As the soil starts to warm up and the days start lengthening a great deal of preparation work can be undertaken now to ensure your garden looks its best during the year. The following are jobs that need to be done from late February to May and while you may not have all of these in your garden the list below should be a good tick sheet for the various things that need doing. So brave the weather and enjoy the fresh air!

Borders:

• prune summer flowering deciduous shrubs eg, buddleja, caryopteris and hardy fuschia and clematis that flower after mid-summer eg, Clematis tangutica and C. 'Jackmanii'
• cut down seedheads of herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses
• lift and divide clumps of herbaceous perennials
• this is the time to plant trees, shrubs and roses
• check outdoor containers to ensure they are not too dry, and raise the pots onto feet to prevent waterlogging in wet areas

Kitchen garden:

• dig over and prepare seedbeds
• pick leeks, Brussels sprouts and cabbages and lift artichokes and parsnips
• prune Autumn raspberries and finish pruning apple and pear trees
• plant shallots and, in warmer areas, sow broad beans, parsnips, carrots, early beetroot and salad crops and cover with horticultural fleece

Mid spring

Borders:

• prune bush and standard roses, shrubs and climbers such as honeysuckle and winter-flowering jasmine
• hard prune old stems on fast-growing shrubs eg, Buddleja davidii, smoke bush, purple hazel and golden-leaved elder
• prune out last year's growth from clematis that flower on current season's growth
• continue to lift and divide clumps of herbaceous perennials
• complete planting of evergreen trees, shrubs and roses
• deadhead faded daffodil and tulip flowers, leaving the foliage
• remove dead leaves from around perennials to prevent disease
• sow hardy annuals outdoors and tender plants indoors
• plant summer flowering bulbs
• apply a general purpose fertiliser and mulch beds and borders including roses and shrubs

Kitchen garden:

• sow beetroot, broad beans, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, radish, spinach, turnips and herbs outdoors
• sow brassicas in a seedbed to transplant in May
• prune gooseberries, blueberries, wall-trained figs, and large apple and pear trees
• pot up tomato seedlings when the first true leaves appear
• plant out early potatoes and garlic and onion sets
• feed fruit with sulphate of potash at 15g per sq m
• plant bare-rooted fruit trees, bushes and soft fruits

Lawn:

• scarify the lawn with a spring-tined rake
• start to mow the lawn when new growth starts at the highest setting
• turf and seed new lawns
• apply a spring and summer lawn fertiliser

Late spring

Borders:

• prune evergreen hedges, summer-flowering shrubs after flowering eg, berberis and choisya, and overgrown Clematis montana
• finish sowing any hardy annuals (plants that have a one-year lifecycle) outdoors
• plant out cannas, dahlias, and chrysanthemums after the last frosts
• harden off seed- and cutting-raised plants
• place support frames around tall perennials (plants that re-grow every year after a period of dormancy ie, winter)
• lift, tear and separate daffodils, polyanthus and primroses
• feed container plants with a liquid feed
• deadhead faded spring bedding plants eg, wallflowers

Kitchen garden:

• cut back older stems on figs
• sow dwarf French and runner beans, summer and savoy cabbage, cauliflower and leeks, and complete sowing beetroot, courgettes, cucumbers, squash, salad crops and herbs
• begin harvesting asparagus tips and forced rhubarb
• support peas with twigs and pull up the soil around the base of broad bean stems

Lawn:

• continue to mown the lawn, gradually reducing the height of the cut

Gardens to visit in spring:

If you are looking for some inspiration or just an escape from the task ahead in your own garden, why not visit some of the country's finest gardens and shows over the next few months?

1) 23 & 24 February is the snowdrop and crocus weekend at Great Dixter in East Sussex. Open 11am to 4pm

2) Trebah Garden in Cornwall is open daily all year round from 11.30am to 4.30pm but in March the spring bluebells and primroses provide a stunning display in woodland glades and along a stream leading down to the pools.

3) In April, at the Lambeth Palace Garden in London, thousands of fritillaries, narcissi and snowdrops are in bloom, as are the pale pink flowers of the magnolia and cherry trees. It is one of the oldest and largest gardens in London and is open for the National Gardens Scheme (see below)

4) In late spring, Gertrude Jeckyll's planting designs can be seen at The Manor House, Upton Grey, Hampshire with displays of species roses, wild flowers and daffodil drifts, as well as other formally designed areas. It is open on weekdays by appointment only - see www.gertrudejekyllgarden.co.uk for more information.

5) The National Gardens Scheme has over 100 gardens that are open now, see their website for a complete listing: www.ngs.org.uk

6) The RHS Chelsea Flower Show from 20 to 24 May at Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London SW3 promises to be bigger and better than previous years with over 20 show gardens, four categories of smaller gardens (chic gardens, courtyard gardens, roof gardens and city gardens) and the Great Pavilion filled with over 100 floral displays.

For more information or to contact Karen Senior Garden Design, call 020 8393 7958 or 07767 787 757 or visit www.karensenior.com