With unprecedented summer sunshine hitting the UK, gardeners and homeowners are being offered expert advice on how to keep their lawns looking luscious and their borders blooming despite the intense heat.

Bloor Homes, which is developing the site of the former Harperbury hospital site in Harper Lane has released its top tips for keeping gardens green during the summer months.

When the sun has been shining for weeks on end, if you want to keep the grass looking green it is important to feed it every four-six weeks using a liquid lawn fertiliser.

Watering is also key so try to give the garden a good sprinkling at least twice a week in dry conditions. You should continue to mow the grass on a weekly basis but adjust the settings on the mower to ensure that you aren’t cuttings the grass too short.

And finally, always avoid laying new turf in hot and dry conditions.

If you want your flowers to “wow” rather than “wilt” you need to give them some TLC over the hot summer months. As a guide, try to ensure all planters are watered twice daily, but avoid watering during the hottest part of the day.

Planters should be fed on a weekly basis with a liquid plant food and don’t be afraid to remove the dead heads from all bedding plants and flowering shrubs, however avoid pruning shrubs and conifers in very dry conditions.

Graham Argent, landscape gardener for Bloor Homes, said: “We appreciate how important creating a stunning outside space is for homeowners to relax and enjoy with their family and friends.

“In the current weather conditions, it is very easy for gardens to quickly become dry and unwelcoming. We hope that with our handy guide, gardens across Radlett and Borehamwood will once again be looking gorgeous for those all-important summer BBQ’s.”