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I had planned to write about some of my plans for the water features in my garden - I want to do some new things this year but something far more important has happened!  Whilst peering into the depths of our pond this morning what  should my other half spy but a huge mass of Frog Spawn…. Spring has Sprung - even though we are being battered to death by high winds and rain.

It never ceases to delight me that we have managed to create an environment where frogs, newts and toads live in relative harmony, the birds dip in and out of the pond, dragonflies flash around over the water showing off their bright colours whilst the fish do the same in the water.   It is enormously satisfying to watch this hive of activity only three feet from the patio doors that open out from our Dining Room.   One of my favourite activities, if you could call it that, is to sit outside on the Garden Bench next to the pond with an early morning cup of tea and just watch the comings and goings of all the various creatures as they go about their business.   It makes all the effort and work that went into creating that little spot so worth it - the only downside is you have to watch out for baby frogs that wander into the house when you leave the patio doors open!  I don’t quite know who jumps highest - them or me…

The last few garden maintenance jobs that must be done in March are fairly obvious but bear mentioning none the less. Lawns need to be looked at as they are starting to grow again and time can usefully be spent raking to remove thatch and moss before starting to mow. When you do start to mow, make sure the blades are set quite high for the first few cuts and rake off any cuttings if you don’t catch them in a box or bag on your mower. You should also look to see if any areas need some care by way of reseeding or turfing and prepare the ground accordingly.

It’s a good time to check over your Pond as well, check over all the pond ‘electricals’ like pumps, lighting systems and filters. Give any other water features Continue Reading »

Nasty Pests and Diseases can start to rear their ugly heads in March and it is a wise gardener who is vigilant at this time of year and builds this into her garden maintenance schedule. You need to keep the garden tidy and start removing all the rubbish that has accumulated over the winter to stop diseases developing unseen. Dead leaves should be removed from perennials as part of your regular maintenance. When you are inspecting your plants and seedlings watch out for any symptoms of damping off as well. The temperature variations at this time of year can have a dramatic effect on how things develop.

This is the time of year when those dratted slugs and snails start to appear as well. I am plagued by slugs in my garden and I have to keep a constant watch. One of the most successful ways I have found of protecting my Hostas, which are particularly susceptible, is to put a mulch Continue Reading »

Spring is definitely on its way and for me that means it’s time to think about the Birds. I love having birds in my garden, it would be a lifeless place without them. I always like to provide some nesting boxes to encourage them. The birds might not always agree with my choice but they make the garden look pretty as well. I need to replace some of mine this year and with a birthday coming up I have been looking at quite a few different ones so I can drop some hints!

You can go for something very simple like the Bluebird Manor Birdhouse, I love the name of this one! It just makes me think of Disney and happy thoughts and Spring as well as being very practical and not too expensive.

Of course, if you want something a little more elaborate you could go for The Barrington Birdhouse though you will need a garden big enough for it - at over 6 feet tall it is huge - but just think of all the birds you would have - wonderful! At a guess I would say it has to be one of the biggest birdhouses manufactured.

My personal favorite though has to be these lovely little Summer Home Birdhouses - they are so pretty and delicate and just right for all the summer songbirds. I love the colours and the the size is just right for hiding them around the garden out of the reach of any marauding cats. I suspect that these are the ones I will be putting up this year.

Continuing our garden maintenance theme now that Spring is in the air and the garden is crying out for colour, it’s time to turn your attention to ensuring that you get  your hardy annuals going by sowing them either in pots, trays or modules.  Sweet Peas can be started off too, I generally nick the seed coating to give them a start or soak them for a few hours to soften that hard outer shell.  Whilst you are busy sowing you should also start off your Summer bedding plants if you are intending to grow them from seed.  If you are going to sow in the early part of March then put them in a heated propagator or sow under glass to give them some protection from the frosts you can still get – we had an incredibly hard frost yesterday morning.

It also time to topdress your containers with some fresh compost and maybe put some fertilisers on the bulbs that are beginning to peep through now.  I also like to try and get a mulch onto some of the borders before the weeds start springing up.  I shall be using some of the material that we shredded last year when chopping down some trees, it has broken down quite well and is ready for use now.

Talking of trees it’s time to check any shrubs and trees planted last autumn and firm them in.  It’s also time for one of my favourite jobs – pruning.  I’m a great believer in hard pruning to get a plant to be the way you want it to be.  My definition of a weed is any plant that isn’t where you want it or doesn’t do what you want so I wield the secateurs with some ferocity.  At this time of year I will be looking over my summer flowering shrubs and late flowering clematis amongst other things such as climbers which have run riot over the year.  I won’t be touching my spring flowering shrubs til after they have finished flowering but they too will get a serious hair cut in due course.

I’m not a great fan of evergreens and conifers but if you do have them in your garden this is the time when you should look to move any that need a change of scenery as part of your garden maintenance plan.