GARDENING
It’s time to garden! G et ahea d with your gardening jobs now to create an outdoor spa ce you’ll love to sp end time in this summer
A little TLC
B Nothing says summer like sweet peas. You can catch their amazing smell in pots near  ÉèãÛ« ÉÉ É Ô« ¸ Û èã Éô Û «Â vases around the house. Late March is the perfect time to sow them straight into the ground or into pots. Soak the seeds in tepid ô ã ãÉ ¨÷ ã 㨠Á Ûã
B Prune and feed roses to encourage strong new growth later (try Toprose, £4). Make cuts at a 45-degree angle, sloping away from an outward-facing bud about 5mm above it. Remove all broken or dead wood. And don’t forget to protect your hands from thorns – Tesco Thorn Resistant Gloves are up to the job and cost just £2 a pair.
B&  ÷ ã«Â£ ô«» Éô » ô instead? You can clear the existing lawn and sow the bare earth with a seed mix 㨠ã ÉÁ «Â Û £ ÛÛ ô«ã¨ Éô Û Ûè ¨ Û ÔÉÔÔ÷ É Â Éô  ÷ »»Éô «Û÷ »ã  ã«ó »÷ è÷ ã ÷Û É¢ ô«» Éô seedlings to plant in holes in your existing lawn. Small groups of the same plants give a natural look. Now sit back and ô «ã ¢É 㨠«ó » É¢ èãã « Û Û – and warmer days!
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B If your lawn is patchy, March is a good month to re-seed (try Go Sure Smart Lawn Seed, £10), or treat with a lawn feed so it’s lush and green for early summer. It’s also ã¨ Ô ¢ ã ã«Á ãÉ £«ó £ ÛÛ «ãÛ Ûã èã If you need to invest in a new lawnmower, Flymo Rollermo is good value at £55.
B If a shrub is too big for the spot it’s in, now’s a good time to move it. Water well the day before, then dig it out, keeping as much of the root ball as possible. The size of the new hole should be the spread of the
B Now’s the time to add supports for climbers, as trying to train wobbly stems later can lead to breakages. Chedworth Garden Obelisks (£32 for three) are great for training sweet peas (see left), honeysuckles or clematis up fences or walls. B c ã Éô Û ô«ã¨ Ô» Âã food. Add Vitax Fish, Blood and Bone, £2.50, to boost soil fertility and growth.
-up n a Get out the le powerB washer and blast
away patches of moss and algae on the patio. Patio Magic (£8.50) is a brilliant all-rounder. Invest in weed killer and pesticides to protect delicate plants. Choose the right solution for the area.
The b ig
B Plant gladioli and lily bulbs. A large wooden planter will house an eye-catching «ÛÔ» ÷  «Û èÛ ¢è» ¢É »»«Â£ Éèã ÛÔ Û corners of the garden (try Rowlinson Rectangular Wooden Planter, £75).
roots plus an extra 30-60cm. Use the old soil mark on the stem to work out how deep to plant it.
B A sunny spring day is a good opportunity to èÛã É Â÷ £  ¢è «ãè  £«ó «ã fresh lick of paint. Try Hammerite Direct To Rust Metal Paint (£12 for 1ltr) for metal furniture. That barbecue and Pimm’s are just around the corner!
WORDS ALISON PALMER ILLUSTRATION EMMA JAYNE DESIGNS
Potting and planting
