It is about this time of year I realise my perennial mistake, I have not staked and supported enough plants in the border and they are a horticultural collison as summer moves on. It's not just the tall plants like the Delphinium, but shorter plants such as Crocosmia which if planted close to another plant or path will flop over if not staked. Every year I visit a show garden which has been carefully staked which  evidences my own failings. Plant stakes are also expensive and in truth I think some of the metal stakes look intrusive in a flower border.

If you are pruning shrubs at this time of year, or anytime, look at the pruning off cuts to see if they may make decent plant stakes.  Natural wooden stakes look nice in the border, and they are free.

I needed to prune back an Elaeagnus which had over grown it's alloted space. I wanted to keep the top growth for height and privacy but trim out some of the lower branches. As a mature shrub there was a good bit to trim off and the image top right shows the pruning cuttings. I then stripped off the leaves and trimmed the branches. The image bottom left shows the branches which will make ideal stakes for some of the lower growing plants such as Crocosmia, Oregano and the hardy Geraniums. 
Plants stakes for free sounds good. Overwinter the stakes in dry place such as a shed, greenhouse or garage and some stakes will last several seasons.

During the summer you can prolong a plant's flowering time by regular dead heading. But also by pruning and cutting back, you can also get a second flush of flowers. 

Wisteria needs to be pruned twice a year without fail essentially to make it flower, and it will often produce a second flush around July. The image on the right shows the Wisteria just starting to produce a second, lighter and much less prolific flush of flowers but nice to see and enjoy. This second flush has been created by pruning and good weather conditions: tips and advise on growing Wisteria and how to make it flower.

Also in the image right is a second flush of Delphinium, again much smaller and less blooms, but still flowering in late July. To do this you need to cut off the main spent flowering shoot and leave the side shoots to develop more flowers. Removing the spent flower head to a lateral leaf or bud will also work for Achillea, Lupins and Digitalis the foxglove.

Some plants can look very messy after flowering such as  Geranium ibericum and Alchemilla mollis which are unlikely to flower again the foliage can look very tatty. With these I cut them down almost to the base, but check carefully as there will be young foliage coming through and within 10-14 days the plant will have produced some smart looking new green foilage which looks much better as in the image below. Just a couple of weeks ago this was almost bare earth.

There are of course plants which only flower once Agapanthus,  Iris, Peony but most plants will benefit from either dead heading, removal of the spent flower spikes, or cutting back tired looking foliage.

This can also work in the veg plot with a good summer. It is perfectly possible to get a second crop of broad beans, When the plant has produced all its pods cut it down close to the ground but not level, look at the plant for signs of lateral growth and cut above it. Over a few weeks the broad bean will re grow, flower and with luck produce a second light crop but perfectly edible. More about how to get a second crop of broad beans

The big butterfly count  takes place between 19th July -10th August. Last year over 46,000 people took part in 2013, counting 830,000 individual butterflies and day-flying moths across the UK . This helps the Butterfly trust to track what is happening to our much loved garden visitors the Butterfly. It is great fun for all the family and there is lots of information on how to take part on the Butterfly Conservation Trust website which is packed with information about Butterflies and moths. The Big Butterfly count is backed by some of our best green celebs, David Attenborough, Alan Titchmarsh MBE, and  Joanna Lumley OBE so it is bound to be a great success along with your vital support.

For advice on shrubs and plants to grow to attract butterflies into  your garden.

There is something very lovely about home-grown flowers. It's not just the pleasure of having tendered them yourself, think it's the individuality of the flowers. In the image left are  Iceberg roses, Delphinium, sweet peas, Philadelphus and cow parsley; together they make a lovely scented arrangement. Given that flowers are now air freighted around the world for our table, I am wondering if it's just as green and money saving to grown your own flowers, as it is to grow your own veg.

Once it was very popular, to see rows of flowers in the veg plot,  grown just for bringing into the house. It does make sense, as I find it hard to raid the garden borders when I have just got them looking lovely in summer, but equally it is lovely to bring flowers into the house. 

Home grown flowers are less sophisticated than the pristine flowers from florists, but in all ways, they have a green footprint.