As the UK heatwave returns, senior gardener Noah Mabey at Thornbridge Hall advises a simple two-minute task: place a shallow dish of clean water in your garden to help wildlife thrive during dry spells.
Simple Water Dish Trick
Mabey, who also serves as a horticultural advisor, told Platinum Spas Hot Tubs that birds, bees, and butterflies often struggle in the heat because they cannot find fresh water sources. His solution is to put out a shallow dish of clean water, a step that can make a real difference.
He explained: "I like to add pieces of tufa stone, gravel or marbles so bees, butterflies and other insects have somewhere safe to land while they drink. Birds will also appreciate a larger bowl of clean water nearby."
Collect Seeds in August
Looking ahead, Mabey suggests August is the best month to collect seeds from favourite flowers such as poppies, sweet peas, foxgloves, or Nigella Damascena, as their seed heads dry around this time. By allowing them to dry naturally and storing them in a cool, dry place, gardeners can replant them next year.
He added: "It's a simple way to grow more of the plants you love next year without spending any extra money." Poppies, for instance, can be scattered directly into borders to establish naturally for next season.
Plan Beyond Summer
Mabey also advises planning beyond the current season. "Although the growing season is beginning to slow, August is an excellent month for sowing crops and flowers that will provide colour and harvests beyond summer," he said. Salad leaves like lettuce, rocket, and spinach can still be sown for late-season picking, while spring cabbage, spring onions, and hardy herbs establish well.
August is also the perfect time to sow biennials such as foxgloves, wallflowers, and sweet williams, giving them enough time to establish before they bloom next spring. These easy tasks, shared by the gardener behind Derbyshire's Thornbridge Hall, may be worth adding to your weekend routine.
