As we celebrate Easter this year we are only just welcoming the sight of snowdrops and daffodils springing open to give some very welcome spring colour after a long mild winter which will be followed soon by bluebells and tulips. We have also welcomed some very welcome sunshine over the last few weeks with some nice dry conditions. This has given our gardens the chance to dry out a little and allowed soil to be worked on. The weekend does see a return to some wet weather but hopefully not too wet to stop us from working in the garden over the Easter weekend. The garden may need some colour and still time to plant some primulas or polyanthus to bring some colour until it is time to plant summer bedding plants. A mixture of polyanthus brings a nice splash of colour. If you’ve noticed areas of the garden that are dull or shaded in the spring then make a note in the garden diary to plant some spring flowering bulbs such as snowdrops or daffodils in the autumn in time for next spring. This is a good time to plant summer flowering bulbs such as dahlias or gladioli, these could be planted in a border with wild flower seed to give a good splash of colour throughout the summer months. We should be giving careful consideration to any bare rooted plants that we are intending to purchase for the garden. It is good to have these type of plants in the ground before the soil starts to heat up. This also applies if we are intending to move plants around the garden , make sure to move in plenty of time and with plenty of root to give the plant the best chance of survival, therefore any bare rooted plants should be going in to the ground now. It is less of an issue if the plants have been container grown however it is always better if plants are planted in the ground in time for summer when there is adequate moisture for the plants to settle in to their new surroundings and will require less watering than plants planted well in to the summer months. There has been some growth in the hawthorn hedges and that is a good sign to cut down any winter shrubs such as Salix (willow) or cornus (dogwood) this allows fresh summer growth and prepares nice coloured stems for next winter. It might be an idea to tackle any weeds that have managed to overwinter or germinate with the mild conditions before they get out of control and become a problem. There has been noticeable growth in lawns in the last few weeks so if you have not given the lawn the first cut now is the time providing weather permits. I’m sure the little ones will remind you of an Easter Egg hunt in the garden and once all the tasks are done make sure you have time to enjoy the garden with a nice chocolate egg!

Paul Brannan