Revamping Your Garden for Spring
Spring is creeping in, and your garden is waking up. Shoots are pushing through, the days are stretching, and there’s that fresh, earthy smell in the air. It’s the perfect time to take a step back, cast a critical eye over your plot, and get stuck into some garden magic.
Ready to shake off winter and make your garden glorious? Let’s go.
Spring is in the air!
Focal Points: Give Your Garden a Backbone
Winter strips everything back, leaving just the skeleton of your garden. This is actually a gift—it’s the perfect time to assess its structure. Spring, with all its restless energy, will soon start filling in the gaps. But before that happens, think about where you want the eye to go.
- Big statement pots at the end of a path? Classic.
- Shapely hedges to break up space? Elegant.
- A dreamy woodland walkway with bark-chip paths? Enchanting.
- Water features—perhaps a sleek birdbath nestled among perennials? Instantly calming.
And here’s a fun idea: be a bit wild with your lawn! Let some areas grow long and carve out winding paths that change year to year. It’s like your own secret garden, evolving with the seasons.
Bulbs: The Jewels of Spring
Bulbs are the first ones out of the gate in spring, showing off their bright, cheerful blooms. Tulips steal the show, bursting into colour with no shame whatsoever. Love them, but don’t trust them to return every year—top them up each autumn for a guaranteed display.
And if you think it’s too late for bulbs, think again. Snowdrops and English bluebells “in the green” (with their leaves still attached) can still be planted now. This gives them a much better survival rate, ensuring a gorgeous natural drift next spring.
Looking for low-effort brilliance? Scatter crocus bulbs in your lawn. By the time you fire up the mower, they’ll have done their thing and vanished. Genius.
Need some easy wins? Muscari armeniacum (grape hyacinths) are tiny but mighty. Gladiolus and ranunculus will add late spring drama, especially near water features.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep a gardening sketchbook. Mark where bulbs bloom this year, so in autumn you can tweak your planting—maybe more alliums here, extra tulips there. Future you will thank you.
Want to stock up? Check out Sarah Raven’s fabulous bulb selection here.
Sowing Seeds: A Little Effort, Big Rewards
This is prime time for sowing—both veggies and flowers. You can now directly sow hardy veg like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and beetroot straight into your beds.
Flower-wise, poppies, nasturtiums, and forget-me-nots can be sown straight into cleared patches of soil. No faffing about.
Want to save some cash? Grow your own perennials from seed—geraniums, bergenias, and antirrhinums (aka snapdragons) can be started now with a bit of protection. They’ll reward you year after year.
And if you need high-quality seeds, Sarah Raven’s seed collection is fantastic.
Shrubs and Smaller Plants: The Spring Showstoppers
If you don’t have acidic soil, no problem—just fill big pots with ericaceous compost and go wild with rhododendrons and azaleas. They’re the rockstars of spring. Once they’ve finished flowering, shift them to a shady corner until next year.
Other great spring shrubs include:
- Hydrangea quercifolia – with oak-like leaves and late-season drama.
- Philadelphus ‘Miniature Snowflake’ – at just 90cm tall, it’s compact and powerfully fragrant.
Want something a little rarer? Try:
- Amsonia hubrichtii – delicate spring flowers, glowing yellow foliage in autumn.
- Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ – tiny, early-blooming irises that look like velvet.
- Trillium luteum – with marbled leaves and a knack for disappearing by June.
Shop Crocus plant collection here:
Feature Trees: Choose Wisely
No matter the size of your garden, a well-placed tree can be a game-changer. Think of it like casting a lead actor in a play—it sets the mood for the entire performance.
Spring trees that shine:
- Amelanchier ‘Ballerina’ – coppery young leaves, starry white blossoms, and fiery autumn colour. A triple threat.
- Hawthorn ‘Prunifolia’ – big, frothy white blooms in spring, edible red berries later. Also super easy to shape.
- Sorbus vilmorinii – starts with delicate spring foliage and ends with berries that fade from crimson to white.
- Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ – a compact, vertical cherry tree that fits into the tiniest of spaces.
And if you want year-round drama, the Weeping Silver Pear is graceful, shimmery, and steals the show in every season.
Amelanchier Ballerina,great Spring colour! Great Tree all round!!
Final Thoughts
Spring isn’t just a season—it’s an event. A full-blown festival of colour, scent, and new beginnings. Now’s the time to prep your garden, experiment with new plants, and set yourself up for months of floral joy.
So go on—sketch out your ideas, order some bulbs, throw some seeds into the beds, and start dreaming big. Spring is here, and your garden is ready for its grand reveal.
If you want a hand with your garden we are always happy to help
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