Spring is fast approaching and it will not be long before warm dry days arrive and we will be enjoying our outdoor spaces once more, sitting out on the patio and alfresco dining. Now is the time to prepare your garden with the last frost soon approaching and new life ready to flourish. Here are our top 3 tips on how to get your garden ready for the Spring:

  1. Clean the patio- first job is to clear the patio of pots and furniture.  It is always easier to give a proper clean if the surface is free of clutter. Use a stiff broom to sweep up all debris on the surface of the patio. If possible, avoid using a power washer, if not used carefully it may cause more harm than good. We recommend you use a stiff brush and warm soapy water to wipe away any dirt and algae.  An old toothbrush can be handy to reach the finer areas then hose down gently. It may be necessary to re-point between the paving stones.  It's amazing what clean pointing can do to the appearance of a patio, especially if it has not been done for a while.

2. Tidy up borders and raised beds- Remove any winter protection as soon as the last frost is done. Then ensure all weeds and roots are out and gather any leftover leaves. Trim and prune any summer flowering shrubs or stray branches and remove any old dead flowers.  Be careful not to cut back your spring-flowering shrubs though! Once the areas are tidy, use fertiliser and a topsoil to replenish beds, planters and borders. Now is also the perfect time to divide perennials,  replant them as soon as you can and keep well watered. Finally, plant summer flowering bulbs

3. Start your Kitchen Garden - spring is the perfect time to start thinking about growing your own and ordering in your seeds. Take time to plan what fruit, vegetables and herbs you want to grow this year and make a note of when you need to sow and when they can be harvested. If you use a greenhouse or window sill start to prepare the containers for propagating, cleaning them out and filing with compost. Or for a more sustainable approach, save up toilet rolls, egg boxes and yoghurt pots to plant seeds, cardboard containers can even be planted straight into the ground.