April in the garden
There is nothing so lovely than to see the beginnings of growth from those plants that have over wintered during the colder months now returning to our gardens.
Here’s a few tips on what to do in the garden in April.
Roses.
To ensure that your roses flower well this summer, make sure they are well tied in – bending over any upright stems will encourage better flowering, producing more flowers along the stem itself! It’s best to tie the stems horizontally.
Lavender.
If you want to keep your lavender in good shape, and not looking too sparse and woody in appearance, this is the time to cut them back. Trim back lightly but not into the old wood as this will prevent new growth.
Trim back the lavender into neat domes and remove any leggy stems.
Dogwood – colourful winter stems.
Throughout the winter months, I am always warmed by seeing the beautiful stems of Cornus Midwinter Fire planted in groups. I tend to use Cornus in gardens for their colourful stems, although they are attractive when in leaf too. These should be cut back to about knee height and then mulched.
Wildflower meadows..
I’ve designed a number of city gardens using an element of wildflower meadow incorporated into the design – and if you use wildflower turf, and water regularly, a good result can be achieved. These areas encourage butterflies, bees and wildlife. I’ve just planted a small area in a London garden with fruit trees and wildflower turf, and only a few weeks from planting, we’ve had good results.
