Seasonal journal

In the Garden

A seasonal journal — what's growing, what's flowering, and the jobs worth doing this month.

Spring · now Summer Autumn Winter

Late winter: the garden starts to stir

Bare branches, swelling buds and the first hellebores. This is the quiet fortnight where everything you do now shows up in November.

  • Finish the winter rose prune before the buds break
  • Feed citrus and mulch around the drip line
  • Lift and divide crowded perennials while they're dormant
  • Sow sweet peas and broad beans
  • Sharpen and oil your tools before the rush

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Midwinter: soil, structure and secateurs

The slowest month, and the best one for the jobs nobody notices — soil, drainage, and the shape of things.

  • Prune deciduous fruit trees while dormant
  • Plant bare-root roses and hedging
  • Spread compost over empty beds and let the worms work
  • Clean out gutters and check drainage before the next downpour
  • Plan next season's vegetable beds on paper

Read the full note →