Gardening with Love: Thoughtful Ideas for Late Winter and Early Spring Gardens

Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) brings a gentle nod to “love” in early spring planting schemes.

February is often associated with Valentine’s Day, but love in the garden doesn’t have to be romantic, showy, or short-lived. In fact, some of the most meaningful expressions of love outdoors are practical, thoughtful, and quietly revealed over time.

As winter slowly begins to loosen its grip and the days lengthen, this is a natural moment to reflect on how gardens support connection - with nature, with wildlife, and with the people who spend time in them. Late winter and early spring are ideal seasons for looking at gardens not for what they look like right now, but for how they are designed to be lived in, nurtured, and enjoyed.

Love in the Garden Through Plant Choice

Some plants wear their sentiment lightly, often hinted at in their names rather than their appearance. Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is a perfect example: delicate flowers floating above soft, feathery foliage, bringing an almost dreamlike quality to borders in early summer. Likewise, bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis - our main image) produces gentle, heart-shaped flowers in spring, adding charm and softness without overwhelming a planting scheme.

But love in planting design goes far beyond names. Choosing plants that suit your soil, aspect, and level of maintenance is one of the most caring decisions you can make - both for the garden and for yourself. Gardens thrive when plants are well matched to their conditions, reducing stress, minimising intervention, and allowing landscapes to settle naturally over time.

Late winter is an excellent time to review planting plans, identify gaps, and think about how different areas of the garden perform across the seasons. Are there moments of interest in early spring? Do some borders feel bare until summer? These observations often lead to small but impactful changes.

Designing Spaces That Invite Time Together

Love in the garden is often expressed through how spaces are used rather than how they look. Seating is a simple but powerful example. Thoughtful garden design can result in a considered position for a bench or chair that can turn an overlooked corner into a favourite spot - somewhere to pause, chat, read, or simply watch the garden change.

Rather than placing seating as an afterthought, good garden design considers views, light, shelter, and proximity to planting. A seat that catches low winter sunshine or offers protection from prevailing winds can extend the amount of time a garden is usable throughout the year.

Paths also play a role here. Gentle curves, changes in surface texture, and subtle pauses along a route encourage slower movement and awareness. A garden that invites wandering naturally encourages people to notice scent, sound, and seasonal detail - all part of feeling connected to a place.

Patience, Care, and the Long View

Gardening is, at its heart, an act of long-term care. Trees take years to mature, hedges soften gradually, and perennials often need time to establish before they truly shine. Designing with this in mind shows respect for the natural pace of growth and avoids the frustration that comes from trying to rush a garden into perfection.

Late winter is an ideal time to reflect on this longer view. Structural elements such as trees, hedges, and paths are particularly visible at this time of year, making it easier to assess the bones of the garden. If these elements are well considered, seasonal planting can change and evolve without losing cohesion.

Sharing the Garden with Wildlife

Love in the garden can also extend beyond human use. Planting for pollinators, leaving seed heads through winter, and allowing areas of long grass or informal planting to develop are all ways of supporting wildlife.

These choices don’t require large gardens or dramatic changes. Even small actions - such as selecting nectar-rich plants or reducing excessive tidying - can make a meaningful difference. Gardens that support biodiversity tend to feel more alive and resilient, offering year-round interest rather than brief seasonal peaks.

A Seasonal Moment for Reflection

This time of year i.e. February and early March, sits at an in-between point in the gardening calendar. There is still cold weather to contend with, but signs of renewal are beginning to appear. Snowdrops, hellebores, swelling buds, and longer afternoons all hint at what’s to come - it won't be long before those early spring plants are bursting forth with gusto!

This makes it an ideal time to reflect on what you love about your garden - and what you might like to nurture differently in the year ahead. Whether that’s creating more places to sit, improving planting structure, or simply allowing the garden to develop at its own pace, thoughtful choices made now can shape how a space feels for years to come.

Love in the garden doesn’t need grand gestures. It shows up in patience, observation, and care - and it’s often the quiet decisions that have the greatest impact.

May Gardens

Hints of summer should be on its way this month with warmer and longer days. With the very hot spring we've had everything seems to have exploded - not only the plants but also pests are out with a vengeance. Our May gardens are starting to inject more colour and vibrancy into our outdoor spaces with flowers coming into bloom thick and fast.

