Support plants
Certain herbaceous plants, especially those grown in rich soil, need to supported. Do it now, before they start to flop. When a plant begins to slouch, no amount of clever staking will return it gracefully to an upright posture.
The most natural-looking supports are made from "pea sticks" - twiggy stems of (usually) birch or hazel. Any kind of brushwood may be used if it has a fairly straight growing habit, although willow, if recently cut, can root in the soil.
Push the pea sticks into the soil around the plant, and bend the tops of the sticks inward so that the stems can grow upward through the framework (and obscure it).
Bamboo canes may also be used: encircle the plant with canes, and run soft twine between them to make a web through which stems can grow. You can also tie flowering stems to individual canes, but take care not to strangle the plant, and do allow some leeway for movement.
Weightier plants require something heavier, such as curved steel supports (available from
garden centres).