Gardening Notes for April & May

A few warmer days in March encouraged me to start work in the garden, lifting and dividing perennials, weeding and even optimistically pruning the caryopteris. I love the pretty blue flowers at the end of the summer. In April I can start sowing the hardy annual seeds, herbs and wildflowers in situ. Geoff Hodge, who recently gave a talk for Godmanchester Garden Club, advised covering all the soil with our chosen plants as the best form of weed control! Ground cover plants help with that. I have not yet pruned the climbing roses, so must do that in April. 

Our small pond is becoming crowded; some plants need reducing and the water lilies can be divided, but I will leave this until the end of summer, as there are newts. Our grandchildren are fascinated by them and I don’t want to disturb their breeding season.

As there can still be late frosts in April and May, fruit blossom and bedding plants may need protecting. I have a few plug plants I am growing on, to plant out by the end of May. They and other newly-planted plants will need watering until established: this is best done early or late to conserve water. We will leave a patch of grass to grow long throughout the summer. Native wild flowers have gradually appeared in the grass, attracting more insects and birds. Our new hedge still looks sparse, but the ivy is growing strongly. We check for nesting birds before clipping it. 

The daffodils and spring bulbs put on a great show this year, but some clumps are congested, so I need to lift and divide them. I could take some to the Garden Club plant and seed swap meeting in April. I have a few cuttings ready, too. Ours is decidedly a Spring garden. To bring more colour in for the summer, I want to plant up containers, hanging baskets and spare pots to pop into gaps in the borders, with perennials, bulbs and bedding plants. 

Here’s to a blooming summer,

Josephine 

This article is reproduced from April’s issue of the Godmanchester parish church’s magazine with the kind permission of the author, Josephine Becker.