As the Sales Team sit here drinking our tea we are discussing how different the weather has been so far this month. One day the perfect day for gardening, the next snowing!! We hope many of you are out enjoying the sunshine when it’s here.

Hold Back on the Snips

This week we have all been happy to be out on the nursery getting it ready for our opening on 12^th April. However warm it is during the day, with the prospect of the occasional frost still on the cards, some plants still cannot be cut back yet. Here is a list of the ones we will not touch on the nursery until all the frosts are finished.

ANTHEMIS, ARTEMISIA ‘Powys Castle’, CARYOPTERIS, GAURA, PENSTEMON, PENNISETUM, PEROVSKIA, VERBENA, SALVIA shrubs and sub-shrubs

We know it is tempting to get stuck in and cut all the dead bits out but the plants really do not react favourably to it. These cannot be cut until at least the second or even third week of April depending on the weather. That’s the beauty of gardening “All things come to those who wait”.

Sow your Hardy Annual seeds outside this month

The soil is starting to warm up so hardy annual seeds should be ready to go. Remember some seeds like to be covered with soil, others prefer to be on the surface – always check the sowing details. For details of the seeds we offer – click here. You can order online but HG’s will only get the 20% off seeds in April when visiting the Nursery Shop.

Add Some Support

Start constructing and placing your willow and hazel supports now. It is always more difficult to place them successfully when the plants have started to sprout and new shoots can be so easily damaged.

Deadhead your Daffodils

As April moves on more and more of your NARCISSUS will fade. Snap off any faded blooms as you go, but leave the stems and foliage alone. Do not be tempted to tidy them up or tie them in a knot as this affects their ability to create future food reserves. If you can, let them die down naturally before removing.