Garden seats & benches, garden dining sets, parasols, love seats, pots & summer houses

GARDEN TIPS FOR APRIL

Sow hardy annuals and herb seeds, preferably under glass to protect them from bad weather and mice.

Warm days and spring rain will encourage huge increases in slugs and snails so be sure to spread plenty of slug pellets.

Tidy borders by digging lightly with a fork, pulling up any weeds as you go; also prune into shape any over large plants.

Watch out for floppy plants that need proper support as they grow, put in plant supports ready for sudden growth spurts.

Keep on mowing, if grass is left to grow long and then cut short it will turn yellow, look awful and be weakened; blades should be at their highest setting when you start.

This a good time to plant evergreens, not just conifers but lots of broad leaved plants that can make excellent hedging.

Prune any shrubs that are grown for their colourful foliage, doing this will encourage lots of new growth.

Now is a good time to tie in climbing and rambling roses, training the shoots as near horizontal as possible as this will help develop more side shoots and indeed flowers.

Deadhead daffodils as the flowers go over and plant summer bulbs such as gladioli, lilies and galtonias.

Towards the end of the month sow sweetcorn, courgettes and marrows; in addition sow tomato seeds in small compost filled pots in the greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill.

PLANT PICKS OF THE WEEK

Primula Denticulata Euphorbia Plant - Shorty £2.20 £7.99 Magnolia Stellata Rhododendron Dreamland £14.99 £24.99