Don’t panic Captain Mainwaring

Did you know that April is one the busiest times in the garden? Why does ‘don’t panic Captain Mainwaring’ spring to mind? 

I must admit, this week has been one of those weeks where I’ve got to Friday and my ‘to do’ list is still on Monday! My garden is also reflecting this. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of Wednesday afternoon, but knowing I only had a small window, it got me thinking about what the best and most efficient use of my time was to make my garden look like I’d spent a good couple of days out in it. I thought I’d share with you my top tips.

Mow the lawn

The quickest and easiest way of tidying your garden up is to mow the lawn. Don’t worry about the edges, just give it a light mow and you’ll be amazed at how tidy your garden instantly looks. Plus, you also get that lovely freshly-mowed lawn smell.

Turn over the soil and water

Depending on the size of the garden, a quick weed and a turnover of the soil instantly makes everything tidy. A good water of all of your borders also helps freshen everything up. If you have a big garden, then just focus on the areas you can see or where you sit.

Deadhead

You shouldn’t have anything that needs too much deadheading, but you may have some of last year’s growth that is ready to be snipped away. My hydrangeas are all now starting to bud so I took ten minutes to remove the dead flowerheads, cutting back the stem to the first strong, healthy pair of buds down from the faded bloom.

Inspect your Roses

I used my afternoon to check in on all my roses and give them a feed as they are starting to spring back to life. I put an organic liquid feed in with the water as it’s been quite dry. You’ll be amazed at just what a water does. I also took ten minutes to check in on my climbing roses as now is a great time to check that they are all tied in well. Make sure you bend over any upright stems to encourage more flowers. Tie them in so they are lying horizontally as this will also create a thicker screen.

Give your lavender a quick short back and sides

Now is a good time to give them a little tidy up to prevent them looking sparse.  Just remember not to prune into old wood, as this will prevent new growth.  Just remove any woody or unwanted stems.

And if you have a little more time on your hands than me, here are some other jobs to be getting on with:

• Don’t forget to continue to pot up any dahlia tubers – mine are still arriving!
• If you are planting lily bulbs then now is the time to plant these – just make sure you are planting them somewhere, where they will receive sunshine.
• Start enjoying your cut flower garden by picking your narcissi, fritillaries, and tulips

And finally

Now is a great time to make a note of any gaps in your spring planting to order any bulbs in the autumn for next year. Gardening is very much about always thinking ahead.

With love and stay safe, Flowers and Lifestyle by Margot – 

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