Tulips are already up and gracing us with their presence, remember though that there is still a chance of an occasional frost so be ready to cover tender plants. New shoots found on plants like hostas are tender too and will need protection from cold winds and late frosts – have newspapers or fleeces ready and hold them down with large stones over night if the forecast is for cold.

Lawns usually need to be mown twice a week in May and don't forget to cut on a high setting, especially if your grass is damp. Going too short too early will damage your lawn. Take care not to cut the grass where bulbs are flowering too if possible. As soon as the leaves begin to turn yellow and die back that is a sign for you to cut your grass over bulbs. Leaves are a very important source of energy for next year’s bulb displays!

Shelter your hanging baskets in a corner during the day inside or on top of a big pot and put them inside overnight until the threat of frost has gone. Spring flowering containers will usually be starting to fade towards the end of May but some might last into June this year. When they have gone over throw out those annuals and replace them with new plants you have sown yourself or bought elsewhere.

May Garden Jobs

Every month brings with it a list of jobs that need doing in the garden and May is no exception! This is a busy time of year generally. Your garden will benefit from TLC this month to give it the best chance of performing well for you during the summer months. Some May garden jobs for that list of yours…

April Gardens

April often feels like the moment the garden properly wakes up.

This year in particular, the early rain has really helped things along - there’s a freshness and fullness to the growth that’s hard to miss. Primroses are looking especially good, and with the moisture we’ve had, blossom is expected to be really strong too.

There’s a noticeable shift during April - spring bulbs are out in force, leaves are unfurling, and trees are beginning to emerge and soften with blossom. It’s not just visual either… there’s sound and movement returning too, with birds, insects and early bees beginning to reappear.

Updated for April 2026

It’s an exciting month, but that said, temperatures are still a little unpredictable. A few warm days can quickly be followed by a drop again, so it’s worth balancing our enthusiasm with a bit of patience!

A moment for observation (before everything speeds up)

Last month was all about preparation and early movement - and April builds on that, but with a bit more urgency creeping in.

It’s worth taking a moment to notice what’s doing well in your garden right now:

This is often where design ideas can quietly reveal themselves - repetition, gaps, balance - all much easier to see now than at any other time of year.

Frosts, seedlings and not rushing ahead

It’s very tempting to get going with tender plants and seedlings now - and if you're like us you probably already have.

Just keep in mind that frosts can still catch you out, so if you are moving things outside:

A bit of caution now can save a lot of disappointment later.

Scent and seasonal interest

April is one of those months where scent can really lift a space.

If your garden feels a little flat at this time of year though, it might be worth introducing something specifically for spring fragrance. For instance, consider plants such as:

Just a note of caution on these plants; please bear in mind that not all varieties are scented, so it's worth checking before buying!

Productive gardens: an early rhythm

If you’re growing your own, April can suddenly feel quite busy.

Soil preparation, warming beds, sowing, potting on - it all starts to gather pace.

The main thing to keep in mind is succession. So, rather than sowing everything at once (and ending up with the inevitable courgette overload…), it can help to sow little and often every couple of weeks. It keeps things manageable and gives you a steadier supply later on.

Garden jobs for April

Planting and propagation

Borders and general maintenance

Lawns and edges

Seasonal care and protection

Looking ahead…

As April moves on, everything will start to accelerate - growth, colour, and maintenance.

It’s a good month for staying on top of things in a relaxed manner rather than trying to do everything at once. A bit of consistency now can make May feel far more manageable!

← Gardening in March | Gardening in May →

March Gardens

Yellow daffodils flowering in a spring garden in March

Gardening in March: what to do in the garden this month

Early spring really begins to gather pace in March. The days are noticeably longer, the sun starts to carry a little warmth and gardens slowly begin to wake from winter.

Early bulbs such as crocus, snowdrops and the first daffodils start brightening up our borders and generally making us smile. Lawns begin to stir back into growth and shrubs start showing the first signs of fresh shoots.

The weather can still be a little unpredictable though. Bright, mild days can quickly be followed by sharp frosts, so it’s wise to keep protective fleece handy for any tender plants and avoid moving overwintered plants out too early.

March is often a month of preparation as much as action. A little steady attention now — tidying borders, improving soil and getting ahead of weeds — makes the busy spring weeks that follow feel much easier to manage.

