Ask a Garden Designer: What Do I Need to Do in the Garden in April
Weatherwise, we might not know what to expect from one day to the next, but winter is definitely over in the gardening year
The April garden is transformed and fully awake after the quiet months of winter, and while the weather can still be changeable, as the saying goes, ‘April showers bring May flowers.’ So enjoy any rain that comes your way with confidence, and also soak up the blooming spring blossom and fragrance of many flowering trees, shrubs and plants. In terms of work on your patch, it’s a season for sowing, pruning, replanting and reorganising.
Divide your water lilies
You may notice that water lilies have grown outside of their baskets and you will see a large rhizome, or mass of roots, hanging out. Remove the plant from the pot, hose the soil and, using a sharp knife, divide the thick rhizome into sections, so that each one has a shoot.
Discard old pieces and replant in baskets with roots downwards into fresh aquatic compost, layering the top with coarse grit. You can use a wire hoop to hold down the chunk of rhizome in the pot.
Discover ways to bring water into your garden
You may notice that water lilies have grown outside of their baskets and you will see a large rhizome, or mass of roots, hanging out. Remove the plant from the pot, hose the soil and, using a sharp knife, divide the thick rhizome into sections, so that each one has a shoot.
Discard old pieces and replant in baskets with roots downwards into fresh aquatic compost, layering the top with coarse grit. You can use a wire hoop to hold down the chunk of rhizome in the pot.
Discover ways to bring water into your garden
Fill your beds with alpine ‘jewels’
Alpine plants are like tiny jewels in the garden, and can be grown in troughs or sunny beds against the wall of a house, as in this picture taken at Hampton Court. April is the ideal month to plant up a new bed of alpines, or even to plant in pots high up in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, since so many alpines are in flower now and will give an instant effect.
Remember that alpines like good drainage, so make sure that, if you use a container, water can escape. Use an alpine mix compost, equal parts garden soil, coarse grit and coir compost. Spread a layer of coarse grit over the surface once planted.
Alpine plants are like tiny jewels in the garden, and can be grown in troughs or sunny beds against the wall of a house, as in this picture taken at Hampton Court. April is the ideal month to plant up a new bed of alpines, or even to plant in pots high up in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, since so many alpines are in flower now and will give an instant effect.
Remember that alpines like good drainage, so make sure that, if you use a container, water can escape. Use an alpine mix compost, equal parts garden soil, coarse grit and coir compost. Spread a layer of coarse grit over the surface once planted.
Sow spring vegetables
The vegetable growing season is beginning to get hectic and salad onions, lettuces, peas, broad beans and radishes can all be sown outside now the risk of frost is low. Sow your seeds little and often to avoid a glut of produce at one time. Remember to thin out when the seedlings are big enough to be handled or you will end up with straggly plants that won’t crop very well. Make sure you water young plants regularly.
The vegetable growing season is beginning to get hectic and salad onions, lettuces, peas, broad beans and radishes can all be sown outside now the risk of frost is low. Sow your seeds little and often to avoid a glut of produce at one time. Remember to thin out when the seedlings are big enough to be handled or you will end up with straggly plants that won’t crop very well. Make sure you water young plants regularly.
Tie in rambling roses and clematis
Climbing and rambling roses need tying in – by training the shoots horizontally, you will reduce the flow of sap, and doing this will cause more side shoots to develop along the stem, which ultimately means more flowers. Too often you see roses at the top of a plant where they can’t be seen or smelt.
Clematis shoots will also benefit from being tied so they don’t take over other plants.
Climbing and rambling roses need tying in – by training the shoots horizontally, you will reduce the flow of sap, and doing this will cause more side shoots to develop along the stem, which ultimately means more flowers. Too often you see roses at the top of a plant where they can’t be seen or smelt.
Clematis shoots will also benefit from being tied so they don’t take over other plants.
Relocate free seeders
Foxgloves, among other plants, freely self-seed among borders and can be a nuisance in the wrong place. But you can easily transplant them to another area of the garden at this time of year and they will still flower later. They have quite fragile roots, so lift carefully and water well.
Foxgloves, among other plants, freely self-seed among borders and can be a nuisance in the wrong place. But you can easily transplant them to another area of the garden at this time of year and they will still flower later. They have quite fragile roots, so lift carefully and water well.
