Gardening in Springtime

Our gardens are more vital than ever, a place of sanctuary, shielding us from an uncertain world. However, do you look outdoors and feel overwhelmed by your garden? Is it looking uninspiring after the winter? Here are some tips to get us out there, enjoying the spring sunshine and living life in our gardens:

• Lawn and order: If you have a lawn mow it on a high setting. It will make your garden look smart, fresh and clear your head.

• Little and often: Do a task for half an hour then enjoy your garden for the next half hour. Sit in your garden and have a cuppa. Have a walk around looking at your plants, wonder at nature or close your eyes and listen to the birds.

• Small is beautiful: Mentally divide your borders into small manageable sections. The first section to work on should be near an often-used path or by a favourite resting place. You will then see the results of your gardening.

• Bite size weeding: Concentrate on a 1m square of your border at a time. Start by weeding the square. Leave a few self-seeded seedlings of wildflowers such as foxgloves. Be gentle, slow and look carefully. You don’t want to dig out plants just emerging after the winter. Avoid turning over the soil. Instead, spread a 3cm layer of mulch of green waste soil improver or composted bark over the ground and around the plants and

seedlings.

It suppresses weeds, keeps moisture in and enriches the soil.

• If in doubt do nowt: If your 1m square has a shrub in it don’t assume it needs pruning. If it looks happy in its space or has little buds just enjoy it. Resist hard pruning, instead only take out a third of the growth or less. To cut, follow the branch down to where it meets another branch and cut it off at that point. As you prune keep standing back and check the shrub is a pleasing shape.

So, there you have it. Step out of your door into your own secret garden and enjoy being in the moment.