With the snow now almost gone for most of the country, and some slightly warmer weather upon us, now is the perfect time to give your home and your garden an injection of spring.
However, having had such cold weather, you may feel your garden could do with a little TLC. Take a look at our guide to create a colourful spring garden by the time Easter rolls around:
Clean out the garden
Start by having a general tidy up and removing any debris. Now is your chance to remove those leaves you didn’t get around to pick up when they fell off the trees in the autumn and those pesky weeds (make sure to grab them at the roots to make sure they won’t grow back).
If you have a greenhouse, make sure to wash it inside and out before you get going too – a dirty greenhouse will not look particularly aesthetic next to all those beautiful blooms you’ve lovingly nurtured. And don’t forget to ventilate your greenhouse well for a couple of days after washing.
Give your soil a new lease of life
After the winter (especially when there’s been snow!), your soil is likely to be dried out and packed. To get your soil ready to plant all your beautiful new shrubs and flowers, add some moisture using organic materials like manure or compost.
Prune old plants
Plants that survived through the cold this winter will need to be trimmed back so that they’ll grow again this year. Make sure to wait until it is less cold to do all the pruning just in case there is a frosty spell in early spring.
If your plants are already blooming, make sure you don’t prune before just after they have bloomed – you don’t want to chop any future flowers. Spring blooming flowers should be pruned before they bloom in early spring.
Add new flowers and shrubs
Once you’ve got your garden almost spring ready, it’s time to invest in some new spring plants. Some of our favourites include: snapdragons, tulips, lilac and pansies.
Make sure to buy some summer-flowering bulbs too so that you’ll have a lovely, vibrant garden all summer long. Dahlias, marigolds, beardtounge and gloriosa lilies are all good choices to add a splash of colour to your garden.
Prep your furniture for entertaining
If you are using your trusty rustic outdoor furniture from last year, make sure to give it a spring clean too ready for summer BBQs and garden parties. If you don’t tend to entertain until later in the year when the weather’s a bit warmer, this might be a task to save until nearer the time given how unpredictable the British weather is!
You may also wish to invest in some new garden furniture. For avid gardeners, our advice would be to invest in wooden shelving units or a wooden ladder (like this or this) – both of which will provide a stylish space to store all your garden equipment, and even a spot for popping some extra, smaller plants to give your garden a full, blooming look.
What will you be doing to get your garden spring ready? Let us know, or share some photos of the blooms you’ve been buying all ready to plant!