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Laurel is a very useful plant but it is very vigorous and August is the month to keep it neat by trimming your laurel hedge. Some gardeners say that the laurel hedge should be trimmed using secaturs only. This does give a much improved finish, if you have the time. Using shears is much quicker and does not substantially make much difference. If you can allow your compost more than 2 years to compost, then put your laurel trimmings on to it. If, like me, you can only keep the compost heap for a matter of months, it is better to get rid of the laurel leaves since they take a long time to decompose due to their waxy surface.

Plant Madonna lilies now, with not more than 2” of soil above each bulb. Order lilies for autumn delivery. Tiger lilies and some hybrids produce bulbils between the leaves and the stem. Gather the bulbils when they fall at a touch and plant them in a deep seed box, about 2” apart.

Keep shrubs tidy by dead heading. Especially roses, but do not apply rose fertiliser after the end of July, this avoids late soft growth which will not mature before winter.

Cut gladioli for indoor use when the first floret has opened. For exhibition plants the timing of cutting is dependent on the variety. The idea is to have as many florets open as possible. Remember to leave 4 –5 leaves when cutting a spike.

Keep cutting sweet pea blooms. Never allow the blooms to fade or droop otherwise the flowering period will be shortened.

Early in the month sow spring cabbage. Recommended varieties include ‘Early Market’, ‘Harbinger’, ‘Flower of Spring’ and ‘Wheeler’s Imperial’.

Provide you have a place where the seed can germinate at temperatures below 20 C sow some lettuce for cutting in the winter. Try ‘Winter Density’ or ‘Artic King’.

Keep a careful watch for potato blight. Cut off affected haulm and destroy it, don’t compost it.

Planting up strawberry runners in the later part of August will help provide a good crop next year. If you are buying plants in, make sure that they are certified virus-free stock, as strawberries are very prone to virus disease.

Towards the end of the month, rambler roses that have finished flowering should be pruned. Disentangle the growth from the trellis (use gloves for this!) and cut out all the stems that have carried flowers. It is much easier to do this if you untie all the stems before you start the pruning. All the new stems made this year should be retained and tied back into place. You will really appreciate all the work you have done when they flower next year.

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