Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
Lines Written in Early Spring - William Wordsworth
Well, suddenly the weather became warm here in the Lakes. After rain, so, so, so much rain - the skies cleared and made way for some brilliant sunshine. Although temperatures were only in the low twenties for a couple of days, it truly seemed hot when contrasted against the overcast drizzly days.
May is characteristically a lush month, and the plants in your garden should now be becoming the epitome of that word. All that rain, now mixed together with hot sunshine, will ensure your garden is well on its way to fruition. Early flowering Clematis montana will be beginning to adorn walls and trellis with delicate white flowers - and other delicate whites, such as Tulipa ‘Spring Green’ and the sweet scented flowers of Choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’ will all be looking magnificent. Perhaps most magnificent of all this month, will be the yellow floral cascades streaming down from Laburnums.
Yet despite all of May’s beauty, it is important to remember that this is a very busy time of year for the gardener - and on that note, here are some jobs to be getting on with.
Formal evergreen hedging will need a trim to keep it looking sharp. Plants such as box prefer lighter trims, often reacting badly to being cut back hard - and so it is important to keep them in shape rather than to let them get out of hand.
If you didn’t last month, now is also a good time to check on any evergreens you may have - and prune back any shoots that are wayward or frost damaged.
At this time of year climbers should be growing vigorously, and as such, will require some attention to keep them tied in. Use a figure of 8 knot to prevent the stems from rubbing on the twine, and also the supports. You may also need to prune Clematis montana if it is beginning to exceed the space you want it to inhabit. Prune it back to where you want it to grow from, and while you’re at it, remove any diseased or damaged shoots. Just be careful to untangle it properly, as it can be all too easy to make a cut in the wrong place when the stems are intertwined.
Perennials should also be growing well, and these will need tying in and staking to give them the required support. If a plant is left to flop around it will be more likely to damage itself, or other plants close by.
You can also now trim and lift and divide any clump flowering perennials that have grown too big or too sparse. I alway like to divide my early primulas once their flowers have gone over, because the surprise you get next year at how many more you’ve got never fails to amaze me.
Once any spring flowering bedding plants you may have are past their best, you can begin to clear them away, ready to make room for your summer bedding plants. When doing so, it can be a good idea to start hardening your summer bedding plants off - so that they are acclimatised for when you plant them out towards the end of this month and beginning of next.
You should also now think about sowing any spring flowering biennials, together with any ornamental kales and cabbages.
Be sure to keep an eye on your sweet peas, as these will inevitably need to be tied in to help them to keep going vertically, and thin out any hardy annuals to prevent the plants from going leggy.
If you have any containerised plants it is important to remember that these plants are essentially under stress - as they are living in a heavily restricted environment. As such, it is essential to keep them well fed and watered to see them through the warm months ahead.
Speaking of such, let us look forward to a long, dreamy summer - but don't carried away and miss the majesty of the moment now. Take a moment to be still, and to listen to the bird song and enjoy the festival of colour beginning to burst out onto the scene.
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