What to plant in Spring

By Mica Bale

We can feel it in the air tonight, we’ve been waiting for this moment for all the winter, can you feel it coming? What are we talking about? Love? No - Spring weather of course, even in our typically dreich local weather, the warmer times are coming and now is the perfect time to be preparing the garden and deciding what to plant. Here’s a handful of the best flowers, fruit and veg to consider bedding into your garden.

Marigolds - If you are keen on a nice pop of colour after months of winter bleakness then look no further than marigolds, relatively simple to grow, sow seeds from as early as March 'til as late as May and expect to see the beautiful rich hues of reds and golds until the autumn.
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Clarkia - A member of the primrose family, clarkia is arguably one of the prettiest flowers to grace any garden. Although not native to the UK, its pretty pink and round flower heads are adored by many gardeners and are especially valued for their hardiness. These flowers like full sun and are ideal for beds or borders. Keep an eye out for stem rot and make sure that they are well drained.
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Hanging Baskets - Although instant hanging baskets are often more convenient or offer an immediate and easy way to brighten up a garden or outdoor space, it is incredibly rewarding to begin thinking about planting your hanging baskets yourself so that they have time to establish for those warmer weather bank holidays or social gatherings. Plan your colour theme or consider what bees or butterflies you want to attract. Consider which plants thrive in close proximity and which might be inviting pests and other unwelcome visitors.
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Peas - An old summer traditional task for the children was to shell peas. If you fancy rekindling your childhood memories or just want your own kids to enjoy the same experiences you had, then why not try planting peas? Peas can be sown outside for a long window in the calendar year from February to June. Don’t forget to source bamboo sticks or something similar as a trellis to train peas to stand proud.
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Lettuce - Although lettuce may not be perceived as the most exciting of plants, lettuce is very simple to grow and has endless benefits in the summer and offers lots of opportunities for quick, homegrown salads for barbecues and healthy eating options. In fact, the only challenge with lettuce is that the slugs and butterflies are also well aware of its value and like to take a nibble. You can even extend the season by planting the first seedlings earlier in the year and then another batch later on to keep a perpetual crop.
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Pumpkins - If you would like to get ahead on this delicious autumn produce then late Spring until about May is the best time to begin sowing seeds and looking at ways to keep them nice and warm. With hundreds of varieties of pumpkins, why not see if you can grow a rarer variety for the autumn or begin planning recipes now.