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July Gardening in Ireland: Tasks and Planting Tips

Daisy Mullen

Updated: Sep 6, 2024


At Heritage Grounds Maintenance, July is a crucial month for maintaining the beauty of your garden, whether it’s a coastal retreat in West Cork or a country estate in the hills of Kerry. From eye-catching perennials to productive kitchen gardens, there’s plenty to do this month to ensure your garden thrives well into autumn.



Eye-catching perennials



Bursts of Colour in the Irish Garden


July brings a riot of colour to Irish gardens, with stunning blooms like hollyhocks, poppies, and heleniums making a statement in borders and beds. One of the standout plants we recommend this season is the foxglove hybrid Digitalis x valinii ‘Illumination Raspberry’. This beautiful perennial produces deep pink blooms with apricot-speckled throats, adding an exotic flair to any garden. Though slightly tender, it has proven to withstand the Irish winters, surviving temperatures down to -6°C, making it a worthy addition to gardens in both sheltered and coastal areas of Cork and Kerry.


Tall perennials, such as ammi, dahlias, and campanulas, often reach their peak height this month, and may need extra support, especially if summer winds roll in off the Atlantic. We suggest using simple canes and string, which blend seamlessly into the lush foliage, keeping your plants upright and thriving.




Digitalis x valinii 'Illumination Raspberry'



The Kitchen Garden in Full Swing


In July, the kitchen garden is bursting with produce, interspersed with vibrant flowers that attract pollinators and beneficial insects. Companion planting is a wonderful way to keep pests like aphids at bay while enhancing the natural beauty of your garden. In Cork and Kerry, we often see self-seeded flowers like poppies, verbena, and marigolds adding a softer, more relaxed edge to vegetable plots.


Here are some essential kitchen garden tasks for July:

  • Pick sweet peas every few days to prolong flowering.

  • Check for aphids on beans and other crops, and take action if needed.

  • Harvest herbs like oregano, marjoram, and basil for drying.

  • Sow salad leaves, chard, and turnips for late summer and autumn harvests.





Pick your Sweet Peas to prolong flowering & support them with canes, sticks or metal stakes



What to Plant in July


Ireland’s mild climate means there’s still plenty of time to plant crops that will keep your garden productive through autumn. At Heritage Grounds Maintenance, we recommend planting the following in July:

  • Spring cabbage

  • Turnips

  • Pak choi and other oriental vegetables

  • Chicory and fennel

  • Autumn/winter salads like mizuna and rocket

  • Leeks and brassicas

  • Dwarf French beans, spinach, and peas


In the Irish landscape, the use of raised beds or well-drained soil is particularly effective for growing vegetables, especially in the damp, coastal regions of Cork and Kerry, where heavy rains can sometimes lead to waterlogged ground.



Summer Flowering Highlights


July is a spectacular time for flowers in the garden, and there are several standout blooms that will add drama and beauty to your borders:

  • Agastache ‘Summer Sunset’: This pretty hyssop attracts bees and butterflies, with warm apricot-pink flowers that emerge from orange buds.

  • Helenium ‘Waltraut’: Bold orange flowers flecked with yellow provide a vivid splash of colour in your garden.

  • Verbascum ‘Cotswold Queen’: Striking golden spires make this a showstopper in any sunny border.

  • Echinacea ‘Harvest Moon’: Long-blooming apricot-gold flowers add a sunny glow, perfect for attracting pollinators.

  • Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Light My Fire’: This dramatic mophead hydrangea turns from lime green to white and rusty red, adding visual interest as the seasons shift.



Echinacea ‘Harvest Moon’



Essential Garden Tasks for July


To keep your garden looking its best this month, there are a few key tasks to focus on:

  • Use harvested rainwater to keep plants hydrated during dry spells.

  • Feed and deadhead roses to encourage continuous blooms.

  • Plant autumn bulbs, such as nerines, to get ahead for next season.

  • Cut back early-summer perennials to encourage a second flush of growth.

  • Ventilate greenhouses by keeping doors and windows open during hot spells.

  • Support tall-stemmed plants, such as dahlias and sweet peas, with canes or metal stakes.



Care for Your Irish Garden in July


Whether you’re gardening in a coastal area like Skibbereen or a more sheltered inland spot in Killarney, July is the perfect time to ensure your garden is thriving. Irish summers are often unpredictable, but with a little planning and care, your garden can remain a beautiful, productive space.


From supporting tall blooms to harvesting kitchen garden produce, the team at Heritage Grounds Maintenance is here to help you create and maintain a vibrant, flourishing garden that reflects the beauty of the Irish landscape. With our expert knowledge of local conditions and native flora, we’re ready to assist you in making the most of your garden in the months to come.



Nerine Bowdenii

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