ADJUST the blades on your lawn mower so they leave the lawn a bit longer for summer.
This helps to shade the roots from the intense heat and keeps the soil a bit cooler.
Add a granular wetting agent, as when the lawn is watered the water can soak down into the soil root zone where it is needed.
If you are on water restrictions and have limited water available the wetting agent is still a good idea, as whatever rain falls can soak in a bit better because the soil is less repellent.
Make use of greywater for watering lawns and rotate it from area to area rather than deliver it to the one area all the time.
This avoids a possible build up of salts from laundry detergents.
There are many simple and inexpensive ways to recycle greywater from the washing machine, so pop into a hardware store for some advice and equipment.
Flower power
THERE are so many great shrubs flowering in the garden now and they thrive despite the warmer conditions.
These include the butterfly bush or buddleja.
There are many different types of buddleja and many of the more readily available ones are cultivars of B. davdii.
These can reach to about 2.5m high and have spikes of flowers in various shades including white, mauve, deep purple and crimson.
They are a great background shrub for the perennial border and should be pruned back hard after flowering has finished.
Lion's ear or Leonotis leonurus is another relatively hardy shrub flowering now and it brings a whorled velvety orange flower to the garden palette.
There is also a rarer white flowered form.
Both are hardy and tolerate a hot sunny position once established.
English lavenders are thriving in the garden now and their scented flower and brilliant colour attract bees to the garden.
A row or hedge of English lavender - or a couple of plants near the vegie patch - is a great idea as the bees will help pollinate tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini.
Hat's a good idea
WHEN working in the garden, remember to put on a wide brimmed straw hat - they breathe better than a fabric one and are not as hot.
Work in the cooler morning or late in the evening and apply sunscreen as necessary.
Wear a cool loose cotton shirt that protects the forearms from the sun and regularly have a drink of water to keep fluid levels up.
This way you can enjoy gardening in the summer without any risk of sunburn or overheating.
