The sap is rising, the birds are scurrying about gathering twigs, the bees are waking up, the buds are bursting, the boy rabbits are looking at the girl rabbits in that particular way and spring is definitely upon us.
April is all about love, so I dedicate this month's column to all things romantic and in the words of the Bellamy Brothers, “Just let your love flow like a mountain stream, And let your love grow with the smallest of dreams, It's the season".
STAR OF THE MONTH
Myosotis sylvatica (forget-me-not)
Very possibly the most overtly romantic flower we have, not for any botanical reason, but simply because of the name. In even the youngest mind it inspires stories of love in all its many forms. A pressed forget-me-not in an old book conjures up a vision of enduring love, or a posy of flowers pushed through the window of a departing train, Victorian lovers banned from marriage by strict parents (hurriedly exchanging kisses and nosegays in an alley), a couple walking hand in hand in spring sunshine and pausing to pick the flowers. You get the picture...
Easy to grow - in most gardens it self seeds like anything. Pull out plants as they fade and become mildewy. Height x Spread 30cm x 30cm
ORANGE CRUSH
Esta historia es de la edición April 2022 de Gardeners World.
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Esta historia es de la edición April 2022 de Gardeners World.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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A new plot for tasty crops
Taking on a new allotment needn't be hard work. By simply following a few easy tips you can have bumper crops in no time, just like Alessandro Vitale
We love July
July is an island floating between the joy of June and the slightly fatigued month of August. It's a grown-up month: the year has shrugged off its adolescent exuberances, the weather is (hopefully) warm enough for ice cream to be one of your five a day, the sea should be swimmable without (too much) danger of hypothermia and thoughts will be of holiday shenanigans and family barbecues. School's out this month, the next tranche of glorious summer colour is washing across our borders and it's my birthday. Lots of reasons to give three rousing cheers for July!
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
Now, at the height of summer, Frances Tophill shows how to boost your plants' health and productivity with a timely cut
Hassle-free harvests
Flowers are out in abundance this month and for Jack Wallington, many of these blooms make delicious, low-effort pickings
Bite-sized bounties
Glorious doorstep harvests can easily turn into gluts, so let Rukmini Iyer's recipes help you savour every last bit
Upcycled outdoor living
Create unique and stylish garden features for minimal cost using reclaimed materials and simple DIY skills. Helen Riches shares four step-by-step projects and more inspiring eco tips
Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN
Buildings and landscapes can play a vital role in supercharging your space, as Nick Bailey demonstrates
Greening up a city balcony
Looking for sustainable, small-space gardening ideas? Take inspiration from Oliver Hymans' transformed balcony garden in north-east London - now a lush, green haven for humans and wildlife
The dry and mighty garden
As we adapt our gardens to a more volatile climate, Alan Titchmarsh reveals how to create a drought-tolerant plot and picks his top plant performers
Nature knows best
Carol Klein explains how to choose plants for specific growing conditions, based on what has naturally adapted to thrive there
