April/May 2007

British Summer Time arrives amid a cold blast from the North bringing wintry showers which may make you feel like hibernating. However, do not let the weather deter you as the garden has sprung into life and the shrubs are starting to come into leaf.

It is important to make sure that the weeds, which have been starting to grow, are kept under control. A good way to ensure a low maintenance garden would be to cover any bare soil with bark mulch.

Bark mulch which is available in fine and coarse grades will not only cut down on the amount of time spent weeding but it will also help the soil to retain moisture and reduce the amount of hand watering. (Remember to make sure that the areas are weed free before applying the mulch.)

While on the topic of water, remember to install a water but or two in your garden. Buy one early as last year the manufacturers couldn’t produce them fast enough to supply the demand they received. Even though the winter has been an exceptionally wet one, I feel that a hosepipe ban is still looming around the corner! We can’t control the water companies but we can help the plants by setting down good foundations now.

April is the time to prune roses and selected shrubs like Buddleia (especially if you are hoping to attract butterflies in summer, left), Cornus (dogwoods), Lavatera and Lavender. After pruning, apply a balanced fertilizer to the base of the plants followed by some mulch.

While you are clearing up the garden keep an eye out for gaps in the borders or areas which you want to redesign. It is a perfect time to put in shrubberies and herbaceous borders. If you feel overwhelmed then pop into your local Plant Centre for some help and advice.

The task of cutting the grass started early this year but keep the blade quite high on the mower. If you are tempted to cut the grass too short you will scalp the lawn and cause problems for the summer. Grass needs trimming regularly to a height of 2.5cm (or 1in) to maintain a good cover which will help the grass to stay green and survive the drought conditions better.

Weed and feed your lawn if you haven’t yet achieved it but remember to put the granules onto the grass before it rains or water them in within two days as the fertilizer could scorch the grass. Any moss or weeds that die can then be raked out and grass seed scattered into the bare patches. Use lawn top dressing first to help fill in any holes and provide good growing conditions for the seed.

As the herbaceous perennials poke their heads up from the clumps be ready to provide good support for them to prevent the stems from collapsing and spoiling the flowers. Peonies (right), delphiniums and hollyhocks are among some of the plants that benefit from being supported.

Once the magnificent displays of tulips are over it is a good idea to deadhead them and let them die back.

Most tulips need warm dry summers while they are dormant so it is a good idea to lift them if they are not in a warm, well drained spot. Lift and heel them in close together or put them into pots of compost in full sunlight. Once the foliage has died down lift the bulbs and dry them in the sun outdoors or under glass. After a week or so rub off the foliage and roots and store them in a dry place until November. Towards the end of May plant out summer bedding in areas that need to be lifted by a splash of colour. Large informal drifts help liven up a border without it becoming to gaudy.

Enjoy the early flowers of Kerria japonica (left), Ribes and Ceanothus (third image up). Watch the cherries continue with their glorious bloom (below) accompanied by Amelanchier trees.

This is one of the best times of the year in the garden when everything is full of fresh promise so get out there and enjoy!

Happy gardening!!

Contacts
The regular "In the Garden" features for Oxygen Magazine are written and researched by Cat Wilkins.

If you have a comment, or would like to make a suggestion for possible future topics, please feel free to email her by clicking on this link: Cat Wilkins