See your garden grow this year - start with a Spring Review

Spring is in the air but before you dash out, spade in hand, now is the time to plan what you’d like to do with your garden this year. Get the most out of it by starting with a spring review. Here’s how:

1. Make a wishlist

Take a walk around your garden and make a list of things you’d like to change or add. Perhaps you’d like to introduce a new area or feature or you just need to changing some of the existing plants around. Get planning. To start try answering these questions:

• Do you have an area you can sit in? All gardens need an area where you can relax and enjoy them from. What type of seating you need depends on how you want to use your garden. If it’s a party garden then create a social BBQ seating area. If it’s a private retreat then a hidden bench is ideal. There’s a huge choice of garden furniture now that blend with the style of your garden but for a real wow factor you should think about getting something custom made that add a real design feature to your garden. Try Fusion Metalwork

• Do you want to grow veg or fruit? No matter how small your garden is you can grow vegetables. Many grow perfectly well in pots so there’s really no excuse. Growing your own is really rewarding, healthy and cheap so why wouldn’t you? If the credit crunch is biting turn those fingers green and make your money go further.
  
• Do you have a composting area? With everyone needing to recycle more, a composting bin is ideal. Not only can you get rid of your garden rubbish easily but you can recycle some household waste too.


• Did you notice any blank or overcrowded areas last year? If you need to move established plants then now is a good time to do it for most plants (but you are better to check the specific preferences of each plant before you move it). If you didn’t get a chance to do it last autumn, you can also subdivide large bushy perennial plants like geraniums, crocosmia or grasses.



• Do you need to add any new beds, walls or other features to the garden? If you are harbouring any desires for a water feature, new pathway or deck or a raised bed then get those ideas down on the wishlist now.

2. Look for inspiration

Now you know what needs fixed and added, you can look for ideas and inspiration all around you. Here’s a few places to start:

• There are lots of good websites, magazines, books and gardening catalogues. Try BBC's Gardeners World



• Visit a few local gardens - as well as gardens in stately homes look out for gardens open schemes in your area. It’s always really helpful to see plants and ideas in situ.



• Go along to your nearest garden show. There are always some great ideas and interesting new plants. The Three Counties RHS show at Malvern is responsible for igniting my gardening passion. I was dragged along there 10 years ago and have never looked back since. It completely changed my perception of gardening. I now see gardening as a creative outlet that gives me a lot of pleasure and not the boring horticultural task I’d viewed it as before then. No-one can believe the green-fingers I’ve developed!



• Gather together photographs of all the plants and ideas you like and stick them onto a big piece of board. You’ll start to see themes developing and it’ll help crystallise your ideas and turn them into plans.

3. Be realistic
Once you’ve got your list of ideas - take a look over and knock a few unrealistic ones off if necessary until you’ve got a plan that’s achievable. You’ll need to consider:

• What your garden is like: If you’ve got a postage stamp sized garden then a wild flower meadow with stream may not work.




• Its situation: If its in the chilly north then a tropical floral jungle may be a bit more tricky. Another of the benefits of visiting local gardens is that you can see what grows happily near you - and choose things that are more likely to work.




• The amount of time and money you’ve got - not just to achieve these ideas now but to look after the garden year round.
  

Remember, nothing is impossible - you just might need to be a little more creative in how you achieve it.

4. Make a shopping list

Now you’ve got a plan, make a list of all the seeds, bulbs, plant, landscaping materials and other items you’ll need. Get quotes and prices and see how it all adds up. Visit your local garden centre or go online to the likes of Crocus, Thompson Morgan or jparkers. If you’ve got some landscaping to do, sort out that first and order the plants when you’ve finished.

5. Preparation

March is the ideal time of year to get out there and clean the garden. Prune back the any dead growth, sweep up the leaves and turn over the soil. Just be careful not to disturb any of this years new growth.

It’s still a little too early to plant out in Scotland, but start seed trays indoors in preparation for next month. Make sure you clean old seed trays thoroughly in bleachy water before using them. If you have several packets of seeds to plant its worth getting a three layer mini greenhouse with a plastic zip up cover if you don’t have access to a greenhouse. For the best price, order one online at the likes of Amazon. There's a link at the bottom of this page.