Gardening by Month - April
It’s such a rewarding time of year to be gardening, with so many plants springing to life.
Plant sweet peas to give height and colour to your summer flower garden. Position them for sunshine and give them a structure to wind their way up – perhaps an obelisk from the garden centre, or make your own wigwam of bamboo canes.
Flowering cherries come into blossom during early April. There are different varieties, including ones to suit a small garden. Upright varieties are great for a tight spot and can have beautiful flowers. On a patio, you could try a compact cherry shrub with pretty pink flowers. Cherry trees are best planted in moist, well-drained soil in a sunny position.
If the thought of watering in the drier months doesn’t appeal, invest in some drought-resistant plants. As an added advantage they are often hardy and can cope with less attention than other plants. Avoid putting them in areas that become waterlogged in winter. Ground cover varieties, such as saxifrage, work particularly well in rockeries.
There are plenty of choices for drought-tolerant plants. They usually have the following characteristics:
- Small leaves, for example rosemary.
- Long narrow leaves which are good for shedding heat without losing water, such as phormiums.
- Grey leaves, such as sage and lavender.
- Hairy leaves, for example geranium.
- Fleshy or succulent leaves, particularly the large range of sedums in a variety of colours.
Drought-tolerant plants still need to be watered well when you plant them, and kept watered until they’re established and if required during very dry spells.
Lastly, if you’re going visiting over Easter, why not give a gift of an indoor or outdoor plant? Garsons has so many beautiful plants and pots to choose from.
Until next month, happy gardening and enjoy your garden bursting into life now it’s spring.
