This summer find out how to attract butterflies & moths, dahlias, deadheading, making a water feature, growing updates, lily beetles & drying flowers.

In episode 19 of Step-by-Step Gardening with me, David Domoney, filmed at Blue Diamond’s Bridgemere Show Gardens, I share how to welcome butterflies, enjoy dahlias, deadhead flowers, create a water feature, care for cuttings, control lily beetles & dry summer blooms.

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Butterfly & Moth Masterclass

Familiar British butterflies & moths, including red admirals, peacocks, brimstones, holly blues & hummingbird hawk-moths, then share simple ways to attract more species.

Plant of the Month: Dahlias

I explore the extraordinary range of dahlias, from wildlife-friendly singles to pompons & dramatic cactus forms, with tips for keeping their displays going until frost.

Plants featured: ‘Bishop of Oxford’, ‘Bishop of Dover’, ‘Labella® Grande Coral’, ‘Labella® Grande Red’, ‘Labella® Grande Fun Red White’, ‘Park Princess’, ‘Dalina® Maxi Peach’ & ‘Maggiore® Fun Pastel’.

Job of the Month: Deadheading

Deadheading keeps summer displays tidy & encourages many plants to flower again. I demonstrate techniques for daylilies, dahlias, geraniums & peonies, while explaining which seedheads to leave for wildlife.

Step-by-Step Guide: Making a Water Feature

I turn two containers into a compact woodland water feature, combining circulating water, natural driftwood & contrasting fern foliage.

Plants featured: Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata The King’, Asplenium scolopendrium & Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola.

Growing Updates

I check pelargonium & rosemary cuttings, remove flowers to strengthen their roots, pinch rosemary for bushier growth & catch up with ripening tomatoes.

Pest Guide: Lily Beetle

I reveal the tell-tale signs of lily beetle damage, where to find the adults, eggs & grubs, & how to tackle an infestation without sprays.

Step-by-Step Guide: Drying Flowers

I gather roses, lavender & honeysuckle at their peak, then preserve their colour & scent for homemade potpourri, decorations & natural confetti.

00:00 Introduction
00:26 Summer & How to attract Butterflies
01:13 Butterfly Moth Masterclass
01:21 Red Admiral
01:43 Peacock
02:02 Small Tortoiseshell
02:17 Brimstone
02:34 Holly Blue Butterfly
02:50 Orange Tip Butterfly
03:08 Hummingbird-Hawk Moth
03:27 How to attract butterflies?
04:06 Why do butterflies like Buddleja?
04:51 Butterfly Plants - Scabia, Verbena bonariensis, Lantana camara
05:34 How to extend flowering with the Chelsea Chop Sedum revisited
06:31 Top tips for a butterfly garden
07:00 Plant of the Month Dahlias
07:29 Single variety of Dahlias
07:57 What location do Dahlias like?
08:08 How many Dahlias are registered?
08:37 Double, PomPon and Cactus Dahlia Varieties
11:11 Why do we deadhead plants?
11:54 How to deadhead Daylily
12:44 How to deadhead Dahlia
13:43 How to deadhead Geraniums
14:00 How to deadhead Peonies?
14:59 Why should I leave some flowers on Heleniums, Alliums, Echinacea & Teasel
15:47 Prize draw to Win a Broil King Crown Kettle 57cm BBQ
16:13 How to make a water feature using a pot or container?
20:08 Planting up my water feature with ferns
21:05 Water feature revealed.
21:34 Rosemary & Geranium cutting update
23:01 Harvesting tomatoes
23:10 How to identify & deal with Lily Beetle
25:44 How to dry flowers from your garden for Confetti or potpourri?
26:09 Selecting roses, lavender & honeysuckle to dry
27:58 What temperature do I dry my flowers in the oven?
29:08 Dry flowers revealed
29:56 Goodbye & Credits

Location: Bridgemere Show Gardens, a destination for plant lovers.
Learn more: https://www.bridgemereshowgardens.co.uk/
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David Domoney Chartered Horticulturist
C Hort. FCI Hort. F Wcg. F Cmc. FLS.
Fellow of the Warwickshire College Group.
Fellow of the London Colleges of Horticulture.
Recipient of The Prince Edward Award for Excellence in Horticulture.

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