Alan Titchmarsh's simple trick to stop weeds in hot weather while 'showing off plants'
With the warm weather sweeping across Britain, many gardeners will find their luscious lawns starting to dry out with weeds starting to creep in.
Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has shared his top tip for making the most of your garden if it sits in full sunlight.
It comes as temperatures across Britain are set to hit highs of 29c on Wednesday (June 26) with a majority of the nation only set for sporadic showers in the days to come.
The 75-year-old's tip will not only help your garden when the weather is warm but will apparently stop your plants from rotting when the winter months come around.
Writing in BBC Gardener's World, he said: "Dry gardens in full sun are often most effected when they are sparsely planted - emulating the natural conditions in which the plants would grow.
"Rivers of gravel used as mulch will not only show off the plants to best effect but will also ensure that weeds are surpressed and surface drainage is fierce - preventing mud-splashing and alleviating that problem of moisture sitting around the 'collars' of the plants and leading to rotting in winter."
Alan says incorporating one or two evergreen shrubs will also help provide structure to a garden that sits in full sun. He says choisya - a Mexican orange blossom - will work well while the osmanthus will be able to tolerate gardens that also offer shade.
Meanwhile draught-tolerant perennials such as eschscholzia will and bulbs will be able to pad out the space.
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For gardens that have shady areas around trees a shrubs, a mulch of chipped bark will offer a natural look, says Alan. It will also retain moisture and reduce weed growth.
If you have a dry garden, Alan also reccomends providing organic enrichment to your plants and shrubs. Adding a well-rotted garden compost will help plants establish themselves and encourage their roots. The roots will then go deeper into moisture-retentive earth.
Watering your plants will also help them during the their first growing season, while removing weeds that compete with your cultivated plants will help your garden.
