Keeping it the way
it was drawn

The busiest weeks of the year. Everything you do now decides how the garden looks in July.

1. 01

   Planting

   Best window for container-grown shrubs and perennials — the soil is warming and the rain is still reliable.

2. 02

   Lawn treatment

   Scarify, aerate and apply a spring feed once the grass is actively growing.

3. 03

   Pruning

   Cut back late-flowering shrubs and grasses before new growth gets away.

4. 04

   Feeding

   Mulch borders with well-rotted compost while the ground is still damp.

5. 05

   Weeding

   Get on top of perennial weeds now, while the roots are shallow and visible.

Maintenance rather than intervention. The work is keeping things even.

1. 01

   Watering

   Deep and infrequent beats little and often. Newly planted stock needs it for two full seasons.

2. 02

   Hedge trimming

   First cut once nesting season is safely over; check hedges before any machine goes near them.

3. 03

   Lawn care

   Raise the mower height in dry spells — short grass browns first.

4. 04

   Deadheading

   Keeps repeat-flowering perennials and roses going into September.

5. 05

   Ventilate the deck

   Clear debris from between boards and from the substructure vents.

The best planting window of the year, and the one most people miss.

1. 01

   Planting

   Warm soil and reliable rain — trees, hedging and bulbs establish faster now than in spring.

2. 02

   Leaf clearance

   Off the lawn and off the paving, but leave some in the back of borders for the wildlife.

3. 03

   Pruning

   Structural pruning on deciduous trees and shrubs once the leaves are down.

4. 04

   Lawn renovation

   Overseed thin areas and top-dress while there is still growth to knit it in.

5. 05

   Drainage check

   Watch where water sits after the first heavy rain. That is your problem list for next year.

Structural work and planning. The garden is bare, so the bones are visible.

1. 01

   Tree maintenance

   Crown lifting, thinning and deadwood removal while the structure can be seen.

2. 02

   Hard landscaping

   The right time to build — the ground is quiet and there is no planting to damage.

3. 03

   Planning

   Survey and design now and you are building by March instead of queuing in May.

4. 04

   Bare-root planting

   Hedging and trees planted bare-root are cheaper and establish beautifully.

5. 05

   Equipment

   Service mowers, sharpen blades, check lighting transformers and timers.