Trim your lavender
I always get asked when to prune lavender to stop it looking leggy. I like to trim English lavender, such as ‘Hidcote’, very lightly at the tips of all the shoots in April followed by a good chop in August. It may look harsh but it will be good for the plant, keeping a compact centre and meaning it will be less likely to open up. With French lavender, prune in June – but not too harshly.
Be inspired by more ideas for spring cleaning your outside space
I always get asked when to prune lavender to stop it looking leggy. I like to trim English lavender, such as ‘Hidcote’, very lightly at the tips of all the shoots in April followed by a good chop in August. It may look harsh but it will be good for the plant, keeping a compact centre and meaning it will be less likely to open up. With French lavender, prune in June – but not too harshly.
Be inspired by more ideas for spring cleaning your outside space
Plant out strawberries for a summer feast
There are three varieties of strawberry. The tiny alpine or wild strawberry, such as ‘Mignonette’; summer fruiting types, such as ‘Cambridge Favourite’, and perpetual varieties such as ‘Finesse’, which keep cropping well into the autumn.
When planting, put lots of well-rotted manure into the soil. Don’t plant them too deeply or too high. Use a cloche and, as fruits develop, put straw under the fruits to prevent rotting when the wet soil comes into contact with the fruit. Some varieties will produce runners, so remove these for better fruit.
There are three varieties of strawberry. The tiny alpine or wild strawberry, such as ‘Mignonette’; summer fruiting types, such as ‘Cambridge Favourite’, and perpetual varieties such as ‘Finesse’, which keep cropping well into the autumn.
When planting, put lots of well-rotted manure into the soil. Don’t plant them too deeply or too high. Use a cloche and, as fruits develop, put straw under the fruits to prevent rotting when the wet soil comes into contact with the fruit. Some varieties will produce runners, so remove these for better fruit.
Divide agapanthus plants
Many of us grow these wonderful African lilies in pots in this country, as they like to have their roots constricted. However, they can get congested, so for a better display, divide the plant now.
To do so, literally chop the plant into different sections with a spade and make sure each division has a couple of growing points. You can also plant new crowns now: two inches below the ground in a sunny spot or pot.
Many of us grow these wonderful African lilies in pots in this country, as they like to have their roots constricted. However, they can get congested, so for a better display, divide the plant now.
To do so, literally chop the plant into different sections with a spade and make sure each division has a couple of growing points. You can also plant new crowns now: two inches below the ground in a sunny spot or pot.
Prune your fig tree
Most of us don’t have a large glasshouse, like this one at West Dean gardens, in which to house a fig tree – but we may have a fig in the garden and are often unsure how to prune it. If branches are crossing or the tree has lost its shape, prune back any branches out of place. Any suckers at the bottom of the tree should also be removed. Take off any branches that are close to the main stem, too, as these will not yield any fruit. Prune the rest of the branches about a quarter back to ensure better fruit.
TELL US…
What are you doing in your garden this month? We’d love to hear about your progress or see your photos in the Comments below.
Most of us don’t have a large glasshouse, like this one at West Dean gardens, in which to house a fig tree – but we may have a fig in the garden and are often unsure how to prune it. If branches are crossing or the tree has lost its shape, prune back any branches out of place. Any suckers at the bottom of the tree should also be removed. Take off any branches that are close to the main stem, too, as these will not yield any fruit. Prune the rest of the branches about a quarter back to ensure better fruit.
TELL US…
What are you doing in your garden this month? We’d love to hear about your progress or see your photos in the Comments below.
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The streets in towns and cities, as well as many parks and gardens all over the country, are filled in April with the heavenly sight of flowering cherry trees. In Japan, people make pilgrimages from all over just to see the magnificent blossom. You cannot possibly have a garden without a beautiful flowering Prunus. Not only will you be wowed each spring with the delicate petals on single or double, white or pink flowered varieties, daintily suspended in clusters from narrow branches, but many also have wonderful autumn leaf colour.
Prunus can be planted all year round. They won’t be bare root at this time of year, but you can buy one- or two-year-old trees in pots to plant instead. They need sun and mustn’t be waterlogged. Choose the vigorous ‘Ukon’ or the arching ‘Shirotae’, or perhaps Kanzan with double, deep pink flowers.