There is nothing quite like spring in the garden: the promise of warmer days ahead, the chance to grow your favourite plants or entirely new ones, and the anticipation of harvesting crops and seeing flowers blossom. Hard work now means you will reap the rewards in the summer.

To help you prepare your garden for spring, we have created the ‘Spring Garden Checklist,’ which includes some tips and jobs you can do to get started this season. Simply download and print the link below and enjoy crossing items off your list as you complete your spring gardening tasks. 

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>> Download and print Your Spring Garden Checklist

Your Spring Gardening Checklist

Maintenance in spring

  • In early spring, prepare beds for sowing. Remove any weeds and debris from the area and dig it over. Add in some fresh compost or well-rotted manure as you go to replenish nutrients. You may also want to add a good all-purpose fertiliser
  • Mow the lawn for the first time this year if the weather is mild. Re-cut the edges, aerate with a garden fork, then rake to remove leaves and other debris. When you mow, ensure you raise the blades of your lawnmower to their highest setting. This will protect the roots of the grass, which will be soft and delicate after winter
  • Repair patches of lawn or reseed new areas. Earlier-use products, like Gro-sure Smart Seed Fast Start, mean you can do so in March instead of April

Planting in spring

  • Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as gladioli, crocosmia, begonias and hesperantha
  • Plant roses so they can establish in time for summer flowering
  • Sow wildflower seeds directly into the ground in April. They will attract many bees, butterflies and other insects to your garden over the summer
  • Plant spring bedding plants, such as primroses, to bring colour to the garden all through the season. Deadhead throughout the spring to extend flowering
  • Sow seeds of hardy annuals. These are typically sown in March through May and provide a reliable flower display throughout the summer. Try gypsophila, impatiens, geraniums and marigolds
  • Sunflowers can be sown in April, either in a pot or directly into flower borders
  • Sow vegetable seeds. View our seed sowing calendar to find out when to plant all the different varieties
  • Sow herbs directly into the ground or in containers in March, including chives, coriander, dill and parsley. You can sow basil seeds now in a container and keep them on your windowsill or in the greenhouse until the risk of frost has passed
  • Plant onion sets, garlic, shallots and seed potatoes outdoors in March for a summer harvest
  • Plant strawberry plants in the ground in March, or, to avoid pests, in hanging baskets
  • Install a water butt if space allows to collect and recycle rainwater over the coming year

Pruning in spring

  • Prune winter-flowering shrubs and climbers that have finished flowering before spring buds burst into life, i.e., lonicera and ribes. Lightly prune hamamelis, holly and bay to remove dead or dying stems
  • Cut back buddleja down to the bottom couple of buds, otherwise the flowers will get progressively higher each year and the plant will be woody and poorly shaped
  • Deadhead hydrangeas now before the arrival of any new growth (if you left the ornamental flowerheads on over the winter)
  • Feed roses with a special rose feed with high potash as they grow. Remember to prune your roses to encourage strong new growth

Helping wildlife in spring

  • Put up a nesting box for birds. This can be done at any time of year, but it is more likely to be used right away in the spring. Choose bird feed with a high protein content, like sunflower seeds, to refuel returning migratory birds
  • Keep a clean bowl of hedgehog food and water available throughout the spring to support them as they emerge from hibernation
  • Grow plants with flowers that provide nectar for butterflies in spring, including erica (heathers), erysimum, Lavandula stoechas, malus, muscari, Primula vulgaris and pulmonaria

>> Download and print Your Spring Garden Checklist

Discover a range of helpful tools to help with your spring gardening here.

First day of spring gardening jobs

The best way to start the jobs to do in the garden ready for spring is by clearing and tidying up in preparation for the exciting times ahead. A good place to begin is your patio. Clear away any debris that may have appeared during the winter and dust off your furniture sets, ready for you to sit and take a break from the upcoming tasks. Consider your garden to be a collection of small projects. Prioritise your different sections and focus on completing them step-by-step. Chances are, you will not complete your garden in one day alone, so it’s a good idea to work in an order that suits you and will not feel overwhelming. Where you choose to place your attention first, whether it be mowing your lawn or pruning your roses, is entirely up to you!

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