These six plants will benefit massively from a quick prune now while the sun is shining.07:45, 08 Jul 2026As warm weather continues this month, gardens across the UK have burst into bloom. If you want to ensure your outdoor space looks equally as beautiful next year, it’s crucial to put the work in now.‌Some of the UK’s most popular plants will thrive even more with a little careful maintenance this month - and when the sun is shining it’s the perfect time to get out in the garden and do the rounds of your favourite flowers.‌Noah Mabey, Senior Gardener at Thornbridge Hall and Horticultural Advisor to Platinum Splash, shared his top tips for caring for the garden this month and ensuring it blooms again next year.‌He said: “As we head into July, the garden is truly in full bloom. It has been an absolutely fantastic year for roses, and with a little bit of careful maintenance this month, we can keep the spectacular show going right through the summer."RosesIn the warmer months, it’s important to keep up with your rose bushes.Noah said: “Keep deadheading diligently. When a rose flower fades, don't just snip the head off, cut the spent stem back to a healthy set of five leaves. This tricks the plant into pushing out another flush of gorgeous blooms.”‌WisteriaTo control the shape and bloom of your wisteria, now is the perfect time to cut it back.Noah explained: "July is the perfect time for a summer wisteria prune. By now, it has likely sent out long, grabby, whippy green vines. Cut these unruly shoots back to about five buds to control the shape and encourage better flowering next year.”‌Herbaceous PerennialsIf your geraniums or other early summer perennials have finished their first round of blooms, it's the perfect time to cut them back.Noah said: “Cutting them back hard now will encourage a fresh foliage and a second wave of flowers.”Sweet PeasThese flowers benefit greatly from regular pruning. According to Noah, “the more you pick, the more they grow”.‌He explained: "Keep harvesting the flowers for your indoor vases and snip off any spent heads before they go to seed to keep the blooms coming.”TopiaryTrim back your topiary hedges now to sharpen up their silhouettes and keep them fresh for the rest of the summer.Article continues belowFruit treesIf you’re lucky enough to have fruit trees in the garden, you may have noticed they can sometimes overproduce. This month is the perfect time to trim them back.Noah explained: “If you see large, congested clusters of fruit, thin them down to just two or three healthy fruits per cluster. This ensures the tree channels its energy into growing larger, healthier fruit rather than a crowd of tiny ones.”