April showers might dampen our enthusiasm
April showers might dampen our enthusiasm. Stock image
April is, for most people, the start of the gardening season and, for many it is like a car race, where the aim is to go from 0-100km in a few seconds.
This frantic burst of energy can be overpowering and is in danger of taking any enjoyment out of the whole aspect of gardening.
The last thing I want to do is be a damp squib and a downer on what is probably the best time for getting involved in the garden.
The truth is, there is no real growth yet, which includes weeds and therefore, you do have time to go about your gardening in a more planned and relaxing way.
So, for anyone out there who wishes to start gardening, now is the time to get organised and with the longer days under warmer conditions, you can achieve a huge amount within the next few weeks.
If we allow it, our moods can follow the seasons and head down during lack of light, dull, wet and cold weather, which is mostly experienced during the winter months and our rise in spirits follows the extra daylight and warmth from spring onwards.
It is quite natural that the feeling of wellbeing energises us to be more active in all fields of what we are interested in, and being outdoors seems to supercharge us to the extent we want to spend hours there until the approaching darkness forces us to head indoors where we fall tired but happy with a good night’s sleep.
These active long days over a period can lead to total exhaustion, where even a break of a wet day is welcomed to catch our breath.
To be blunt, the growing season is short enough, so I would suggest that if you wish to do some serious gardening, you should get on with it as and when you can during these next few months at least, and to make it easier to plan, just prioritise what you want from your garden space.
It is especially important for those who wish to grow vegetables that no time is lost, whereas those who want flowers and colourful plants including shrubs, have less pressure as that season can go on right through the summer.
Many of the material things and facilities that we take for granted are and can be limited from time to time and, as experienced gardeners know, we adjust our expectations and change or compromise on the way we did things previously.
There is so much that can be achieved within the garden at little or no cost, and after that, small additions or treats can be a bonus when bringing your garden up to scratch, and the rewards in crops or flowers will follow all summer from what you achieve in the next few weeks.
