How to get your garden spring ready in one weekend

It’s March 19, the first day of spring. Cup of tea in hand; you draw back the curtains to see a muddy lawn, overgrown shrubs and a peppering of dead leaves. However, the trees have taken on a green hue, birds are singing and colourful bulbs brave the crisp morning. It’s time to engage with your garden again – but what can be done during a weekend when time is in short supply?

The job list 

Here are a few straightforward ideas for you to spruce up your space in a weekend.

Spruce up the lawn 

First things first; let’s get that lawn tidied up. The first cut of your grass should be on a high setting and the mower will do the work for you and collect, then shred, any dead leaves. If time is tight, make this a priority as a garden looks infinitely better once the lawn is edged and mowed.

After mowing, tackle any bald patches in your lawn; rake the bare areas to remove any thatch (dead grass and moss) which will expose disturbed soil. In a bucket, mix one handful of grass seed with three handfuls of sand or compost and add it to the bare patch. Don’t go mad, just enough to lightly cover the bare ground.

Prune roses 

Roses can be pruned now, too; traditional hybrid teas and floribundas can be cut back hard, but shrub roses should be reduced by a third to keep them compact and flowering well.

Fertilise shrubs