Gardening tips for spring

Two garden volunteers at work in the walled garden at Wimpole, removing weeds and pruning among other tasks. Red tulips can be seen in bloom in the garden border. — Garden volunteers at work on the Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire | © National Trust Images/Mike Hodgson

Spring is an uplifting time of year for many of us as we watch the natural world burst into life. Learn some handy gardening tips on creating blossom displays, pruning and mowing, and the types of flowers and vegetables to plant this season.

What to plant in spring

If you grow vegetables, once the soil is warm enough, you can start planting potatoes and onions and sowing hardy vegetables, including broad beans, cabbages, carrots, radishes, lettuce, rocket and spinach.

March and April are good months to plant perennials, sow hardy annuals such as marigolds, and plant summer-flowering bulbs, including lilies and gladioli.

Want to create more plants for free? Once snowdrops, bluebells, daffodils and other spring bulbs have finished flowering, you can lift and divide crowded clumps so they are more spread out next year.

Things to do in the garden during spring

Weed and mulch

Rising temperatures accelerate growth in borders and vegetable beds, so along with the plants you want there'll be a few you didn't plant. These can be easily removed with a handfork or hoe if necessary.

If you have plenty of homemade garden compost, use this to mulch your borders in spring, providing the soil is moist.

Prune hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are best pruned in March. Look for a set of healthy strong buds and cut the old flower heads back to just above them.

For mature or congested plants, take out some of the older growth to encourage them to reshoot from the base.

Look out for wildlife

Take care not to disturb nesting birds and always check carefully before pruning hedges or shrubs.

When you tidy and cut back winter growth in spring, remember it may be home to insects and amphibians, or even a hibernating hedgehog.

Leave the lawn for pollinators

Join the growing trend of leaving all or parts of your lawn uncut for a few weeks at a time. This will allow clover, daisies and other lawn species to flower, providing nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects.

Volunteers re-potting geranium seedlings into plug trays in the nursery at Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire — Volunteers in the nursery at Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire | © National Trust Images/Mike Hodgson

Container growing

If you have a small garden, patio or terrace, then growing plants in pots could be a way for you to bring colour to your outdoor space. Here are some useful tips to help you get the most out of container growing.

Choosing plants for containers

Lots of plants will grow happily in containers. Cultivating annual flowers from seed or choosing perennials and small shrubs, which last for years, is better than refreshing pots each year with bedding plants. Herbs such as parsley, basil and thyme will also grow well in pots – place them near your kitchen door so they are to hand.

Compost and care

Use good-quality peat-free potting compost for temporary displays. For shrubs and perennials, which will stay in the same compost for a while, choose one with soil in it or add your own.

Plants in containers need regular watering when it's warm and sunny, so ask a helpful neighbour to take care of them when you’re away, or move them into the shade.

Planting small trees for blossom

Even if your garden is small, you can still create an eye-catching blossom display. The key to success is choosing the right-sized trees or shrubs for the space you’ve got.

You can buy bare-root trees and shrubs between November and March, or in containers all year round. It’s best to plant them from autumn to early spring to avoid them struggling in the summer heat.

Apple blossom in April, in the fruit orchard at Cotehele, Cornwall — Apple blossom in the fruit orchard at Cotehele, Cornwall | © National Trust Images/Ross Hoddinott

Choosing the best blossom tree for your garden

Personal taste, colour and scent are obvious criteria for selecting a blossom tree, but remember to check the plant’s soil preferences and the height it could reach once it's fully matured. Some shrubs and small trees with blossom will be fine in a container, but most will do better in the ground.

If you’ve got space for more than one tree, think about how they will complement each other – flowering in sequence or in contrasting colours. You may want a tree that also looks attractive when it's not in flower, or that produces fruit. Blossom is great for pollinating insects, and the fruits that follow may be good for birds.

Our favourite blossom trees for home gardens

Manchurian Siberian crab apple (Malus baccata var. mandshurica)
Dwarf Russian almond (Prunus tenella ‘Fire Hill’)
Wild pear (Pyrus communis)
Kanzan cherry (Prunus 'Kanzan')
Discovery apple (Malus domestica ‘Discovery’)

Gardener at work at Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester

Get gardening

Our gardeners are on hand with ideas for your garden, plot or window box. From planting veg to tackling weeds, they’ve got all the important topics covered.

Try our gardening tips