February in the garden

This February seems such a cold, wet month for being in the garden, but it is actually a great month for catching up with garden tasks and also planning the months ahead. I think that all gardeners are looking forward to the spring when the weather will hopefully start to get warmer and the garden  becomes lush and green again. The spring bulbs are starting to show through the ground and at last the snowdrops are making a welcome appearance. In a couple of gardens I’ve noticed that some bulbs have been lifted to the surface probably by the wet weather that we have had. These bulbs need replanting at the suitable depth again after carefully removing any that are damaged. Hellebores which are now one of the fashionable plants to have (even though many gardeners have been planting them for years anyway) are looking hopeful and they should provide much needed flowers in the gardens just now. If you are not familiar with hellebores then they are worth trying. They are clump forming perennials and prefer a sheltered site. Ideal for growing in clumps in a border they are available in many different colours and varieties, mostly with saucer shaped flowers, some flowering as early December. Uninspiring foliage doesn’t help and as such are usually not given a second-look but the flowers compensate for this. A great bonus is the fact that whatever your soil type you will find a hellebore that will grow happily, an annual mulch in autumn will also benefit them. Shrubs can be moved in the garden, as long as the ground isn’t frosty. Bare-rooted plants need planting too. Dig a large enough hole for the new or moved plants and ensure that there is sufficient drainage at the bottom of the hole by digging over the base with a garden fork. Dig in some compost or tree & shrub planting mixture (this will give the plants a steady feed when they start growing again) and firm in the plants. If the plants are quite large then it may be as well to stake them just for the short term to help prevent them from rocking in the wind. Any plants that were planted during the autumn need checking occasionally to make sure they have not become loose in the ground as they won’t have created new roots yet. Thankfully not all gardening jobs need to be done outdoors. A greenhouse, conservatory or a sunny windowsill is a great asset when growing plants from seed. For the dedicated gardener there’s a great variety that can be started during February if you wish, these include sweet peas, tomatoes, sun flowers, lobelia & marigolds. Most of us will tend to wait a bit longer before we start sowing for summer flowering plants. If you are ordering from seed catalogues this year then send away now!