WELCOME to Spring Bank Holiday – one of the best times in the gardening year.
For a short period, your outside space is a haven of hope, of promise, of short-lived dreams that this will finally be the year where everything grows right for a change.
Gone are the risks of late frosts, your mowing routine is hopefully well under way and your sofa cushions are firmly out from wherever you’ve been hiding them since October.
The barbecue’s been dusted off, you’ve got lots of seedlings bursting through — and there’s almost certainly one or ten you forgot to label, adding a joyful element of surprise later in the year.
Your perennials are appearing and the first flashes of bright summer colours are glinting in the morning sun.
If you’re really organised, your tomato plants will be ready to go in the ground or pots — or maybe they’re already in.
Get ready to feel really good about growing your own — before wondering what on earth you’re going to do with 43 courgettes and 18 aubergines when your kids refuse to eat them.
It truly is a wonderful time of year. But don’t let it fool you. Whether you grow in pots, on a patio, on windowsills or in borders round a luscious lawn, it’s one of the busiest times for a gardener.
First things first. By now the annoying daffodil and tulip waste should be almost gone.
But remember, if it’s still green, leave it — it’s storing valuable energy from the sunshine and means there’s a better chance it will come back next year.
So while they may not look pretty by the end, they’re saving you from splashing the cash on new bulbs.
Snip off any seed heads that are still dotted around, but otherwise have patience and trust in nature.
And now the soil has warmed up, the joy of weeding begins again.
Ignore a lot of the nonsense about certain tips boasting of ways to get rid of weeds forever.
The best antidote is to get down on your hands and knees with a handfork and dig them out — including the roots, otherwise they’ll just come back.
The days of blasting your soil with frightening chemicals are pretty much over. It’s all about loving your garden and everything that comes along with it. Remember, weeds are just plants in the wrong place.
One of the easiest ways of saving money in your outside space is to choose perennials.
They come back year after year, so you don’t have to spend on renewing your favourites. Gaura, peonies, clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle, alliums, roses and my favourite, verbena bonariensis, are a great way of creating a cottage garden feel you can rely on to return.
I’ve actually bought a lot from Lidl in the past, and its perennials are a really decent buy. My passion flower from last year is kindly covering most of my dodgy fence.
If you’re going for a more tropical feel, then try fatsias, bananas, ferns and canna lilies — all of which add a lush green to your garden.
And if you’re into pots, go for a filler, a spiller (which tumbles over the side) and a thriller (which adds the splash of colour).
Keep an eye out for hanging baskets, making sure you regularly feed and water them as they dry out really quickly.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, add some lights, sparkle and fun to your outside space.
Items such as mirrors, glitter balls and solar lights have a real impact — and nowadays you really don’t have to spend a fortune..
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