How to add spice to your garden

Wed Apr 25 2007 01:00 BST

lilac With the exceptionally warm weather many plants have been tricked into flowering early, says our gardening guru Tricia Worby.

Spring has well and truly sprung and hopefully you are enjoying the fruits of your labour with all the bulbs you planted in the autumn. You're not? Well I’ll try and remind you for next year!

lilac

With the exceptionally warm weather many plants have been tricked into flowering early and most gardens are currently a riot of colour with all manner of shrubs flowering that we wouldn't normally expect together: lilac, broom, kerria (jew's mallow), azaleas (usually out in June) are all at their peak right now.

But, after the riot of spring has passed, does your garden look a bit drab? This is where a bit of planning comes in. A bit of forethought and you can plan a succession of flowering shrubs so that there is always something to add spice - a visit to a good garden open to the public can give you ideas as well as looking through books, but for really expert planning a bit of experience goes a long way. Knowing how to space plants so they don't get overcrowded in a few years, and correct pruning are both helpful in establishing the three dimensional structure of your garden. This understanding of the shape and form of plants is, believe it or not, more important than flower colour! It gives you satisfaction all year - not just when the plant is in flower.

When planning a border I try and get a balance of sturdy structural planting and the more decorative flowering species. It helps too, to have one or two 'focal point' plants which, by virtue of their form or growth habit, take the eye e.g. phormiums or japanese maples. Don't over do it though - one or two really is enough in most borders. And now is the time to mulch with good organic matter. Well-rotted is ideal so it's not full of weed seeds - if you don't make enough of your own buy some in. Applied over moist soil (in the morning or after a shower) is ideal, as this will seal in the moisture and prevent annual weeds appearing. You really can't overdo it.

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mahonia

Now is also the time for border revamping and some judicious pruning. Anything that's flowered and is now over (e.g. forsythia, winter viburnum, mahonia can be cut now - hard!). Don't be afraid to cut into old wood - most shrubs will respond well to this (there are a few exceptions - some of the Mediterranean shrubs like ceanothus, lavender, etc can be a bit temperamental). I was recently called in to attend to a garden I first designed 15 years ago but had been a little neglected - many of the more delicate plants had been crowded out by the more vigorous ones and it needed a firm hand to bring it back to balance. Now that the pruning has been completed I have opened up some space where additional planting can be added once more. This is a skilled job - and one, I’m sad to say very few gardeners really now how to do well. There is no substitute for experience...