Sunny and warm at last for gardeners and their plants

It’s good to now be into the warmer months of spring. This year has seen poorer light levels and cooler temperatures than normal. Young plants have taken far longer to establish roots and general growth. Coupled with a surge in demand caused by the wave of new interest in gardening since the first lockdown, many of our plant suppliers have struggled to keep up with increased orders. Sadly, the warm and sunny spell in spring last year brought on plants too early which they were unable to sell at the time. As seasoned gardeners already know, growing can be a fickle business !

The good news is that from May onwards plants will thrive. How useful greenhouses and coldframes are to protect against cold nights – just remember to open windows and doors to provide adequate ventilation and prevent overheating during sunny days. Even now a late frost can spoil vegetables and bedding plants, but let’s hope we will avoid this problem after all the cold nights this April.

Wondering what to plant next ? For many, the most important plants in the garden are herbs. Lavender will grow in the poorest of soils; all it needs is sunshine to bring out the best and prolific colour. Rosemary can grow into a tall bush, but most herbs will stay small and compact – particularly if they are regularly picked and enjoyed. Bees will love many herbal flowers such as thyme, borage and chives.

For small fruits which are very easy to grow and a good starter plant to nurture the gardening bug in children, strawberries will bring plenty of quality delicious treats. Who can resist the full flavour of home-grown produce ?

David Hogg

Buckland Nurseries