April in the Garden

April feels alive. The days are longer, the air warmer, and the garden is fully waking from its winter slumber. There’s energy everywhere, buds swelling, birds busy in the borders, and the soil finally soft enough to work.

It’s a month of action and attention, a time to tidy, divide, plant, and nurture. The work we do now will pay off in colour, abundance, and strong, healthy growth as spring unfolds.

What to Do in the Garden in April

• Continue to Deadhead Spring Bulbs - Keep removing spent daffodil, tulip, and hyacinth blooms to encourage energy to go back into the bulb rather than into seeds. Leave the foliage to die back naturally; it’s still feeding next year’s display.

  
  

• Prune Hydrangeas - If you haven’t pruned your hydrangeas yet, now is the time. For most varieties, removing old flower heads and any weak or crossing stems encourages strong, vibrant blooms for summer.

  
  

• Prune Cornus - April is a good time to prune dogwoods (Cornus). Cut back old stems to the base to encourage fresh, colourful growth in the summer. Thin out crowded branches, leaving healthy, upright stems for structure and flowers.

  
  

• Lift and Divide Summer-Flowering Perennials - Perennials such as hostas, delphiniums, and astrantia can be lifted and divided this month. Dividing congested clumps rejuvenates the plants and gives you new ones to plant around the garden. Repetition in borders is always a great design hack.

  
  

• Increase Watering and Feeding of Houseplants - With the days lengthening, indoor plants are waking up too. Begin regular watering and feed them lightly to support new growth. Check for pests as warmth returns indoors. Some may even need potting on as they have outgrown their current homes.

  
  

• Prick Out and Pot On Annual Seedlings - Early-sown annuals will be ready for pricking out and potting on. This ensures strong, healthy plants ready for planting out in the borders once the risk of frost has passed. This is one of my favourite things to do and I love seeing a greenhouse full of seedlings and young plants.

  
  

• Prepare vegetable beds: Sow early crops such as carrots, radish, and lettuce directly into soil. I should practice what I preach this year rather than always module sowing first.

  
  

• Check garden supports: Stakes, trellises, and canes should be in place before climbers and taller perennials need them.

  
  

• Apply mulch: Mulch flower and vegetable beds to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil structure. I have been doing this at almost all my clients in the past few weeks.

  
  

• Start planting tender summer bedding: If you’re lucky enough to have a frost-free spot, start planting out begonias, fuchsias, and other tender annuals.

  
  

• Plant Bare-Root Plants: It’s not too late! Bare-root shrubs and trees can still be planted if the ground is workable. Water well and mulch around the base to help them settle.

  
  

What’s Happening in the Garden?

• Trees are in blossom, and early shrubs are in leaf.

• Bulbs and spring flowers still colour the borders, alongside emerging perennials.

• Insects are beginning to stir, and birds are busy collecting nesting materials.

  
  

April is a month of gentle momentum. There’s a sense of energy and optimism in the garden, a promise that everything you do now will flourish as spring moves towards summer.

Final Thoughts

April is about moving with the garden’s rhythm: cleaning, pruning, feeding, sowing, and dividing. Take your time, enjoy the smell of fresh soil, the sight of new shoots, and the song of birds. Every small job lays the groundwork for the colour, abundance, and life to come.

All my love, love from Donna 🌷