Updated for March 2026

Preparing the garden for spring growth

As the soil begins to warm, weeds will start to germinate quickly. Light hoeing on dry days is one of the easiest ways to keep them under control before they establish themselves. Any perennial weeds are best dug out now while the soil is still relatively open and workable.

Applying mulch to beds and borders is also particularly worthwhile at this time of year. A generous layer of organic matter helps retain soil moisture, improves soil structure and suppresses many of the weeds that would otherwise appear as temperatures rise.

Pruning and seasonal care

Many shrubs benefit from attention in March before the growing season gathers pace.

If roses were not pruned in the autumn, this is usually the final opportunity to do so before new growth becomes too established. Cutting back now helps maintain a good framework and encourages strong flowering later in the season.

Shrubs grown for colourful winter stems, such as dogwoods and willows, can also be cut back now. Pruning them annually encourages the fresh young stems that provide the best colour displays in autumn and winter.

Keeping an eye on pests and diseases

As temperatures increase, pests and diseases begin to become more active in the garden.

Regular observation is often the most effective approach. Slugs and snails, for example, become increasingly active as young shoots appear. Gardeners who prefer a non-chemical approach sometimes use biological controls such as nematodes, which can be watered into the soil to help manage slug populations.

In greenhouses or sheltered growing spaces, rising temperatures can also encourage aphids, whitefly and red spider mite. Keeping a watchful eye early in the season allows problems to be addressed before they become more widespread.

Garden jobs to do in March

Borders, perennials and planting

March is a good month to tidy and rejuvenate planting areas before spring growth accelerates.

Weed control and soil preparation

As soil temperatures begin to rise, weeds quickly start to germinate.

Lawns

Lawns usually begin growing again this month as temperatures slowly increase.

Vegetables and seed sowing

March is an important month for getting early crops started.

Containers and houseplants

Container plants also begin to respond to the longer daylight hours.

Looking ahead

By the end of March we often find the garden feels noticeably different to just a few weeks earlier. Bulbs are flowering, lawns are beginning to grow and new shoots are appearing across borders. A little preparation now can really help everything settle well into the busy spring weeks ahead.

← Gardening in February | Gardening in April →

Spring Bulbs Planting Design

Example of planting design using spring bulbs

It may seem like only two minutes since we bid farewell to this year’s display of spring bulbs but now is the perfect time to be thinking about next year. Whilst many of us have them in our gardens we’ve found that very few people we talk to consider their spring bulbs to be an integral part of their planting scheme; indeed, many people seem to make their bulb choices purely on the basis of a desire to see a splash of colour – any colour – to break the drabness of winter. But, with some design planning and bulbs’ vast variety of shapes and sizes, colours and flowering periods, spring bulbs have the potential to be so much more than just that splash of colour – they could be the show stopping stars of your spring garden design.

Spring bulbs in a designed garden border

Planting Spring Bulbs

As with all planting designs environmental factors such as aspect, light levels and ground conditions will all have a bearing on the success of any scheme. ‘Right plant, right place’ works just as well for spring bulbs as for any other garden plant and planting depth of bulbs can also influence the flowering success of them later. For instance, if you plant bulbs too deep you risk getting more foliage at the expense of flowers and some might flower late or not at all. Plant them too shallow and they might emerge too soon making them vulnerable to frost. If you don’t have a label to check, a good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs 2 to 3 times their size. So, if a bulb is 5cm high, plant it 10-15cm deep and 10-15cm away from the next bulb. Since bulbs themselves are all different sizes, this allows you plant lasagne-style with larger bulbs deeper, mid-size bulbs in a layer above and small bulbs planted on a top layer. This method works particularly well in pots but can be used just as well in borders too allowing for the maximisation of space and impact.

Surrounding Plants

Brightly coloured tulips in containers

One of the tricks of designing with bulbs, of course, is blending them with existing plants – for most of us, bulbs are an addition to an already existing scheme so the height, texture, colour and form of surrounding plants will play a key role in choosing bulbs for maximum visual effect. Most of us tend to leave our bulbs in the ground once planted but it has to be said too that once a bulb has ‘gone over’ it isn’t the prettiest plant in the garden but leaving its yellowing leaves is a crucial part of the bulb’s life cycle so those surrounding plants can also play an important role in hiding those nourishing, but not too aesthetic leaves. Alternatively, planting bulbs in pots allows us to move them out of sight after flowering so can be a great choice for areas with few ‘hiding potential’ surrounding plants.

