I have a complaint: nature does not stand still, the world does not stop spinning and the seasons do not stop changing. Which is why I seem to be permanently behind on my chores, my garden maintenance and this blog! The grass is now too long, the weeds and beginning to laugh at me and the plans I had for borders are woefully behind.
There are however some interesting observations that can be made when planning out gardens and borders: it has struck my how limited the range of plants are on offer in garden centres and on-line. I get it – people have to make a living and to do that often means playing safe, but what is easily available is only a fraction of what is out there. Designing gardens in Hampshire allows me to explore all sorts of possibilities.
Take the Azara for example: an evergreen shrub or small tree originally from the mountain ranges of Chile and Argentina with the most fantastic winter scent and an interesting shape. It is also highly drought resistant.
If you stray off the beaten track both virtually and physically to visit some of the less commercial nurseries and garden centres, your efforts will be rewarded. Smaller nurseries are often family run businesses and will offer the care, attention and information that larger ones will not.
For your information - an Azara can be picked up at Furzey Gardens in Minstead, New Forest for an incredibly good price: not only that, but you will be contributing to a charitable cause, have a glorious garden to explore and round it off with home made cake if you so choose!
So when I am not dreaming of cake, I have the following jobs to focus on this Spring:
• Pruning those plants that have been affected by cold winds and the winter such as the Acer or Choisya. Cut back the stems to the healthy growth.
• Cutting back to 10 centimetres from the ground those tender plants that are shrub-like in habit but that are actually herbaceous plants. These include Caryopteris, Fuchsia and Penstemon.
• Putting in plant supports where needed and canes to mark where vulnerable plants are emerging: by doing this they will not be overlooked when watering and weeding.
• Lowering the blade of your lawn mower as the grass becomes more lush and more able to take a finer cut.
• Feeding your lawn with a nitrogen rich fertiliser - preferably an organic one.
• Tying in roses and other climbing plants. Be as brutal as you like when cutting back Clematis montana after it has flowered (short of hacking it down to the ground!).
• Adding compost or manure to the base of shrub and standard roses.
• Dividing and replanting herbaceous plants that have flowered including Brunnera, Pulmonaria and Primula.
• Lifting and dividing daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs.
• Make sure your pond has ledges and access points for wildlife (such as tadpoles) to get in and out of the water. Clear off any excess pond weed.
· Tie in climbing and rambling roses as they take off in the warmer weather.
My only last tip about broadening your plant pallette is to keep your eyes peeled for church fetes and community days - always source of hidden gems! And….cake.