THERE can't be many things nicer than being able to take a mug of coffee for a wander around the garden at the start of what looks set to be a hot steamy day (apart, maybe, from taking a cool glass of white wine round in the evening after work).

This has to be done barefoot. The sublime sensation of cool soft blades of grass tickling the soles of your feet simply cannot be beaten. This does, of course, depend on the quality of your lawn, and what type of plants or trees you have growing nearby.

Last week I had the good fortune to judge a local front garden competition. I have to say that the standard of the gardens on show was extremely high. There are a lot of very committed people out there, who spend time and money on making their gardens beautiful. Most of the entrants went for bedding, with others using a mix of easy-to-maintain conifers or perennial planting. The one thing they all had in common though, was a well looked-after, smooth, flawless lawn, and it's that that often takes up most time for a gardener.

I do the bare minimum to my lawn. I mow it once a week. I don't feed it, I don't apply any form of chemical killers, and I don't aerate it. I am not bothered about the odd patch of clover, buttercup or self heal. Not only do they keep the lawn looking verdant, they can add splashes of vibrant colour if left uncut too long.

However, I did recently spend a good deal of time hunting down and digging out thistles. I didn't have to look for the first one. I found it under my denuded foot. After a short interlude for First Aid attention, I came back armed with a bread knife and a bucket. Thistles have dandelion-like roots - they are narrow and go down deep. A spade or trowel would only leave a large hole in the grass. With a bread knife, you can gouge out a long, narrow excision, which has little impact on the lawn.

That was the back lawn sorted. The front lawn is mostly moss and only needs cutting once a fortnight. It is extra spongy underfoot, and thus doubly inviting for non shoe-wearing exploration. Smurf, the little terrier, loves snuffling around for feline tracks in the bouncy lawn. She can get her nose buried right in. Unfortunately, so can the fallen leaves. I have a mixed hedge surrounding the front lawn and the holly has just gone through its mid-year moult. Many people worry about seeing their holly losing leaves, but even though they are evergreen, they have to shed the old ones sometime. You should only worry if it continues to lose a large proportion of its leaf coverage.

Unluckily for Smurf, she happened to nuzzle up to one of the old leaves, and let me know about it with a screeching yelp. The brown holly leaves tend to be brittle and the ends break off once they have pierced the skin (or nose), leaving a very painful splinter. After administering a good dose of TLC, I had to spend the rest of the afternoon clothed in thick, thorn-proof gloves, picking sharp-toothed leaves out of the lawn.

READER'S QUESTION

Mrs Winters, from just outside Middlesbrough, wrote to me about a large caterpillar that she found crawling among her flowers. It was brownish-black and as thick as her finger. She first thought it was a snake.

Judging by the size and colour of the caterpillar, I would say that it could be the larva of an elephant hawk moth. When disturbed, the front swells up and is decorated by rather sinister-looking eye shapes, which make it look like a snake.

They are, however, completely harmless, and are found in mid to late summer on willow herb, fuchsia and balsam. Any damage they cause will be isolated and will re-grow. They pupate and spend the winter in a chrysalis underground. In spring, they emerge as pink and green moths which like to feed on honeysuckle and hanging basket plants.

JOBS TO BE DOING IN THE GARDEN THIS WEEK

l Feed citrus plants

The citrus family (oranges, lemons, limes etc) need a specific balance of minerals and trace elements that is usually lacking in everyday compost or feed. This is often the cause of a yellowing of the foliage. Encourage new growth now by adding a summer citrus fertilizer. Most good garden centres will supply this.

* Split agaves

Agaves will be having massive growth spurts in this hot weather. It is at this time of year that offsets appear at the base of the plant. Simply tease these away from the parent plant and pot them. They will soon develop into good-sized plants. If, whilst doing this, you notice that the original agave is root-bound, think about re-potting that as well.

l Lift onions

Most spring sown onions will now be fully mature. Let the necks bend over naturally (don't do it for them, as this is a sign of ripeness) and then lift and store in a dry, cool location. They will keep for some months like this.

POST SCRIPT

For more informal chat on horticultural issues, tune into 'Ask about Gardening' on BBC Radio Cleveland, 95FM, every Sunday from 12-2pm, with Brigid and Tim.