Spring

Once you start to notice the bulbs popping up through the soil, you know it’s nearly time for the garden to burst into bloom! There’s lots to get on with in the garden during Spring in preparation for the summer months ahead. Once the frost has subsided, the first step for ensuring your garden is ready for the new season is to have a Spring clean by removing weeds, leaves, and diseased or old plant foliage from the flower beds.

Spring Planting

The colours and scents of spring will soon be everywhere in the garden, as the Spring progresses refresh your containers with bold, bright seasonal bulbs such as tulips, daffodils or bedding plants like pansies and viola. We have a wide range of beautiful spring bedding, as well as a specially selected range of pots and other decorative items such as garden lighting and furniture.

You can start planting hanging baskets from April, as long as they are kept indoors until the last frosts. Ensure to choose a basket that is lined or replace the liner of your existing basket if your old one is no longer suitable. Start with a plant that creates an impact in the centre of the basket, add some trailing plants and consider your colour choices. We have a lovely selection of basket plants to choose from in our glasshouse. 

Early Spring marks the perfect time to start planning your vegetable patch for the upcoming growing season. While winter’s chill persists, gardeners can make use of this downtime to carefully select from a vast array of vegetable and flower seeds, laying the groundwork for a bountiful and vibrant garden.

Whether you are looking to grow rows of crisp vegetables or a patch of vibrant flowers, the planning phase in early spring sets the stage for a flourishing and rewarding garden, with the promise of fresh produce and blooming beauty in the months to come. Visit us today for some planting inspiration, you will be spoiled for choice with the abundance of seeds in our collection!

Download the Root One Vegetable Planner for your reference. You can start to sow tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers indoors in a good quality seed and cutting compost. Plant onion sets and potatoes (first earlies in March, second earlies and main crop in April). Make sure to earth up once the shoots appear above the soil. As long as the ground isn’t frozen, you can plant out runner beans, french beans and peas from May.

 

New Season Seed Potatoes

Its typically time to plant the first lot of early potatoes in March, weather permitting. Specific varieties of early potatoes will have specific planting times however, its generally considered a suitable time because it allows the potatoes to be planted early enough to avoid late spring frosts while still providing enough time for the tubers to mature before harvesting.

Potatoes prefer to be planted in soil that has warmed up to around 7-10°C. Warmer soil temperatures promote better germination and early growth, so fingers crossed for a sunny Spring.

In the meantime you can begin chitting (pre-sprouting) seed potatoes indoors before planting to encourage faster growth once they are in the ground.

For more information about how to plant seed potatoes and decide which seed potatoes will suit you best please follow this link.

Summer Bulbs

We have a wide selection of beautiful summer-flowering bulbs that will bring impressive flower displays to your garden, not only do they look fabulous growing in borders or containers, but they also make excellent cut blooms to adorn your home too!

We have lots to choose from, including the highly popular dahlias, iris, lilies, gladioli, and anemone to name but a few. Many of our summer-flowering bulbs are hardy and only need to be planted once to enjoy blooms year after year, but some tender species such as dahlias and gladioli can’t survive the frost and should be lifted and stored over the Winter to be replanted again the next Spring.

A few of our favourites this year include the fabulous ‘black Jack’ dahlia, with its stunning deep, dark burgundy tones and its striking but elegant appearance, they are perfect for adding a touch of sophistication to your garden and effortlessly create a visually stunning focal point.

Another summer bulb that has caught our eye this year is the ‘louder still’ iris, it is such a joy to look at with its magnificent blend of yellow and purple hues. This iris will complement any garden design, such as borders, perennial beds, or even as a standalone focal point.

Ranunculus ‘purple heart’ is another bold and vibrant summer flowering bulb that deserves a place in your garden, with its intricate structure of delicate petals. The rose-like appearance of Ranunculus blooms makes them an attractive addition to flower beds, borders, or containers.

Give your Lawn some TLC

Sow new and repair existing lawns, repair dead patches (Patch Magic), treat moss (Evergreen Mosskil) and weeds and re-shape the lawn edges using a half-moon lawn edging tool. You can mow your lawn once a week if you can towards the end of this period but keep the blades a little higher at this time of year.

Another fantastic way to freshen up the garden is to give the patio, the shed and the outdoor furniture a good spring clean. Sweep the leaves from the patio and get it back to its former glory with a pressure wash, clean and repaint the shed and outdoor furniture, or why not invest in some gorgeous new outdoor seating, table or bench? We have lots of lovely designs in our Brightwell Building to get you inspired.

Make Your Garden a Welcoming Space for Spring Birds

 We know how much joy the birds in the garden can bring, especially during the transition from winter to spring. Offering the birds, a helping hand this time of year is so important since it’s a crucial time for them as they start their breeding season. Many birds are busy pottering around the garden collecting material to build their nests in order to lay their eggs and proceed to take care of their young.

Providing a safe and welcoming environment in your garden can encourage them to choose it as a nesting site, and in turn this will benefit you too, not only by hearing their delightful signing but also birds help control insect populations and contribute to natural pest control.

Here are some things you can do as a gardener to support the birds in the Spring:

 

  • Offering the birds food such as high-quality birdseed mixes, mealworms, or a high-energy food such as suet. This can be a lifeline for many birds since natural food sources in early spring may be limited as plants are still recovering from winter, and raising chicks is no easy task.

 

  • Place nest boxes at a height that is difficult for predators to reach, preferably in a sheltered place facing away from strong winds. Remember that different bird species have different requirements, so it’s beneficial to research the specific needs of the birds you want to attract to your garden. Additionally, keep in mind that maintenance, such as cleaning out old nests, is important too.

 

  • Supplying fresh water is an absolute must with the potential of frosts or lack of rain, they need water not just for drinking but also for bathing, which is crucial for maintaining healthy feathers. Having a bird bath in your garden is a fantastic idea for this, it may also help attract a variety of bird species, enhancing the biodiversity of your garden and providing you with the joy of observing these feathered visitors up close.

 

 

  • Migratory birds will also benefit from the extra food and shelter on their return to their breeding grounds and can assist in their recovery from a long journey.

 

  • Another way to support the birds this time of year is to plant native trees, shrubs, and plants to provide shelter and food. Trees such as rowan, elder, wild cherry or hawthorn are good choices. Hawthorn produces berries in the autumn that thrushes and finches love to eat. You could also keep an area of your garden wild by planting wildflower seeds like teasel, foxgloves, yarrow, or cornflowers.

 

  • It’s crucial to avoid cutting hedges during the breeding season, typically from March to August, during this time, many bird species are actively building nests, laying eggs, and raising their young. Disturbing hedges during this period can lead to the destruction of nests and harm to young birds.

 

If you can take any of these steps, we know that you’ll be pleased you did, having birds in the garden and the sounds of their chirping or singing contribute to a tranquil atmosphere and fosters a sense of connection with the natural world, something we can all benefit from these days!

Cultivating Joy: Spring Gardening for wellbeing

Gardening is not only a fantastic opportunity to connect with nature, but it also holds so many benefits that work wonders for one’s mental health and wellbeing. Getting outside in natural sunlight positively influences the mood and regulates circadian rhythms. The physical aspects of gardening, like planting and weeding, contribute to the release of endorphins that lift our mood.

Gardening encourages mindfulness too which reduces stress through focused, present-moment attention. There is also a great sense of accomplishment that comes with nurturing and watching a garden thrive, for more information about the importance of exposure to plants, green space, and gardening and the positive impact it has on mental health follow this link.

The promise of spring brings not only the resurgence of nature but also the opportunity to foster a sense of community and shared enthusiasm for the beauty that blooms in our outdoor spaces.