Spring awakening: preparing your garden for a thriving year ahead
April has been a magical month so far, with lots and lots of sunshine. The earth is beginning to warm up, buds are bursting into bloom, and there’s a real sense of spring in the air - at last! With the new season here it is time to set up your garden for the growing season ahead 🌱
Whether you’re working with some pots outside your back door, or a larger green space, this is the moment to reconnect with your outdoor sanctuary and lay the groundwork for a beautiful, thriving season to come.
Here’s some tips for how to go about it.
1. Take stock
Before diving into planting, spend a little time observing. What’s coming back to life? What didn’t survive the winter? Are there areas that could use a bit more love, structure, or colour?
Make notes of bare patches, overgrown areas, or things you’d like to change. Spring is a great time to reimagine your space with fresh eyes.
2. A gentle spring clean
Clear away dead leaves, spent stems and winter debris—but go gently. Many beneficial insects (like ladybirds and solitary bees) are still emerging from their winter hideouts, so avoid disturbing every nook and cranny just yet.
Use this time to:
Cut back spent perennials that need a tidy from last summer
Mulch your beds with compost or fine bark to keep moisture in and weeds out
Clean pots and tools, ready for action!
3. Feed the soil, feed the soul
Great gardens are the result of great soil. The horticultural world is moving away from feeding plants with artificial fertilisers and advocating soil improvement as the best way to look after plants to ensure that they thrive.
Add compost, leaf mould, fine bark or well-rotted manure to beds and containers to boost nutrients and soil structure. Try to do this at least once a year if you can - add, add, and add! It’s a simple way to give your plants the best possible start—and a lovely way to connect with the living ecosystem right beneath your feet.
Tip: If you’re not already composting, now is a great time to start!
4. Support local wildlife
Encouraging biodiversity is a huge part of what I do. It’s not only you that benefits from having plants in your garden, pollinators, animals and other insects love them too. When the sun comes out and the weather heats up, bees and pollinators are waking up hungry. You can help them by ensuring there is early sources of nectar available for them in your garden, to give them the nutrients and energy they need.
Try:
Planting early flowering plants like Pulmonaira, Hellebores, Aquilegia and Primula
Leaving a patch of nettles or dandelions (yes, really!)
Adding a shallow dish of water with pebbles for bees to drink from
Small actions = big impact. 🌼
5. Plan and plant mindfully
April is the time to dream big—but plant wisely. Think about what brings you joy in your garden. Is it a colourful border, a quiet corner to sit, or a few pots of herbs on the windowsill?
This month is ideal for:
Sowing hardy annuals outdoors (like calendula, nigella, or cornflowers)
Planting potatoes, onions, and salad crops
Refreshing container displays with seasonal interest
Choose plants that support both your wellbeing and the environment—and you’ll build a space that gives back tenfold.
There’s something special about April—the sense of renewal, the return of colour and life, the first long afternoons spent outdoors. Whether you’re getting your hands dirty or simply pausing to notice the birdsong, it all counts - being outdoors is the best place to be 🌸
And remember, you don’t have to go it alone. If you’d love a little support in designing or refreshing your garden, I’m here to help. From planning plantings to full design consultations, let’s create something beautiful together.
🌿 Need a hand bringing your garden to life this spring? Get in touch for a chat or to book a consultation. Let’s make this your garden’s best year yet.
Nicola
The Bonnie Gardener
nicola@thebonniegardener.co.uk
