THERE is never a time when a keen gardener can't find something to do but now, when our gardens are at their best and full of summer colour, we should take a little time to relax and sit down and enjoy the results of months of hard work and planning even if, at the back of our minds, plans for the next year are beginning to take shape.

If you have tried growing some vegetables this year remember to keep cutting courgettes and squashes regularly, looking under the leaves for hidden fruit - as they are good croppers it quite often gets difficult to keep up with them.

As soon as tomatoes ripen pick them and remember to pinch out the tops of cordon varieties.

You will know when your sweetcorn is ready as the tassels turn brown and when you pierce an individual grain a milky sap is exuded. To enjoy them at their best, pick French and runner beans before they turn coarse and stringy. It is a good idea to leave a few on the plant at the end of the season for use as seed next year.

Homegrown garlic should be lifted as soon as the foliage has died down. Before storing, the bulbs need to be dried thoroughly, leaving them in a sunny place is the best way to do this.

Once ready for storage they should be hung somewhere dry either in plaits or nets. Gardeners are always looking to the future so save some of the best cloves for planting later this autumn or in the early spring of next year.

If the weather is dry raise the blades of your lawnmower slightly when cutting the lawn and to help retain moisture leave the grass clippings on the ground where they will serve as a mulch, helping to protect the grass roots from being scorched. If you are planning to sow a new area of lawn next month you can begin preparing the site now, hoeing regularly to remove annual weeds as they will germinate all too quickly in the newly turned soil.

To extend the flowering season of perennials and annuals in the flower garden keep up with dead heading. If you want to save seed for next year from your favourites allow a few plants to set seed. They are ready for harvesting when the seed heads begin to turn black or brown.

Shake the seed heads into paper bags and allow to dry in a warm, airy place for a few days.

Don't forget to label the packets before storing in a cool, dry place for use next year.

If you don't do this straight away its odds on that by next year you won't have a clue what they are.

But it does make a talking point guessing what they will be if you do sow unmarked seeds. All your containers and hanging baskets still need regular watering. Less water will be lost through evaporation if you do this either in the evening or early morning. Even when the weather is wet still check your containers and baskets regularly. You may find that they are often surprisingly fry, as the foliage on the dense planting can deflect the rain.

At this time of year it is important to keep the doors and windows in the greenhouse open during the day and at least one vent open at night to ensure good ventilation. If the weather is hot and dry damp down the floor during the day to keep the atmosphere moist.

Ensure that plants are kept well watered and feed those that are in flower or are cropping. Pests are always with us just waiting for an opportunity to move in on your precious plants so keep a close watch for tell-tale signs and be ready to act immediately. With so much going on outside we sometimes forget about our house plants and they often suffer when the weather is very hot.

Keep them well watered and fed, giving extra moisture by misting or standing the pots on gravelled trays filled with water. If you are repotting any house plants for best results this should be completed by the end of the month.

We have already been enjoying strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, peaches, nectarines and currants and to this list of goodies we can now add early apples, pears and plums. For the best results leave the fruit to ripen on the parent plant. This rule applies not only to soft and stone fruit but also to apples and pears.

Remember that with apples and pears they are not necessarily ready when they look ripe. A simple test is to lift the fruit and twist it gently. If it comes away from the tree it is ready, if it shows any reluctance leave for a few more days before trying again.