Spring and all of its glorious sunshine has arrived in the UK. With most of us now working from home, it’s a chance to enjoy getting green fingered and at one with nature planting, weeding or digging in the garden. Take some gardening tips from our Head Gardener.

We spoke to our Head Gardener at Mallory Court, Gianni, to get his advice on what gardening tasks we could all be getting on with during April…

Gianni, what jobs should we be focusing on in our gardens during April?

This month I will be planting dormant Dahlia Tubers that have been stored over winter. It’s also a chance for all of us to be giving our lawns some care to give them a boost for the summer.

For beginner gardeners what easy to grow food could we look to be planting right now?

Lettuce and leafy vegetables are all fairly simple to grow and most can be done in pots or in window boxes. Other easy to grow foods are parsley, coriander, cress, basil, radish onions and garlic. Also, don’t forget to sow pumpkin seeds indoors now ready for planting out in late May.

Are there any seasonal gardening jobs we should all be getting on with?

Lavender is now ready for a light prune to prevent it getting leggy. With the weather warming up, weeds will be on the rise so getting a head start will make things easier in the long run. Have a look around your garden and see what could be tidied up, so you have a lovely relaxing space to enjoy in the sunshine.

How can we encourage more wildlife into our gardens?

My advice is not to stop feeding the birds just because it’s spring. They have young to feed and are under great pressure still, so ensure you’re putting out food and water for them to reach easily in your garden.

Do you have any easy composting tips to help home gardens flourish?

It’s always good to keep a compost heap going through the year adding grass clippings, autumn leaves and some plant based kitchen waste. This can be used to mulch roses in April.

In your opinion, why is gardening enjoyable and often therapeutic?

Gertrude Jekyll said it best; “A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.” I feel we can all relate to her words in this challenging time.

We hope Gianni’s passion for gardening and advice for April has inspired you to get planting – whether you have a window box or a kitchen garden.

From all the team at Mallory Court Hotel and Spa, we hope everyone is staying healthy and enjoying the spring weather safely at home.