The Flower Garden in Late Spring: The Busiest Season

Late spring is probably the busiest flower garden season. It's an in-between time: spring display finishing — tidy up and let rest. Replacements growing fast — need constant attention. You can also start next year's spring-flowering plants. Grass grows rapidly — weekly mowing essential.

Temperatures rise slowly but steadily. Winter definitely over, though strong cold winds may blow throughout. Sunny sheltered gardens can have genuinely hot days. Night temperature is key now — consistently low, sometimes near freezing, explains slow seedling/plant growth. Cloches and frames are invaluable for protecting and advancing plants for hot weather.

Outdoor soil prep for sowing/planting needed. Late spring = best time to plant submerged water plants (including water lilies). Greenhouse active: pricking out, sowing, potting for summer exotics and next winter/early spring flowers. Greenhouse needs more temperature control; watering increasingly necessary.

Watchfulness = key for pests/diseases. Greenfly, caterpillars = general annoyances. Specific troubles: capsid bugs on chrysanthemums, earwigs on dahlias, mildew on Michaelmas daisies, rust on antirrhinums. Birds occasionally nuisance but far less than on vegetables/fruit.