Gardening by Month - April
April is a great month for spending time in the garden. The growing season is underway, so dodge the showers and get busy now that spring has arrived. It’s an ideal time for planting flowering shrubs so they can become established before the heat of summer.
Before planting anything new, prepare the soil by removing weeds and adding compost or manure. Dig over the soil to aerate it. When planting, dig a hole that’s twice as big as the root ball and be generous with compost in the planting hole. If the soil is clay or heavy, mix in some horticultural grit to help with drainage.
The lilac is a beautiful addition to the garden and easy to care for. Lilac shrubs have fragrant blooms in purple or white. The heavenly scent will fill your garden with fragrance on warm spring days. It likes plenty of sun and well-drained soil. Make sure you pick a spot where it has room to grow. Prune it after flowering to promote healthy growth. With a little care, your lilac can be a delightful addition that you’ll appreciate for years to come.
The camellia is another favourite flowering shrub. It’s a fantastic choice for a long-lasting burst of colour and takes little effort for it to thrive. It prefers acidic soil, so it goes well in a pot with ericaceous compost. Established camellia benefit from ericaceous plant food or tomato food after the flowers have faded, but if you’re planting a new shrub in ericaceous soil, you don’t need to feed it for the first season.
Plant spring bedding plants such as sweetpeas, primroses, violas, pansies and wallflowers. They can add instant colour and are great for filling in gaps at the front of your flower borders or in pots. Remember to water all your new additions regularly.
Pay a visit to Garsons for spring garden inspiration, and until next month, happy gardening!
