April is a very busy month for us gardening enthusiasts, the perfect time, before the summer heat sets in, to plant shrubs such as Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn), Laurus nobilis (bay laurel) and the elegant Camellia japonica with regard to the latter, it is advisable to wait until flowering has finished and to use a soil mix suitable for acid-loving plants.
It is also the time for herbs such as Lavandula angustifolia (lavender), Mentha piperita (peppermint), Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary), Salvia officinalis (sage) and Thymus vulgaris (thyme), which, as well as adding elegance to our green spaces, will fill the air with their fragrances and will also be useful in the kitchen for delicious dishes!
For a touch of colour full of energy and vitality, choose ornamental herbaceous plants that will brighten up gardens or terraces, such as Begonia semperflorens, Bergenia cordifolia, Campanula portenschlagiana, Iberis sempervirens, Leucanthemum superbum, Phlox subulata, tending to the young plants after planting by keeping the soil or growing medium moist but free from waterlogging to prevent root rot.
When transplanting into flowerbeds and borders, we pay attention to the soil, which must be with ideal moisture content, neither too dry nor muddy, and certainly not waterlogged or still frozen. We take care to dig a planting hole of appropriate size, on average twice as wide and deep as the root ball; always maintain an appropriate planting spacing and, if creating mixed plantings, arrange each plant in tiers or levels, taking into account the heights reached, the plant’s growth habit and the desired colour combinations. For use in planters or containers, always choose containers proportionate to the plant’s future growth; place material that promotes proper drainage, such as expanded clay granules or gravel, at the bottom, and fill with high-quality specialist potting mix.
Let’s not forget to plant summer-flowering bulbs such as anemones, calla lilies, dahlias and gladioli, preparing the soil by digging it over and creating raised beds with a slight slope to improve drainage of excess water.
Come on, let’s put on our gloves and boots: now that the days are longer and milder, we have an extra reason to spend some productive time in our garden, perhaps even with a bit of help from the little ones!
