What to grow

This month, I am planting cosmos – hands down, one of my all-time favourite flowers. It is late to start growing things from scratch, but after such an arctic spring, I was worried seedlings wouldn’t survive and decided to wait a little longer than usual to get planting.

Cosmos come in a whole host of vibrant and pastel shades of pinks and whites, brighten up any outdoor space, whether in a pot or as part of your garden border or flower bed design and they are fabulous pollinators, so bees and butterflies love them. Getting them started now will mean you have flowers from mid-late August and as long as you feed the plants every couple of weeks with a liquid tomato fertiliser, pick and deadhead the flowers, you’ll be furnished with beautiful blooms right through until the first frost comes November time.

How to grow

I start by growing the seeds in small seed trays, indoors. I sow them in peat free, multi- purpose compost, placing them 2cm below the soil, putting them in a sunny spot ensuring they are well – but not over – watered. The seeds should start to germinate in around 2 weeks and you should get your first flower within the first 8 weeks.

When the plants reach 10cm in height, ‘pinch out’ the plants – this means carefully, using your fingers or a pair of sharp scissors to cut off the top 3-5cm tips of the plant down to a leaf. When you first do it, it feels totally alien, but trust me on this one, you’ll reap the rewards! Pinching out encourages bushy growth and most importantly, more fabulous flowers.

Next, choose where you want to plant them out – they like sunny spots, with good drainage. Prepare the ground/container with compost and create enough space for the roots of the plant to sit – you don’t need to dig too deep, aim to keep the stem with leaves above soil.

I recommend growing them around 20cm apart from each other.

Carefully remove the plants from the seed tray/original container, place your fingers either side of the plant stem to support it and turn upside down, tap the bottom of the container and the plant should come out easily. Avoid pulling the plant out, as you may snap or damage the stem.

Green escape

While on one of my many walks in the Borough since we have been in lockdown, I discovered the Forest Gate Community Garden. It was a joy to come across this wonderful green oasis, full of beautiful plants, hugely friendly local volunteers and garden experts.

Years ago, the space was originally the site of a Victorian villa, before it fell into disrepair, grew massively overgrown and became a hot spot for fly-tipping. But with the passion and commitment of a small group of locals, the Forest Gate Community Garden was born, opening to the public in 2016.

The gardens are reasonably small, but perfectly formed and very well maintained. They have a fabulous range of plants to see and it’s a little haven for wildlife too. They have also been brilliantly creative with designing the gardens which feature amongst other things, a huge snail mosaic and a wall of colourful, old doors. It’s the perfect slice of tranquillity in the hustle and bustle of Newham. They run a series of events from workshops designed to encourage wildlife into your garden and how to compost to growing rhubarb and plant sales. The gardens are cared for by volunteers and are open to anyone and everyone. I guarantee you will be met with the warmest welcome. All info on their fabulous sessions can be found on their website: www.fgcommunitygarden.org

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