June in your Cool Temperate garden

Compost autumn leaves by placing them in the compost bin. Especially large, tough leaves may be best if shredded first. In large gardens they make a useful mulch unshredded for oody plants like camellias and rhododendrons.

Assess your garden for damp areas where you may need to upgrade drainage. This is most easily done in winter and allows you to replant before spring growth commences.

Many woody plants can be transplanted in your garden at this time providing the soil is moist. Earlier preparation is beneficial but this may not be possible. Make sure that roots are cleanly severed. Dig a hole larger than the rootball and carefully re-plant your selected tree or shrub, ensuring that the soil around the existing rootball is kept together. The addition of suitable organic compost to the backfill soil will help new root development. Make sure you water the plant thoroughly in its new location to remove air pockets.

Peonies are fabulous plants for summer displays. Their enormous and beautifully coloured flowers add real drama to the garden. Plant them now in protected locations where their roots can be kept moist through the summer.

First plantings of dwarf peas can be made now. Sow seed 7cm apart with 50cm between rows. Where strong winds may damage plants, a double row 25cm apart will give them better stability.

Rhubarb crowns can be lifted and divided now. You should do this every five or six years. New plants can also be planted. Apply plentiful fertiliser to the soil including one and a half buckets of cow or sheep manure and half a cup of blood and bone before planting. Water new plants thoroughly.