Michael Myers, Horticulture Co-ordinator at Craven College, plays dare with the wild birds intent on decimating the soft fruit bushes in his garden.

AFTER several years of having no cherries to pick, my one surviving cherry tree, the cultivar ‘Stella’, has produced a reasonable crop this year and I have managed to collect a good tub full before the blackbirds and thrushes gorge themselves. The bravery of these avian garden residents multiples tenfold when ripe fruit is to be had. They seem to play dare with me amongst the strawberries and are even bolder when the cherries change colour. In the past I have netted both the strawberries and cherries and whilst I have no excuse for not protecting the strawberries this year, the cherry tree is now too large to easily cover. In retrospect I would now grow cherries as fan-trained trees against a wall whenever possible. The fruits are easier to pick and net against the birds. Soft fruit such as gooseberries and redcurrants are also easier to manage if grown in two dimensions but they do not need the protection of a wall, a simple trellis or post and wire structure will suffice. A fruit cage is of course the traditional method of protecting soft fruit and whilst there are lots of expensive bespoke options, a timber frame and soft net need not cost the earth, just expect lots of annoyed blackbirds.

I see that in ‘The Garden’ magazine this month there is a feature on the recent trial of blackberries and hybrid berries. These are easy, adaptable fruits to grow with several thornless varieties also available. It may seem odd growing a crop that is easily harvested from the hedgerows but the cultivated fruits are generally much larger and better flavoured than their wild counterparts. One of the first wild fruits to ripen and an exception to this rule are bilberries. This Northern speciality of the heather moorlands will be ripening throughout August and in a good year the bushes will be laden with fruits. The fruits are small though and take time to pick and so it is quite a good activity to get the whole family involved with.

Whilst judging a local garden competition last week I was impressed by the fruit grown at one of the entries along with the fine asparagus bed, something I can only dream of on my heavy soil. Two of the other gardens were dominated by traditional cut flowers – roses, dahlias and chrysanthemums. The roses were looking fabulous on what was the hottest day of the year so far but the cold start to the summer had delayed the dahlias which were only just starting to bloom. Nature does have a way of compensating though and so expect a great display as we move into the autumn. Another garden had a delightful seating area making the most of the shady back yard with luxuriant ferns and hostas, some in containers, mingling with a wide range of climbers.

For many, the summer offers opportunities to use the garden more for entertaining. Last week I sat outside watching the bats until quite late after enjoying the last of the evening sun. In the past I have had a lemon tree in pot growing on the patio to scent the area with the delicious citrus fragrance, so reminiscent of foreign holidays. I have also used several hardy climbers in a similar way. The evening fragrance of honeysuckle is always best where you can most enjoy it and similarly the white flowers of summer jasmine have a wonderful scent. My ordinary white form of Jasminum officinale has now intertwined with another variety called ‘Clotted Cream’ creating a fabulous fragrance outside my office window. One other climber growing nearby that will soon be getting its summer prune is Wisteria sinensis ‘Prolific’. Most of the long shoots can be trimmed back to the bottom five or six buds during August, in February I will prune these back further to the bottom two or three buds in a similar way to most apples. Apples and pears grown as cordons and espaliers can be pruned now by reducing any side shoots back to three buds above the basal cluster of leaves.

For the many planning a staycation this year there are lots of fabulous gardens to visit throughout the summer. Newby Hall has one of the best herbaceous borders in the country and a fine range of late perennials in the Autumn Garden. Some such as salvias and penstemons can be slightly tender and so now is the time to take semi-ripe cuttings to over-winter for next year’s display. I was recently at York Gate in Adel and here too there are some terrific planting combinations to enjoy. Smaller gardens opening for the National Gardens Scheme include Greencroft and Kirkella in Littlethorpe near Ripon on Sunday August 7 (12 midday to 5pm). Locally, the four acre garden at The Grange at Carla Beck Lane, Carleton in Craven near Skipton is open on Wednesday August 10 (12midday to 4.30pm).

Some other forth-coming events over the next month include the Leeds Horticultural Society Show on August 6; the Ancient Society of York Florists Summer Show on August 7; the Shrewsbury Flower Show August 12 to 13t August; Huddersfield Flower, Vegetable and Handicraft Show at Greenhead Park from August 13 to 14 and the Southport Flower Show from August 18 – 21. The Southport show will have a holiday feel to it this year as it celebrates the culture, cuisine and gardens of the Mediterranean, perhaps there will be lemon trees for sale.

Finally, it is the National Allotment Society’s National Allotment Week from August 8 to August 14. The ‘Growing Together’ theme has been selected to demonstrate the ‘inclusive nature of allotment gardening’ and local allotment associations are being encouraged to organise events. The closest event I can find is at Heaton Allotments Association in Bradford who have an open day on Saturday August 13.