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We're now halfway through June and across are bursting with life. are blooming, borders are full of colour, and are growing fast. It's one of the best times of the year to enjoy your outdoor space, and for many, the hard work put in during spring is finally paying off.

But if you want your to keep looking this good right through the summer, experts say now is the time to act. There's one simple task that should be done before the end of the month, and it could make all the difference when it comes to keeping your healthy and full of blooms.

It's not a big job and doesn't require any specialist tools. In fact, all you really need is a pair of secateurs, a few spare minutes, and a little patience.

According to experts at , the key to keeping certain plants looking their best is giving them a quick prune.

Pruning helps manage size, shape and overall plant health. But the timing matters. Cutting back a plant at the wrong time could reduce flowering, increase the risk of disease, or even damage new growth.

Early summer, especially June, is ideal for giving certain shrubs, herbs and perennials a tidy-up.

According to the experts, the plants that benefit most from this early summer trim include spring-flowering shrubs, herbs that tend to bolt in the heat, and tall perennials that can become floppy later in the season.

Lilacs are one of the key plants to cut back now. These popular shrubs bloom in late spring, and if you wait too long to prune, you risk removing the buds that are already forming for next year.

Experts say gardeners should remove dead or diseased branches and trim healthy ones just above outward-facing buds.

Forsythia is another spring-flowering favourite that should be tackled right after it finishes blooming, usually in May or early June.

Gardeners are advised to remove a quarter of the older branches and trim smaller ones to open up the centre of the shrub and improve its shape.

Mock orange also benefits from early summer pruning. Cutting back a third of the plant and removing woody stems helps control its size and keeps it looking neat.

Joe-Pye weed, a tall summer perennial, can grow too high and collapse under its own weight.

Pruning it by about a third in June keeps stems shorter and stronger, with bushier growth and better flowers later in the summer.

Bee balm doesn't need heavy pruning, but deadheading spent flowers and trimming the stems slightly will encourage more blooms and help it spread out more evenly.

Asters, which flower in autumn, should also be cut back in June. Trimming the shoots by half now can delay flowering slightly but gives a fuller, neater plant that doesn't need staking later on.

Chives can be cut back almost completely after flowering. This encourages regrowth and gives gardeners a second harvest.

Finally, both cilantro and basil need watching as the weather warms up.

These herbs tend to bolt quickly in hot weather, ruining their flavour. Pinching off flower buds and harvesting leaves regularly in June keeps them productive for longer.