April-Gardening Tips

Beware late frosts and keep vulnerable plants and new shoots protected at  night if frost is forecast. Don’t be tempted to put out   tender bedding until  much later on in the month and even then be prepared to cover it if  necessary.

Deadhead daffodils and narcissi, give them a liquid feed or sprinkling of  bonemeal and then let them die down. Don’t cut off the   leaves as they are  necessary to replenish the bulb for next year. Keep deadheading spring bedding  to keep it looking neat and encourage new   flowers.

Continue with the spring cleaning. Hoe your borders, getting rid of weeds  before they take hold – annual weeds such as bitter cress and   groundsel are  enough of a nightmare without allowing them to go forth and multiply by seeding.  If it’s dry, attack ground elder and the like   with systemic weed killer  painted onto the leaves.

Mulch away while you can still see what you are doing and before the  herbaceous growth really takes off. Use your own garden compost or leaf   mould,  well rotted manure, the contents of out-of-date grow bags or ready-made soil  conditioner.

Now the soil is warming up and things are starting to grow, add general  purpose fertiliser before covering with mulch especially in   borders, the fruit  and vegetable patch and containers. If you have already mulched, draw it back  (if possible), tease the soil a little, add fertiliser and replace the  mulch.

Carry on removing moss and weeds from paths, terraces and drives.

PLANTS OF THE MONTH

Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae

This Euphorbia plant that will thrive in dry shade where little else will. More importantly though, the sulphur-yellow flowers that appear above the dark green foliage in spring, really add splashes of vibrant colour to borders. Its network of running roots enables it to ramble across the ground, self seeding as it goes, so it will eventually form large, handsome drifts as it matures.

Forming naturalistic drifts through a woodland floor, or filling gaps at the front of a partially shaded border. It looks its best in late winter and early spring, so it makes a great under-planting for deciduous shrubs that are still trying to get their act together. Try mixing it with spring flowering bulbs, which will push their way up through the attractive, evergreen foliage to add even more of a splash to the seasonal display.

Dicentra spectabilis

In partially shaded spots, the light green, lacy foliage forms tight, ground-covering clumps, which mix easily with other ‘edge of woodlanders’ such as ferns, hostas, and foxgloves. It is the arching sprays of pendulous, heart-shaped flowers that seem to dangle enticingly from the stems like tiny jewels.

An adaptable multi-stemmed shrub, with a maximum height of around 6m. This beautiful plant should definitely be up near the top of the shortlist when trying to choose what tree to use in a small garden.

With its compact habit, the luminous pure white flowers contrast beautifully with the rich green foliage. The flowers will also illuminate a dark corner better than anything else. This low-growing woodland perennial is also seen often in shades of blue.