Lawns: Scarify to remove thatch or moss. Aerate, repair dips, reseed bald areas if necessary, and apply a general fertilizer. Set blades high for the first cut. Sow new lawns in mid-spring.
Flowers: Sow hardy and half-hardy annuals inside,
hardening off as the weather improves. Dig over flower-
beds, apply soil conditioners or low-fertility top
dressing. As the weather warms, sow hardy annuals
outside. When all danger of frost has passed, plant out
half-hardy annuals. Water seed and transplants until
established. Weed around established plants and
mulch with well-rotted compost. Prepare supports for
plants that need them.
Bulbs: Let the leaves die down after flowering. Plant fall-flowering bulbs.
Climbers: In early spring, prune for renewal, tidy and tie stems. Top dress with well-rotted compost and mulch
to suppress weeds and conserve moisture.
Tree, shrubs and hedges: Prune roses in early spring and again if late frost catches new growth. Plant container-grown plants in early spring and conifers in mid-spring. Remove winter protection from tender shrubs. Feed and mulch. Check ties and stakes. Trim formal hedges in late spring.
Vegetable and fruit garden: Prepare ground, sow seed inside for transplanting in late spring, sow later seeds in situ and brassicas and leeks in seedbed. Protect
crops from cold and predators.
