Alan Titchmarsh reveals the cheap but colourful plants that will transform your garden for less than a tenner
SPRING might have sprung but sadly, this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your garden will be in full bloom.
If you want to transform your outdoor space in the coming weeks, these are the easiest plants to add – and you can pick them up for less than a fiver.
Even better, these tried and tested blooms come recommended by the nation’s favourite gardener: Alan Titchmarsh.
Appearing on the Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast, the 74-year-old shared some of his favourite spring flowers – many of which cost only a few pounds.
Top of his list were the classic symbol of spring: the daffodil.
If you didn’t get around to planting blubs last autumn, don’t feel bad as the expert says it’s surprisingly simple to inject a bit of colour into your outdoor space.
“The thing about nurseries and garden centres they are very clever,” he joked, saying: “They’ll think ‘Oh no, somebody will forget to put these in so we’ll put a few in pots now and sell them in Spring.”
Coming in stunning hues of sunny yellow and bright orange, you can easily find the plant for just £3.99 in stores – often about ready to flower.
The gardener suggest picking up mini varieties like Jet Fire, Jenny and Little Witch at your local garden centre, with the bulbs packed in small pots.
While this is an easy way to inject some colour into a small space, the presenter and broadcaster did have a word of advice for listeners.
He told fans: “Always try and find some that are in bud, showing colour, but they’ve not spent themselves in the pot and done their display in the garden centre.
“That way you get all the display at home.”
If you weren’t already sold on miniature daffs, they can flower each year if you make sure they are well buried.
Rather than having the blub peaking about the surface, as they are in the pot, you’ll need to make sure that they are well covered so the blubs have a chance of surviving winter.
Alternatively, you can keep them in pots dotted around your garden to add a like bit of sunshine to your outdoor space.
While there are plenty of potted spring flowers you can add, Alan also suggested using the humble pansy in your garden.
“We get lovely winter flowering pansies now,” he said, excitedly telling listeners: “They will get knocked by a bit of frost but they do recover quite quickly.”
Just like mini daffs, pansies are relatively cheap with one nursery offering a pack of 40 (yes, you read that right) for just £9.99.
And if they do die back after a cold spell, just remember to keep pinching off the dead flowers and they will continue to flower till late summer.
With these bargain buys, your garden will look blooming lovely in no time.
May gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to crack on with in May.
GARDEN growth can go from nought to ninety in May, depending on the weather. The last UK frosts are generally seen at the beginning of the month, so all of a sudden there’s so much more to do and grow.
Plant out dahlia tubers
It’s a joy to finally plant out your dahlia tubers. Remember how big they can get – and space accordingly – anything up to half a metre apart.
It’s a good idea to put your support stakes in now instead of trying to work around them.
And make sure you include lots of well rotted manure or decent compost to feed it and then mulch to keep it moist and suppress weeds. They generally start blooming in July.
Final feed to Spring flowers
You can give a cheeky feed to all your remaining tulips and daffodils.
Although the majority of bulbs aren’t guaranteed to come back year after year any more, as long as you’ve left them to die back naturally there’s a good chance they’ll have stored enough energy to come back again. Tomato feed is fine.
Tie up climbers
Your clematis, honeysuckle and rambling roses should be well on their way by now – try to use plastic free string to tie them back into their support, or tuck them round each other to make sure they don’t sprout off in crazy directions.
Feed the lawn
It’s not too late to give your lawn a good feed.
Whether you use granular or liquid, it can give it a good boost to see it through the harsher summer months.
While mowing, don’t go too low with your cut length yet and never take more than a third off the grass height.
Get creative
It’s also time to get creative with hanging baskets and pots.
Trailing pelargoniums, which a lot of people call geraniums, and Begonias are a good, low cost way of getting lovely returning blooms throughout the summer in your baskets.
And pots can be planted with spring bulbs.
Don’t forget the greenhouse!
Give your greenhouse a good tidy and clean the glass inside and out.
The improved light will help plants grow quicker inside and tidying is good for the soul.
You can just use a household white wine vinegar and water solution – or even neat if you’re feeling spendy – which gives a really good shine.