Orange and yellow tulips against a blue sky

Written by Beth Bright

Spring. Blooming lovely

It’s been a week of beautiful weather when spring really is in the air. The garden is full of birds busy from dawn till dusk, while on the vegetable patch there are the first lines of lettuce peeping through the soil. The early potatoes are doing well despite the frost that’s accompanied the recent clear blue skies.

As the clocks go FORWARD this weekend, the days get longer and nature accelerates into another gear. Here’s our top tips for early spring gardening.

Make room

Garden secateurs and pliers hanging on hooks

Prune shrubs and trees that have become too wild. It’s the perfect time to tidy straggly branches and stems. And of course, the shed.

Grand designs

Plan the kind of look you want from seating to summerhouses: think colour, height, position and what you need from your alfresco space.

Hedge your bets

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Hedging can run away, one minute it appears dormant and the next time you check there’s been a growth spurt. Keep on top of things with the right tools for the job.

Pave the way

Changing paving can transform a space but simply just cleaning existing paving can make things much brighter.

Cut above

child planting seeds and cuttings

Take cuttings. Then take some more. Now’s the time to propagate your favourite things. Or swap plants with a gardening neighbour.

Sort seeds

Whilst the ground is cold you can still plant seeds in a propagator or on a windowsill ready for transplanting outdoors when the days heat up.

Love your lawn

Grass roof and lawn

Make sure the lawn is dry and mower blades are set higher than usual, then you’re off.

Enjoy the sunshine and get out in the garden with your mum this  Mother’s Day x