Spring in the Garden

Spring is the perfect time to start some work in your garden, with sunny days becoming more frequent from mid-March onwards. Now is a busy time, with plenty to do as we prepare for spring-shoots and cut back winter shrubs - ready for a vibrant summer full of blooms.

You may not have used it for a while, but it’s time again to start regularly using the lawn mower. Making sure the blades are sharp and the grass has begun to grow, start on a dry day and mow frequently to maintain a tidy lawn. Be sure to clean up the edges of your garden, too, using a garden trimmer if you have one or a large pair of gardening scissors.

For an evergreen garden, organise your bulbs with each season and keep your garden looking neat by maintaining spring flowering bulbs that have already been planted. Take off the faded flowers and seed-heads and carefully remove the bulbs and leaves, to replant them individually about 2-3 inches apart. Now is also the right time to start planting your summer flowering bulbs, like gladioli, glory lilies and freesias. Plant them now and look forward to them coming up with the summer.

A garden doesn’t have to be all about the flowers. If you’re a foodie, or looking to try something different, a number of different vegetables can be planted in early spring, with some following a little later in the season. Lettuce, radish, potatoes, cabbages and onions can all be sown in early spring, resulting in a delicious crop come summer, however you want to serve your garden bounty. Some vegetables, such as courgettes and French beans, produce pretty flowers too and will easily fit in with your flowerbeds.

Spring is a beautiful time of year to spend in the garden and all the better when your garden is kept neat and tidy, with a few personal touches for decoration. After the winter months, you may find that a few things need fixing. Fences and trellises should be fixed if they're rickety, and, when the weather is dry, you may want to freshen them up with wood-preservative or a new coat of paint. If you're anticipating visits from birds to your garden this spring, clean out your bird bath and disinfect the feeders with a very weak bleach solution, being sure to thoroughly wash and rinse it before filling it with seed. Hanging baskets will also brighten up your garden or patio, adding a burst of colour wherever you place them. All of these touches will make your garden look lively and ready for spring sunshine.

There's plenty of work to do in your garden throughout spring and lots to keep you busy. The tasks above will help get you started on your way to a beautiful garden that will be bursting with life in the months to come.