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July is a great time for UK gardens, with flowers and plants alike in full colour. However, an expert has warned gardeners about the location of their crops, warning that some which don’t mix well together could “throw a spanner in the works”. Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk, explained how some plants “don’t mix well” with each other in the garden.

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He told Express.co.uk: “One thing that can really throw a spanner in the works of growing your plants successfully is growing together plants that don’t mix well.

“You can do everything right, but if you put together plants that compete with each other for important resources or attract insects that damage one another, then your ambitions are doomed from the start.

“There are a few simple rules that every gardener should follow if they want to pair up healthy plant combinations.”

Gardeners should be aware of planting plants near each other which have different requirements for water and nutrients.

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Chris said plants with different needs makes it hard for them to “coexist”.

The expert added: “You should also keep in mind that you shouldn’t put together plants that are extremely competitive.

“Be careful about the use of heights so that plants requiring full sun don’t get put into dense shade created by taller plants.

“There are some well-known plants that just don’t combine well together for a host of reasons.

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“Some of the most common examples of incompatible plants are tomatoes and corn, pumpkin and summer squash, beans and onions, asparagus and garlic, carrots and parsnips and potatoes and zucchini.”

Clare Cahill, CEO and owner of A Little Bird Company, told Express.co.uk that sunflowers should be kept away from other plants.

The expert said: “Sunflowers are easy to grow and produce seeds that birds will love.

“But these cheerful-looking plants send out a toxin from their roots, leaves, stem, flowers and seeds that can make it difficult for other plants to survive nearby.

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“Always plant sunflowers around 12 inches away from other plants and cut down and dry the seed head to hang out for the birds.”

Beans and potatoes should also be avoided planting near one another.

While some plants don’t mix well together, others work superbly well in the garden with each other.

This is known as companion planting.

Clare said sunflowers are a great companion for lettuce which loves the shade.

Chives also make great companions, repelling aphids that the flower attracts.

Lavender is a great companion plant for rosemary as they both have similar requirements - lots of sun and weekly watering.

Marigolds, thyme, oregano and strawberries will also be very happy located close to a rosemary plant.

Before planting anything in the garden, gardeners should research the specific care requirements of that plant.

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