Hello from the team at Hilltop Garden Centre! June is one of our absolute favourite times of the year here at our garden centre in Clacton. The days are long, everything is bursting into life, and it really feels like summer is underway. Whether you're pottering about in the garden, planning vibrant borders, or finally getting stuck into growing your own, we’ve put together our top tips and advice to help your garden thrive this month. So, pop the kettle on and read on for our June gardening guide.
Plant Alstroemeria – Hilltop's Plant of the Month
Let’s start with a star of the summer garden – Alstroemeria, also known as the Peruvian Lily. These hardy perennials flower from June right through to October, making them a brilliant investment for your borders. At Hilltop – your go-to garden centre in Clacton-on-Sea – we have a fantastic selection in a variety of colours, from soft pastels to bright, exotic hues.
They’re great for pollinators, low-maintenance, and make wonderful cut flowers too. To get the best from your Alstroemeria, plant them in full sun or partial shade using Rocket Gro Beds & Borders compost, which gives them the nutrient-rich boost they need. Just keep them watered in dry spells and remove faded blooms to encourage more flowers.
Wake up and smell the Roses (in your garden)
It's National Rose Month and so easy to see why - Roses are starting to bloom, and it's such a joy to see their colour and scent filling our gardens. Here at our Essex garden centre, we’ve got a lovely range of roses in-store, from classic hybrid teas to romantic climbers and repeat-flowering shrub roses.
When planting roses, make sure you choose a sunny spot and enrich your soil with Rocket Gro Tree & Shrub compost for the best start. Make sure they’re planted with good air circulation to reduce the risk of mildew and blackspot.
Keep them fed throughout the season with a balanced rose feed and deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers. Once flowering finishes, prune lightly, remove any dead or diseased stems, and give them a good mulch to keep them looking their best into autumn.
Deadhead to prolong flowering
Deadheading helps many flowering plants produce more blooms for longer. By removing faded blooms, you prevent the plant from putting energy into seed production and instead encourage new growth and flowers. Just snip just below the faded flower, above the next set of healthy leaves or buds. Here are some common types of plants that benefit from regular deadheading:
Bedding plants
- Petunias
- Geraniums (Pelargoniums)
- Marigolds
- Pansies
- Violas
- Sweet peas
- Cosmos
Perennials and shrubs
- Roses – especially repeat-flowering varieties
- Delphiniums
- Lupins
- Peonies
- Penstemon
- Dahlias
- Coreopsis
- Gaillardia
How to deadhead Dahlias for more flowers
If you started your Dahlia tubers off indoors last April, they're now ready for pinching out!
Step 1: Look for stems with 3 or 4 pairs of leaves on each stem
Step 2: Pinch out the top to encourage side shoots to sprout. Use clean, sharp secateurs or scissors to snip - this encourages the plant to send out new flower stems from that point. For every set of leaves you'll get two more stems and lots of flowers!
Tip: Feed your Dahlias every couple of weeks with a high-potash feed (like Rocket Gro tomato food) to really boost flowering power.
Plant bedding plants
If you’re after instant colour, bedding plants are your best friends. Petunias, marigolds, lobelias, begonias, and geraniums all add long-lasting impact and are perfect for hanging baskets, containers or filling in borders.
To keep your displays going strong all summer, deadhead regularly, feed with a liquid fertiliser every couple of weeks, and water daily during hot weather. Try mixing colours like deep purples with vibrant oranges and sunny yellows for a really eye-catching look.
Need inspiration? We’ve got 3 for £10 offers on selected homegrown and locally grown bedding packs this month at Hilltop, so it’s a great time to refresh your pots and borders.
Keep your tools sharp!
One of the best-kept gardening secrets? Sharp tools make life so much easier! Whether you’re pruning, digging or trimming, keeping your secateurs, shears and spades in good condition means cleaner cuts and healthier plants.
We’re thrilled to welcome The Sharpener back to Hilltop on Saturday 21st June from 2–4pm. Bring your tools along for a professional sharpen – it’s the perfect excuse to grab a coffee in our garden centre with cafe while you wait!
Other jobs to tackle in June
There’s plenty to keep green fingers busy this month:
- Mulch borders to conserve moisture and reduce weeds
- Keep lawns mown, but raise the blade in dry weather to prevent scorching
- Check for pests – keep an eye out for aphids, slugs and caterpillars
- Tie in climbers like sweet peas and clematis as they grow
- Water containers and baskets daily – they dry out fast in summer sun and wind!
- Pinch out tomato side shoots to concentrate growth and get bigger fruits
Relax and enjoy the fruits of your (gardening) labour
Finally, June is the perfect time to take a step back and enjoy everything you’ve nurtured in your garden. All your hard work over the spring is starting to pay off, and there’s no better feeling than sitting back with a cuppa and taking it all in.
We’re always here if you need help or inspiration – pop in and chat with one of our friendly team members or have a stroll through the plant area. You’ll find everything from compost and tools to fresh ideas and advice.
So whether you're an experienced gardener or just getting started, June is a beautiful month to get stuck in, have fun, and make your little patch of the world bloom brighter.
See you soon at Hilltop Garden Centre – your local garden centre and cafe in Clacton, serving the community with plants, passion and a whole lot of friendly advice for over 75 years!
