Time to look past the bad weather!

As I write this, I’m looking out of my window at a garden still under a thick covering of snow. The deluge we had a few days before was wonderful – it got the kids in the garden for the longest period of the whole winter! And temperatures are not straying much above zero, all of which means I won’t be doing much out there for a little while. In short, spring (not to mention summer) can seem a long way away. And in this time of lockdown, we feel the need to be outside, doing something – anything – to keep ourselves occupied. Physically and mentally, gardening does so much for us, so it’s important to find ways of enjoying our pastime, one way or another. You could try sowing your free laurentia seeds for one – they’ll give you flowers for a long period from June onwards. In this issue we’ve plenty about seedsowing: Carol Klein (page 30) and Nick Bailey (page 39) are both giving some thought about what they’ll be sowing this year, while Geoff Stebbings (page 36) tells you how to go about it.

So even if the garden is still covered in snow, there’s much to be optimistic about. I love seed sowing – without fail I go overboard, sow too many and then have to squeeze in umpteen plants. But it’s a nice problem to have, and it will all be worthwhile on those lazy summer days when the garden is a riot of colour and covered in bees. It won’t be long!

Also, do take a look at our feature on getting your healthiest-ever roses (page 26) – it could make all the difference to your plot this year. Have a great gardening week!