GET READY TO GROW

Spring is creeping in slowly this year, between bouts of rain and frosty nights, but it will soon assert itself and this lead-in time is perfect for planning ahead, writes Gerry Daly

EVERY garden is capable of improvement. New gardens may have nothing more than a path behind the house and a square of rough grass or bare soil. There are many properties built 10 to 15 years ago that have been marking time during the recession, the owners short of resources to do much more than keep the grass cut and plant a few isolated trees. Other gardens, meanwhile, have matured or become overgrown with shrubs and trees. In each case, some new projects can be considered – either to improve existing features or to create new ones.

Start by taking stock of the garden as it is. Make three short lists to clarify thinking. One list should cover existing features and plants. The second comprises things to be removed — unsuitable plants, rubbish and unwanted features. The third list should be of what you want to use the garden for — children’s play area, entertaining, growing trees, shrubs, flowers or fruit and vegetables. Ideally, then make a sketch plan, to scale if possible, to work out how the space might be allocated. Make decisions on what you want to include, not necessarily right away, but on a planned schedule, which, of course can always be amended. Having ranked your choices for using the garden, there is quite a lot you can make a start on right away.

WHAT TO DO NOW?

Spring is the perfect time to prepare the garden whether you’re planting flowers, trees and shrubs, seeding a lawn or introducing fruit, vegetables and herbs.

1 FLOWERS

It is not too late to plant up spring bedding flowers — the garden centres have plenty of suitable plants. Spring is the time to tidy up the old stems of last year’s flowers if you haven’t already done so. It is also a good time to plant new perennial flowers, which flower every year, such as hellebores, doronicum and lungwort, all available to plant in flower.

Seeds of hardy annual flowers, such as pot marigold, California poppy and sweet peas can be sown from now on, either in cell trays or in the open soil. Dahlia tubers, lily bulbs, begonia tubers and gladiolus and tiger flower corms can be potted up for summer flowers. Start them off in a pot or tray of compost, just moist, and water sparingly until new shoots appear. Towards the end of May, plant out or pot-up to a larger size for outdoor use.

2 TREES AND SHRUBS

Trees really make a garden, and even a tiny garden can accommodate at least one tree. Shrubs are great providers of colour and the larger kinds, such as ceanothus or mahonia, can be treated as small trees. Pick a spot that will allow room for trees and shrubs to grow — they always grow bigger than expected, but don’t worry too much — trees and shrubs can be moved within a few years if it is noticed that they are going to grow too big. Spring is a good time to plant trees and shrubs because the new roots are about to take off for the growing season. This is a good time to plant a hedge too, making sure to water every week or so until new growth is active.

3 LAWN, PAVING AND GRAVEL

Traditionally, Irish gardens all had a lawn, but more use is being made of paving and gravel as a surface cover. Paving provides access at any time of year, even in winter when lawns are wet and soggy. It is also necessary to have paved areas to accommodate garden furniture for entertaining family and friends.

People are much more likely to want to sit outdoors in good weather and have barbecues. Paving any more than a few slabs is a professional task, especially cutting slabs or stone, but a small paved area of a dozen slabs, laid on sand, is not outside the capability of anybody with a knack for DIY.

Laying down a gravel area is not difficult. Some of the top-soil needs to be removed and weed block membrane laid and then the gravel is put on top, and some plants introduced through the membrane. Gravel looks well with paving and needs only an occasional raking to keep it fresh and free of debris.

Laying a lawn is not difficult and spring is a good time to sow. If there is already a lawn and the ground is reasonably level, the existing grass can be sprayed off and new grass seed shaken over the dead sod.

If the old lawn is bumpy, or the ground has been left rough by the builder, the existing grass and weeds should be cut down with a strimmer and then sprayed off. Large stones and debris are then picked off and the ground dug over, if it is a small area, or cultivated with a rotovator if it is large. Level the ground by skimming humps and filling hollows before raking level. Firm the soil by treading on it, though not when wet. Let the ground settle and rake it again. Rake in some general fertiliser and sow the grass-seed.

4 FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND HERBS

It is possible to grow some fruit, vegetables and herbs in every garden, even on a balcony. And nothing you buy will taste as good. Herbs such as thyme, sweet cicely, chives and rosemary are decorative plants and can be grown in flower borders. Fruit trees can be grown as trained trees, flat on the walls or fences of a garden — pears and apples on the south-facing walls, tayberries and raspberries on the shadier ones. Small fruit trees, and strawberry plants, can be grown in large pots. Or fruit can be grown in the garden as individual decorative trees, fruiting as well. Fruit trees can be planted from pots at any time of year but do very well from a spring planting, establishing quickly.

Vegetable growing is very easy, if too much is not taken on at the beginning. Start with as little as one square metre of ground and try some easy vegetables, such as radish, lettuce, French beans, beetroot, broad beans and peas. As your skills develop over a couple of years, you can try new kinds and expand the space. When beginning vegetable growing, choose a spot with full sunshine and good soil, and not near trees, hedges or large shrubs that suck the water from the soil with their strong roots.

When starting with a few vegetables, there is no need to make raised beds. Raised beds improve drainage on heavy soil, but can require endless watering on lighter soil. They can help to keep the vegetable garden neat.

Adding plenty of organic material, such as garden compost, to any soil for vegetables improves drainage, soil aeration, moisture retention and feeding.