Gardens in April

This year more so than previous years your borders might look a bit tired due to the harsh winter. Perhaps now is the time to give it an overhaul with a fresh planting scheme.

Here is my 7 step guide to creating a new border

1. Assess your border and decide what’s worth keeping. Don’t be afraid to be ruthless.

2. Dig out old shrubs. If they still look good replant them to fill other gaps in your garden.

3. Dig the soil over thoroughly, breaking it up to aerate it and relieve compaction. Mix some home-grown compost or even consider buying a bag or two from the garden centre.

4. Dig the border deeply mixing the compost thoroughly. Once you’ve done this, walk over the whole area on your heels, firming the soil to remove air pockets. Level the surface with a rake.

5. Lay out the plants, placing them into their rough position. Take your time, stand back and view these from various angles.

6. Now plant it up. Dig holes large enough to for each root ball.

7. Dig a generous amount of peat-free compost, bark or other mulching material around the plant to retain moisture and help prevent weeds (for a while).

You may like to put wall flowers into your new border. A star performer, which as far as I can tell flowers for 11months of the year, is Erysimum ‘bowles Mauve’ It produces vibrant blooms that contrast well with green and golden leaved neighbours. They are hardy but after 3 years they’ll begin to lose shape, so it’s better to pick some non flowering side shoots and sow them in summer. Another great perennial wall flower is Apricot delight – it’s equally impressive.

By now you should be enjoying your camellias if you have them. They prefer acid soil so you may have them in a pot with some ericaceous compost. However, varieties such as ‘X williamsii’ tolerate free draining alkaline soil which some of you may have. Camellias cry out to be admired close- up, even on the coldest days. Be warned though, early morning frost harm their buds and blooms. This can be prevented by pegging over a large piece of fleece when frost is forecast. It’s worth doing because it makes the display last longer. These make a great indoor display if you cut single blooms and float them in a glass bowl of water.

Things to do this month – Sow sweet peas directly in the soil at the base of an obelisk or other support. Plant out gladioli in groups of single varieties through April. Trim off faded blooms from winter-flowering heathers and early daffodils. Sprinkle rose fertiliser around roses and other flowering shrubs.