Bulb Colours

spring bulbs in a trough container near a doorway

If you’re considering planting bulbs in a small space then it’s a good plan to stick with a single colour – mixing colours tends to make a small area look smaller whereas a hit of a single colour increases impact and makes a space look bigger too. Larger spaces can accommodate more colour, of course, but limiting to 2 or 3 blended colours and planting groups of 2 or 3 varieties of bulbs in single colour clusters can look stunning. White or cream bulbs can help blend other colours together and when used alone are brilliant for brightening dark corners.

Functional Bulbs

Bulbs can be functional too; for instance, we have some quick collections that are perfect for pollinators; bulbs in this scheme not only look good but have a high nectar content that will encourage biodiversity in your garden. We also have them to help naturalise areas or to bring a fresh spring woodland look to a garden or to make a statement with bold swathes of colour. If you don’t feel confident to design yourself and don’t want a bespoke design, collections are a quick and easy way to choose bulbs. We order for our clients in August/September – both collections and bespoke designs – so whether you’re doing it yourself or working with a designer, planning now is key for next year’s spectacular spring bulb display.

Contact us if you'd like help with your spring bulb planting design.

Planning for Spring in Autumn

Yes, that’s right and there’s no better time than late autumn to plan for spring!  The garden centres, nurseries and in some cases even supermarkets have huge amounts of spring flowering bulbs for sale right now so it really is the perfect time to buy and plant them.   Just the sight of snowdrops or daffodils can make even us feel just a little excited that spring is on the way and the cold winter months are being left far behind us.  Spring plants are also one of the earliest sources of nectar for our emerging bees and other pollinating insects that really need do need a food source.

Some people I have spoken to see bulbs on sale and buy a selection of those they know or have heard of and plant them up and there is nothing wrong with that at all.  However, if this is you why not try something different this year and here’s a few questions to ask yourself which could influence your decision:

Once you have the answers to these questions you’ll have more of an idea how to plan for early colour next year.   If you don’t have a colour scheme in your garden don’t worry just try to think of a pleasing colour scheme and use it to plan for spring. T. 'Flaming Spring Green', for instance, looks great paired with blue Forget-me-nots (as shown in our image) where it can give a real pop of colour.

There are so many different varieties of tulips some are late spring and others early summer but you can find those that are a solid colour and others mixed.   Let’s take soft, muted pinks and purples as our colour scheme for this example Tulips, e.g. Tulipa ‘China Pink’, T. ‘Ballade’,  T. ‘Greuze’ or T. ‘Queen of the Night’.  So, where do daffodils fit with these colours?  There are several varieties of daffodils that are white or cream with limited yellow in the centre so you could look out for those rather than the bright yellow ones that are likely to clash e.g. Narcissus ‘Actaea’ or N. ‘Cool Crystal’.  White is a colour that is often used sparingly in planting design for the eye to naturally rest and this provides a comfortable break or pause from colours.  Snowdrops will do this perfectly, there are so many different varieties why not try a different one this year?  You could try Galanthus ‘Atkinsii’ or G. elwesii. There are a huge variety of bulbs or other small flowering plants in so many different colour schemes that can add interest in your spring garden such as Fritillaria meleagris, Anemone blanda ‘White Splendour’, Eryanthis hyemalis, Muscari armeniacum, Primula vulgaris also crocus and various cylamen.

Once you have decided upon your bulbs check which months they flower to ensure that you have colour as early as possible and every month right through until your established garden plants begin to come into their own.  Don’t forget to plant up your containers too as they will give you more interest and you can move them around the garden. If you have squirrels in your area lay some chicken wire or similar over the containers for protection until they start to grow.

The next stage is to buy them and remember a tool to plant them with, if you have only bought a few you would get away with a hand held tool if you’ve bought a lot it would be worth investing in one with a long handle that you can use standing up.  Buying the right tools for the job makes the job much more pleasurable and less painful!!  

We’ve only really touched lightly on planning for spring, if you want to know what to do now for your garden in spring give us a call we’ll be happy to come out and give you some advice.