Summer the time to tackle pruning and sowing perennials, expert says

According to homes and gardens specialist Laura Henderson, two of the best tasks to do this season are deadheading roses “after their first flush of bloom” and sowing perennial seeds.

Another job for this time of year is trimming leafy hedges, she added.

Ms Henderson went on to point out that it is also vital to keep on top of watering, feeding and weeding during the summer months, because of the higher temperatures.

In contrast, she continued, winter is the period of the year when gardeners should tackle re-levelling, draining and cleaning ponds, increasing the size and shape of borders and reseeding unpopulated areas.

One of the hottest trends right now in garden design is to fill borders with fruit and vegatables, the expert added