Spring gardening

Bulbs are creating magnificently colourful spring displays, but there are numerous gorgeous summer bulbs and tubers too – many of which should be planted right now. Summer flowerers divide into two main groups:  winter-hardy types that happily remain outside all year, and tender ones which need lifting or moving under cover.

The first group are easy-care, only needing deadheading, a feed of general fertiliser in spring and summer, and watering if growing in containers. Lilies are glorious for summer blooms, in a whole range of colours, often wonderfully scented too and can be planted now. I prefer to grow my lilies in large pots as ‘portable perfume’ – plus, in containers they’re much easier to protect from slugs and snails that can nip off the emerging shoots, and this also avoids that horrible experience of spearing dormant bulbs whilst forking through a border! Other splendid summer bulbs for borders are best planted in autumn (they can be bought now as potted bulbs, but are much dearer than dry ones). They include alliums with wonderfully architectural ‘drumstick’ blooms, while metallic-blue Camassia and peach-pink Nectaroscordum are lovely either for borders or naturalising in grass.

Tender varieties need more care but their strikingly colourful, often exotic good looks really do outweigh the extra work. Begonias and dahlias are amazing for sheer flower power, blooming through summer and often right up until the frosts. The flowering period of gladioli, sweetly scented freesias and Acideranthera murieliae is short but spectacular:  they’re ideal for cutting too, so plant a few for harvesting if you have room. To keep tender bulbs from year to year, either lift in autumn to store in a frost-free place or grow in containers that can be moved under cover.

Seasonal jobs

Long-lived container-grown plants that are too big to pot on, can be kept in good health by top dressing. Gently scrape away the top few centimetres of soil and replace with John Innes no 3 compost plus controlled release fertilizer.

Plant onion sets and shallots. Just plant the small bulbs (called ‘sets’) into well drained soil in a sunny site to harvest in summer. Plant at 10cm spacings in rows 30cm apart: ensure the tip of the bulb is just below the soil.

Pond plants can be thinned or tidied now, then left well alone for the summer as frogs, toads, newts and other creatures will (hopefully) be breeding. Remove all dead leaves too. Pile debris by the water’s edge for a day or two so any insects inadvertently removed can make their way back to the pond.

Prune roses if not already done – all except rambler types, which should be pruned after flowering in late summer. Remove the three ‘D’s’ first (dead/diseased/damaged growth) then cut back bushes by around a third to a half.

Looking good

Bulbs are the highlight of the season: different varieties of narcissus bloom right through spring, as do tulips.

Early perennials that are tolerant of shade, like pulmonaria, hellebores and hardy cyclamen, are great for carpeting the ground beneath shrubs and trees before they come into full leaf.

Ornamental grasses are gorgeous with their newly-emerged foliage at its brightest and best. Golden leaves are particularly lovely and my favourite is the Japanese golden grass (Hakonechloa macra Aureola) which I grow in containers and in raised beds.

Favourite plant: If you have space for a magnolia, these large shrubs or small trees are one of the glories of spring. If not, just enjoy them in some of the great gardens of the South West. Last spring I visited Caerhays in Cornwall where the display was breathtaking, especially against a clear blue sky.

Sue’s top tips

Thrifty: Grow your own plant food. Comfrey is fantastically nutritious and can be grown as ground cover in an out-of-the-way corner or under shrubs and trees. Use the leaves as a mulch; put a few under hungry plants like tomatoes, cucumbers and dahlias; add to the compost heap; or soak in a bucket to make a nutritious liquid feed (dilute 1:10 to apply). Bees love the flowers too.

Green: Set up water butts to collect rainwater from roofs. Dry spells are hard to envisage after such a wet winter, but are bound to occur. Collecting rainwater reduces water bills, saves a precious resource, and is better than tap water for your plants too. More than one butt can be joined together in series, if space permits.

Wildlife: Slugs may be the gardeners’ foe but provide food for many creatures including birds, hedgehogs, slow worms, frogs and toads. I never use chemical slug pellets as I hate the thought of harming wildlife: instead there are lots of environmentally friendly options such as barriers (copper tape, granules, wool, eggshells); traps; biological control; and non-harmful granules.

Time saving: Spread mulch on bare soil between plants in borders to suppress weeds. Clear the weeds first, particularly perennials, and apply chipped bark, well-rotted manure or shredded woody prunings (stacked for at least six months before use) in a layer at least 5 cm thick and keep mulch clear of plant stems.

Find more gardening tips, news and information on Sue’s new website and gardening blog: www.suefishergardens.co.uk