GARDEN PLANNING
Plot, plan and prepare for a stunning 2024 in the garden, with this month-by-month guide to planting and landscaping projects
FEATURE LEIGH CLAPP AND MATT JAMES
Gardening is, of course, atherapeutic activity for body and soul, which greatly rewards the effort you put into your plot. Anticipating and preparing for the year ahead is all part of the process, enabling you not just to get the best results from your planting, but also providing asense of purpose and rhythm to the days and months stretching ahead.
Start the new gardening year prepared. Ensure you have everything clean and ready –sharpen your tools, service the lawnmower, repair fences, tidy the greenhouse, and check your compost bin is healthy and working well.
Then it’s time to seek inspiration. Leaf through catalogues, magazines and books to compile alist of plants and ideas you’d like to incorporate into your garden in the coming year. Look carefully at the needs of the flowers you like, the mature heights of trees and the maintenance required. If necessary, call in agarden designer who can help with creating structure or planting plans. Let’s grow…
JANUARY
This is amonth for planning. Spend some time looking at your garden to assess its structure, deciding how to develop it. Start raising seeds, keep paths clear of fallen leaves, and begin preparing garden beds.
Prune deciduous trees and shrubs and remove damaged branches.
Deadhead pansies to keep them flowering.
Lift and divide snowdrops ‘in the green’ after they have flowered.
If you have shallow soil, try building raised beds.
Brush snow from conifers and evergreens to stop the branches from bowing or breaking.
Plant bare-root trees and roses if the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.
After plenty of rain, mulch beds and borders with 5-10cm of leaf mould, manure, compost or shredded bark.
Repair and stain or paint fences, pergolas and wooden furniture.
Check protective fleece and straw is still covering tender plants.
If wet weather conditions have made ornamental grasses and other perennials fall flat, cut them back to give them afresh start.
Feed new plantings in late January with slow-release fertiliser, such as blood, fish and bone, and water in.
Deadhead winter bedding for bigger, bushier displays.
Keep putting out food and water for birds.
January plant Sweet box
FEBRUARY
It’s all about cutting this month. Prune summer-flowering clematis and wisteria; cut back grasses and perennials; prune dogwoods to gr
