The compost in a container should not be allowed to dry out completely, so check daily in warm summer weather. Watering is best done in early morning or late afternoon. Soak the compost well and avoid splashing the foliage in bright sunshine or it may scorch.

There is a limited amount of compost and therefore nutrients in a container, and the more plants there are and the quicker they are growing the more rapidly they will exhaust the nutrients, so regular feeding is essential.

Feed summer tubs from May to September whenever you water with Westland’s Nuri Plant Feed or All Purpose Soluable Plant Food. Alternatively push Westland’s Feed-All Slow Release Plant Food Tablets into pots, baskets and containers. One application will feed your plants for up to 6 months.

Feed summer container displays containing roses and other flowering shrubs every 2-4 weeks during peak growing season with Westland’s Rose & Shrub Plant Food.

Good hygiene is important for healthy plants, so remove dead flowers and foliage, along with any weeds. Deadheading will also stimulate more flower production.

Turn the pot occasionally to encourage even growth, and prune to keep a balanced shape. Some plants will finish flowering before others, some may not grow as well, and some will even grow too well. Rather than leave them to spoil the show, simply replace them with healthy young plants.

A mulch around plants in a container will help conserve water, keep down weeds and look decorative. Try Westland’s Decorative Mini Bark or Garden Gravel.

Check plants for pests and diseases. Aphids suck sap causing the leaves to yellow and pucker. They also leave a sticky “honeydew” residue that encourages sooty mould. Westland’s Plant Rescue kills aphids and other bugs on contact. It is a long lasting systemic protection and contains fertiliser for healthy plant growth.

If you are going away on holiday move your containers to a shady sheltered area. Feed, water and deadhead the plants before you leave and try to arrange for someone to water them regularly.

During hot weather the oxygen levels in your pond may be depleted and this can cause stress to any wildlife or fish. If you don’t already have one install a pond pump to keep the water moving and to introduce oxygen into the water. Add oxygenating plants to the water to increase the oxygen levels.

Don’t be tempted to clean out newly established ponds. There is a settling in period where the water needs to gain its balance and settle. Algae growth and green water are often a part of this. If you clean out a balancing, or balanced water feature too soon, you will simply restart the cycle and have to allow the pool to go through this period all over again.

In summer, algae can ruin the appearance of the established garden pond. There are many ways to deal with this problem. Water plants will help to use up excess nutrients that can cause algal surges. Plants provide shade to the pond and help reduce algal growth. Ideally the pond should be shaded for 6-8 hours of daylight. When planting in and around your pond try using Westland Aquatic Compost. This specialised compost uses sterilised soil and grit for healthy aquatic plants and is loam based for nutrient retention.

Avoid excessive levels of fish. 20-30cm of fish to every square metre of surface area is the ideal level. Use quality fish food, it will be quickly and easily digested and avoids wastage and nutrient build-up.

Remove accumulated sediment at the bottom of the pond using a pond vacuum or a suitable filter.

Identify whether water run-off from the garden enters your pond and causes a problem and if so prevent it from reaching the pond. If the problem is getting out of hand choose a suitable algae treatment from your aquatic centre. Aquatic herbicides can be used but make sure you are absolutely sure they will not affect any plants, fish or wildlife in your pond.

Rectify ponds badly affected by algae by installing a filter fitted with a UV light; these are particularly suitable for ponds containing Koi carp.

Remove dead leaves from water lilies and pond plants so that they do not contaminate the water.

The pot shown here demonstrates how to plant to allow each specimen to be seen at its best. All the plants in this pot can be planted out in the border the following spring:

• The tallest plant is a conifer with soft needles called Cryptomeria “Elgans Compacta” which is slow growing but will eventually reach 3m (10ft)
• A stem of the Chinese Lantern Physalis, with its latern-like fruit has been added to the display in a blue bottle to provide extra colour – replace with other seasonal cut flowers if you wish
• A variegated Euonymus adds a touch of autumn gold. The widely available “Gold Tip” or “Emerald ‘n’Gold” is ideal
• The red-berried Skimmia Reevesiana tumbles over the edge of the pot. If you prefer white berries opt for Skimmia Japonica Fracto-albo

Don’t be afraid to mix different types of plants for strong effects in your autumn pots and containers. Evergreen shrubs will make a strong backdrop for colour flowers, and ornatimental grasses and other foliage plants, such as evergreen eurphorbias, will also give long-lasting colour.

Ladybirds and Lacewings love to munch on aphids so encouraging their numbers will go a long way to limiting the damage wreaked by the dreaded pests.  Don’t be too hasty to tidy away hollow stems and other branches.  Provided these are not diseased they make a fantastic home for overwintering insects and ensure they are already in your garden for the onset of Spring.

Sowing and growing wildflowers is a fantastic way of encouraging many beneficial insects and birds into the garden.  Growing a wide range of plants is a really good idea.  Not only does this cut down the risks of certain soil borne diseases getting a hold in the garden but it also encourages the broad range of insects and slugs that birds love to feed on.  Where possible leave seed heads on flowers such as Echinacea, Sunflowers and Teasel during the winter months as these will provide food for birds, encouraging them to visit your garden.

