Thank heavens for mature gardens whose backbones of trees, shrubs and perennials are so dependable to offer seasonal texture, fragrance and colour to the garden. Necessitating that the care-giver of that garden invest relatively few hours of maintenance. Some weeding time, some tidying, and a little more time spent in shaping and cutting back rampant growth.

Fact is, there has been so much happening during these summer months that it's just as well the focus of the garden occurs in the spring, and that's when most of the labour is undertaken to ensure the garden looks its best throughout the months that are destined to succeed.

Most of our garden clean-up is done in preparation for the winter months, so we tend to that heavy-lifting in the fall. There's enough work in the garden come spring, without the massive work of garden clean-up, cutting back perennials, lifting the annuals out of their pots, emptying the pots of soil in preparation for next year's planting.

So it's a relief not to have to spend an inordinate amount of time doing garden maintenance during the hot months of summer, to be able to enjoy the various splendid flowering plants that present in succession for our enjoyment. And, of course, the lovely annuals which labour on imprssively to give us those exciting punches of colour and form, separate and above from the perennials.

All they require from us is a little tenderness and a lot of moisture, and we're amply rewarded.