It’s

butterfly time

in the garden (above), and there’s no better way to enourage these exquisite flying insects than by growing one or two specimens of the fast-growing deciduous butterfly bush, Buddleja davidii, the shrub whose colourful flower spikes are produced from July to September. Grow it in a sunny, sheltered spot, making sure to prune hard in mid-spring by cutting back last year’s growth to within three-four buds.

Keep

deadheading late-flowering perennials

such as penstemons, echinaceas, and rudbeckias to extend their flowering period for as long as possible.

Sow seed of

hardy winter lettuce

. Varieties suitable for growing outdoors include ‘Lattughino’ and ‘Rouge d’Hiver’, while those that do will do well under glass/in a polytunnel include ‘Valdor’, ‘Winter Marvel’ and ‘Arctic King’. Remember to protect young seedlings from slugs.

Ripe homegrown tomatoes are so delicious that it’s all too easy to forget to put a few aside in order to

save the seed

. But it’s well worth doing so for the deep satisfaction that it gives. For a detailed guide to successfully saving your own vegetable seeds (suitable varieties can’t be F1 hybrids and must be heirloom/ open pollinated), buy a copy of the Cork-based seed supplier Brown Envelope Seeds booklet ‘Saving Vegetable Seeds in Ireland’ (brownenvelopeseeds.com).