THE old advice to "never cast a clout till May is out" should be heeded this weekend to prevent us being tempted to think it's the middle of summer.

Perhaps a visit to the garden centre is a good option to buy bedding plants - or if you have grown some in the green-house introduce them to the outside temperatures gradually.

Be mindful of any planting, though, until any chance of frost has passed.

If you over-wintered plants in the greenhouse make sure they have had a slight exposure to harden them for any cooler nights.

It is important to plan your beds before planting - choose colours you like and make sure the plants are correct for their situation.

A plant such as Cordyline can be used as a centre plant in a circular bed, with summer bedding that is in keeping with the rest of the garden.

Be careful to choose plants that are suitable for the position of the garden; full sun, shade, partial shade.

If your soil is dry, soak the plant plug in a bucket for a few moments before planting. If you need to move any shrubs when planting beds, soak the roots before replanting and don't let them dry out.

The very wet winter will have left soil lacking in nutrient reserves, so look out for any change of colour in leaves that indicates a lack of nutrients.

Dull foliage can also indicate that wet or waterlogged soil is affecting plant growth.

Now is a good time to choose a rose fertiliser to apply around the base of your roses, and to apply soap-based spray to roses if they already have aphids.

If you prefer to use a pesticide spray it is vital to spray before flowering to avoid harming bees and other insects.

As it gets warmer, grass growth will increase so this is a good time to lower the height of cut on the lawn.

If you applied a spring fertiliser and took care of moss, then now is a good time to apply a summer fertiliser to encourage growth. One with potassium will help prevent the lawn from drying out in dry weather.

Attention could now be given to trimming shrubs and hedges, so long as there are no nesting birds. Daffodil bulbs can now be cut back or clumps divided.