As the Spring bulbs start to push their way through the soil, I turn my thoughts to summer and think about what I can plant now to ensure a continuous display of colourful flowers throughout the year. An important part of gardening is thinking ahead and planning for each season in advance. I enjoy the mindfulness of having to wait in a world where we frequently rush from task to task. Where an online order made today will arrive tomorrow. Gardening is the opposite of this. A slow and enjoyable journey where we can immerse ourselves in nature. The pace is dictated by the plants we grow and the seasonal changes around us.

So what can we plant in our gardens now and how can we prepare for the months ahead?

1. You’ve still got time to sow sweet pea seeds in February and March for a lovely crop of sweetly scented flowers throughout summer.

2. Sow hardy annual seed indoors late February and into March in readiness to fill any gaps in your borders with some instant colour. When choosing what annuals to sow, always consider their benefit to pollinating insects and birds. My favourite annual flowers to grow are cornflowers, poppies, Nigella, borage, pot marigold and cosmos.

3. In March and April (once all chance of frost has passed) plant summer bulbs such as dahlias, gladiola and nerine where they are to flower.

4. Sow perennials such as Echinacea, Coreopsis, Lupin and Achillea indoors. Once the seedlings appear pot them on ready to plant out when the weather warms up.

5. In the vegetable garden, sow broad beans, cauliflower, parsley, coriander, lettuce, onion and Florence fennel undercover. 

6. The start of Spring is also a good time to plant any new shrubs or trees that you want to add to your garden. Consider shrubs that have a long season of interest and that will provide some benefit to garden wildlife such as crab apple, Abelia or dogwood. Be sure to keep on top of watering any newly planted shrubs if the weather is dry.

7. Keep on top of any weeding. There will be lots of new growth as the weather warms up and it’s always easier to pull weeds out as they first emerge. Consider mulching your borders with a wood chip mulch to help keep weeds at bay and add nutrients to the soil.

8. Divide and replant large clumps of hardy herbs and perennials such as lemon balm, chives, geums and asters.

9. Keep bird feeders well stocked with seeds and fat balls.

10. Prune evergreen shrubs once they have flowered in early Spring such as Potentilla, Mahonia and Rosemary.