IT has been a disappointing month for sun-lovers so far but the low temperatures and angular rain hasn't stopped the garden growing apace. Consequently there is plenty of cutting back to be done to keep things in order.

The flowers of Aubrieta, which are at their best in April and May, come to their end in July. This popular plant with small downy leaves and blooms in shades of purple, red or blue, according to variety, are seen everywhere in spring.

They cascade down walls and cover stones in rockeries giving a carpet of colour for several weeks. Easy to grow, it can become invasive and should be cut hard back in summer to keep it in check and promote plenty of new growth.

Look out for sprawling stems that have begun to root in the soil and pot them up. The new plants can be grown on and planted out in early autumn or kept in their pots over winter for putting in the garden in early spring.

Alchemilla mollis fills the garden with clouds of greenish yellow flowers at this time of year. It is an unusual ground cover plant but, like aubrieta, can easily get out of hand.

Self-sown seedlings tend to pop up all over the place but the plants tolerance of almost any soil in sun or light shade makes it a useful enough addition to the garden to forgive its promiscuity.

Cut back the flowers as soon as they begin to fade and prune the plant hard back to just above ground level. Fresh new leaves will soon begin to grow and form a clump of foliage for the rest of the summer.

The leaves look particularly attractive after rain or a heavy dew because they each hold on to a drop of water in their centre.

Violas are lovely plants especially when several are massed together in pots on a shady patio. They have a long-flowering season, but they will eventually start getting leggy and untidy.

Don't be tempted to dispose of the plants at this point, simply cut them back.

There are usually signs of new growth at the base of the plant and the old stems can be taken out just above this point. Water thoroughly after pruning with a liquid feed to help the plants along.

In a few weeks they should be ready to flower again.

Cemetery walk and talk

ROGER Brook, curator of the cemetery gardens at Bolton Percy and Worsbrough, near Barnsley, will be leading a tour of York Cemetery tomorrow.

He will be discussing the development of the cemetery and looking at seasonal plants as well as disclosing a few cemetery tales.

"My interest is the management of large sites of vegetation and the establishment and naturalisation of garden plants and wild flowers," says Roger. "I will be looking particularly at the area known as the Bolton Percy area."

The tour starts at 2pm and costs £2.50 for adults, £1 for children.

Tatton Show

The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park, Knutsford, is one of the treats of the year for garden-lovers in the north.

This year's show take place from Thursday to Sunday, July 25.

Some of the gardens will take inspiration from children's stories, including Treasure Island, Hansel And Gretel and The Secret Garden. The Treasure Island garden is the result of a community policeman putting Macclesfield Young Voices Youth Issues Group in touch with designer, Clive Scott. A group of 17 young people, together with Clive, will create the adventure of pirates and buried treasure using plants such as palms and the strawberry tree as well as shells and driftwood and a treasure chest.

Russel Watkinson's interpretation of The Secret Garden will have the statue of a woman at its heart surrounded by formal grounds softened by informal planting.

Visitors will also be able to see more than 40 more show and back-to-back gardens, floral arrangements and floristry, floral marquees and 25 local authorities and communities competing in the RHS National Flower Bed competition. They can also shop at the plant plaza where specialist nurseries will be selling a wide range of specimens.

Tickets to the show cost £19 for adults, £5 children five to 15 years and under five years free. Adult tickets booked in advance by July 18 will have a £2 discount. Further details on the ticket hotline 0870 9063811.

Garden art on show

THE Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate is holding an exhibition this summer devoted to flowers and gardens in art. The Glory Of The Garden: Flowers And Gardens In Art will run until September 5. The exhibition includes work by artists such as David Hockney, Atkinson Grimshaw, Anne Redpath, Nerys Johnson, Anna Airey, Ivon Hitchins and others.

The Mercer Art Gallery is on Swan Road and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm; Sunday 2pm to 5pm. Closed Mondays except bank holidays.

Updated: 10:44 Saturday, July 17, 2004