While summer may officially be drawing to a close, there’s still plenty to look forward to. We’ve enjoyed a warm September over the last couple of years and hopefully that trend will continue, allowing us to make even more of the late summer sun this year. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the sun in your garden before autumn really arrives and we have to spend more time cooped up indoors.
If you’ve not had a barbecue yet what are you waiting for? Whether you want something really simple with sausages, burgers and a couple of bread rolls, or you want to try a seafood themed barbecue with skewered tiger prawns and marinated trout, the combination of good weather, good friends, and good food is too good for anyone to resist.
If the kids are enjoying their last few weeks before school restarts or their last evenings with enough sunlight to stay out why not invest in some garden games and invite their friends over? Boules and skittles are popular classic choices, but if you have a big enough garden and don’t mind your kids running about then tag or hide and seek are great free options. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of refreshing drinks on hand to keep them hydrated!
If you want to carry on doing a bit of gardening and don’t mind preparing for the future there are still flowers you can plant at the end of August or in early September. Good choices include bugbanes, hardy begonias and toad lilies – the purple and violet tones really complement each other.
Alternatively you could try planting some vegetables. Spinach, turnips and radishes can all still be planted in August, so if you thought it was too late in the year to begin growing your own, think again. Meanwhile, if you’ve got existing fruit or vegetables growing this could be the perfect time to harvest them and enjoy the fruits of your labour. One tip – it can be a good idea to plant new vegetables in plant pots so that, in case we get an early frost, you can easily move the new plants indoors to prevent them succumbing to the cold.
In fact a bit of general gardening in these last couple of warm months is a good idea – nobody is so keen to maintain their garden as the weather gets darker, cooler, and wetter so get as much done as you can now to have it looking nice through autumn and winter.
You might even want to start considering making your garden more suitable for the colder months by investing in some kind of outdoor heater or chimera. If you really value being outdoors a gazebo will allow you to get some fresh air even when there’s a spot of rain.
In between all this work make sure you take the time to relax and enjoy your garden. Simply making a nice cup of tea and taking an hour or two to read a book in the shade will let you appreciate your garden rather than fussing over it.
Finally, remember that even though the sun might be getting a bit weaker it can still damage your skin. Protect yourself with sunscreen and keep yourself hydrated and you’ll get the maximum enjoyment from your garden while the sun lasts.
Written by Sam Luther, an experienced blogger and passionate gardener
How To Make The Most Of The Late Summer Sun
