Early Spring in the Garden
Spring arrives with an unapologetic splash of daring colour. The brilliant yellows of daffodils, forsythia, aconites and native primroses never fail to make me smile. Tucked up all winter, waiting patiently for the temperatures to rise so they can wake up with a shout that winter is over.
Another spring show stopper is the magnificent Magnolia. With their tulip-like or star-like shaped flowers, colours range from pure white through to pink and deep magenta. Some such as Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Yellow Bird’ have yellow flowers. Slow growing, they can take 10-20 years to reach their ultimate size. They need acidic to neutral soil and a sheltered spot away from strong winds but where it gets plenty of sun to ensure a good display of flowers. If you do not have the correct type of soil for a magnolia or do not have the room, smaller varieties such as Magnolia stellata ‘Centennial’ grow well in large pots or containers.
Shrubs with decorative bark such as cornus or salix can now be cut back hard. The new growth will be even more vibrant next winter. Hydrangea can be cut back too. Cut back to a healthy bud to encourage new growth. Buddleja davidii can also be pruned back hard. It grows vigorously, so don’t worry about being too brutal as it will very quickly regrow and provide lots of flowers for visiting butterflies later in the year.
The weeds in our gardens will also respond to the rising temperatures. Start weeding now. Hoeing will kill most seedlings or you can dig over the ground with a fork to loosen the soil and then remove the weeds by hand. Afterwards, add a 10-15cm layer of mulch. Compost, bark or well-rotted farm manure all work well. Not only will it help keep the weeds away, but also add nutrients to your soil, help retain moisture and can make your beds look neater.
It might just be too early still to give your lawn its first mow of the year. If it is already growing and the lawn is dry enough, you can give it a cut, but remember to raise the blades on your lawnmower as high as they will go. In the meantime, you can edge your lawn to make it look smarter. Use a half-moon edging iron or flat-bladed spade. Any overhanging grass that regrows can be trimmed with long-handled edging shears through the rest of spring and summer. A spring/ summer lawn feed high in nitrogen can be applied to your lawn later in the month. This will encourage strong green growth. Apply on a cool day when rain is expected.
As we welcome British Summer Time at the end of the month, here’s to longer days out in our gardens. Hopefully, our British weather gets the memo about spring arriving too.
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