July in the Garden: Welcome Your Olive Bush & Essential Gardening Jobs for the Month 🌿☀️

July is one of the most enjoyable months in the garden. Borders are overflowing with colour, pollinators are in full swing, and long, warm evenings provide the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy everything you've grown. It's also the ideal time to keep on top of a few simple gardening jobs to ensure your plants continue looking their best throughout the summer.

This month's The Rose Press Garden Subscription Box includes a beautiful olive bush - a timeless evergreen that brings Mediterranean charm to any outdoor space while being surprisingly easy to care for.

Meet Your July Subscription Plant: Olive Bush 🌿

Nothing says Mediterranean quite like an olive tree. With its elegant silvery-green foliage and naturally sculptural shape, an olive bush instantly adds character to patios, balconies, courtyards and sunny garden borders.

Despite their luxurious appearance, olive bushes are wonderfully low maintenance and incredibly rewarding to grow. Once established, they're drought tolerant, hardy and require very little attention, making them perfect for both experienced gardeners and beginners alike.

Whether planted in the ground or displayed in a decorative pot, your olive bush will provide beautiful evergreen foliage throughout the year and become a real feature in your garden.

Caring for Your Olive Bush

Olive bushes thrive in a warm, sunny position with well-drained soil. If growing in a container, ensure it has plenty of drainage holes to prevent the roots sitting in water.

During its first growing season, water regularly while the plant becomes established, allowing the compost to dry slightly between waterings. Once settled, olive bushes become very drought tolerant and require minimal maintenance.

Feed with a balanced fertiliser during spring and summer to encourage healthy growth, and lightly prune if needed to maintain a neat shape. If you live in an area prone to prolonged frosts, simply move container-grown plants to a sheltered spot during the coldest winter weather.

With just a little care, your olive bush will reward you with years of beautiful evergreen foliage and effortless Mediterranean style.

Five Essential Garden Jobs for July 🌸

The garden is at its peak this month, so a little regular maintenance will keep everything flourishing well into late summer.

🌸 1. Deadhead & Harvest

Remove faded flowers from roses, dahlias, cosmos and sweet peas to encourage even more blooms. Don't be afraid to cut flowers for the house - the more you pick, the more many varieties will produce.

💧 2. Water & Feed

Water early in the morning or later in the evening to reduce evaporation, paying particular attention to containers and hanging baskets. Feed flowering plants regularly with a high-potash fertiliser to keep displays vibrant.

🌿 3. Support & Prune

Stake taller plants such as dahlias, lilies and delphiniums before they become top-heavy. Lightly trim lavender after flowering and tidy early-flowering perennials to encourage fresh growth.

🌱 4. Weed & Check Your Plants

Keep weeds under control so they don't compete for water and nutrients, especially during warm weather. While you're out in the garden, inspect your plants for pests and diseases, particularly roses.

☀️ 5. Sit Back & Enjoy

After all your hard work, don't forget to simply enjoy your garden. July is one of the best months to appreciate buzzing bees, colourful butterflies and the abundance of flowers you've nurtured throughout the season.

Looking Ahead... 🌷

While you're enjoying the height of summer, it's never too early to start planning for next spring!

Spring bulb pre-orders at The Rose Press Garden go live from 10th July, giving you first access to our beautiful collection and our best launch prices. Keep your eyes peeled- you won't want to miss them!

Happy gardening! 🌿💚