the leaf and the main stem, and nip them out using your finger and thumb. This maintains one core stem and directs more energy into flower and fruit development.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

All seedlings need to be checked regularly to ensure they do not get pot bound. This is especially important if the garden area they are intended for is not ready and you need a bit more time before planting out. Take a well rooted seedling (look for a fine network of roots which holds the compost together) and pot it into a slightly larger pot, often a 9cm pot is suitable. This will give you a little more breathing space to decide their final planting position and prevent the growth becoming ‘checked’ and failing to achieveÌýits full potential.

(www.rhs.org.uk)