If you are lucky enough to have hedgehogs in your garden provide them with a safe and secure place for hibernation during the winter months.  Hedgehogs love slugs and will do a fantastic job of keeping down numbers in your garden.  Always check unlit bonfires before lighting as these are often irresistible to hedgehogs when they are looking for a home.  Never feed hedgehogs with bread and milk, this can be harmful to them.  Instead give dog or cat meat.

There are a great many plants that will attract bees and butterflies into the garden, below is a few ideas to get you started;

• Aquilegia
• Borage
• Buddleja
• Echinacea
• Eryngium
• Geranium (cranesbill)
• Honesty (Lunaria)
• Lavender
• Penstemon
• Phlox
• Scabious
• Sedum
• Tagetes

When applied at a depth of 30cm (12 inches) Westland Play Bark will provide protection from falls from a maximum height of 3 metres. For a fall from a maximum height of 2m, bark should be applied at a depth of 20cm (8 inches).

1.  

   Step 1.

   Clear the area where you are setting out for your play area. Dig out any perennial weeds, making sure the taproots of weeds such as dandelions are removed whole. On persistent weeds use Westland Resolva Weedkiller. This is very important, as any small pieces of roots will grow again and push up through the mulch. Annual weeds will be smothered by the bark and will die.

2.  

   Step 2.

   If you want the Play Bark to last longer then spread a layer of planting fabric such as Weed Block over the area first and then apply the bark over the top of this fabric.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Spead the Play Bark over the whole area. Use a 20-30cm layer for best results. 200L of bark will cover about 1m2 at 20cm (8in) deep and should last for up to 3 years.

4.  

   Step 4.

   Check the play area daily and ensure that there is an even coverage of Play Barkover the whole area with a minimum depth of 8 inches, top up with new bark if necessary. Remove any debris and foreign matter that may have appeared in the bark.

1.  

   Step 1.

   Part fill a special planting basket with Aquatic Compost. Plant the lily in the centre and firm more Aquatic Compost around the plant to ensure that the compost provides a good base.

2.  

   Step 2.

   Cover the surface of the compost with Garden Gravel. This helps to anchor the plant and to keep the compost in place.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Lower the container into the pond. If the leaf stems are not long enough to lie on the surface, stand the basket on bricks and remove the bricks as the stems grow longer.

Little skill is required if you use one of the preformed shapes available from many garden centres.

1.  

   Step 1.

   Mark out the shape of the preformed shape on the ground where you would like to situate the pond. This is often easiest using rope.

2.  

   Step 2.

   Dig out the pond area to a depth slightly bigger than the shape. Make sure you take into account any shelves and changes in depth.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Check the depth of the hole you have dug by laying a plank across the hole. Then measure down using a tape measure. You should also check that it is level using a spirit level.

4.  

   Step 4.

   Place the preformed shape in the hole and check that the edges are completely level using the plank and spirit level.

5.  

   Step 5.

   Run water into the pond and pack soil around the edges as the water level rises. Finally push Aquatic Compost firmly under the selves and push down using a piece of wood.

1.  

   Step 1.

   Refill the planter with fresh compost to fill in the holes where the bulbs have been. Try Westland Container & Basket Compost for great results. You can now plant into these gaps. For example a dahlia will grow up through the other plants and add more colour this summer. These are grown from tubers and are not hardy so protect the container if a frost threatens.
   

2.  

   Step 2.

   If there are still a few gaps in the planter then choose some early summer interest plants. Euphorbia combines well with the red foliage of the heuchera. You can also add a small, evergreen hebe to add interest to the front of the container.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Keep it well watered throughout the growing season and feed with Nutri Plant Feed to ensure your plants reach their full potential.

1. 
   
   
   

   Step 1.

   Add some drainage material such as broken flower pots (crocks) or Westland Garden Gravel to the base of your container. Then half fill with Westland West+ Multi Purpose Compost.

2. 

   
   
   

   Step 2.

   Carefully remove your plants from their pots and ensure that the root ball is thoroughly moist. If it is not then soak the plants in slightly tepid water for an hour until the roots are saturated.

3. 
   
   
   

   Step 3.

   Position the plants into the container until you are happy with the arrangement. Make sure that the main part of the plants are visible above the rim of the planter.

4. 
   

   
   

   Step 4.

   Fill in around the roots of the plants with more West+ Multi Purpose Compost, firm in gently and water in to settle the compost around the roots.

5. 
   
   
   

   Step 5.

   Place the finished container somewhere where it is visible from a window or beside the front door where you can appreciate it as you get home or leave the house.

1.  

   Step 1.

   Fill the base of the container with 2-3in (5-7.5cm) of Westland Garden Gravel. This improves the overall drainage of the container but also adds weight to the container to prevent it toppling over.

2.  

   Step 2.

   Half fill the container with West+ Ericaceous Compost or John Innes Ericaceous Compost; make sure you leave enough room for the root ball of your chosen plant.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Water your plant thoroughly, ideally by soaking in a bucket of rainwater for about half an hour. Take your plant out of its pot and position the root ball into the centre of the container.

4.  

   Step 4.

   Fill in around the plants with more West+ Ericaceous Compost or John Innes Ericaceous Compost, firm in gently and water well. Feed your plant through the growing season with Rhododendron, Azealea & Cameillia Plant Food. Mulch over the top of the compost in the container with Decorative Mini Bark.