April at Bernaville

April is promising drier conditions for getting out into the garden as the days lengthen and the temperatures warm up. Showers are to be expected so invest in a good quality water butt and you’ll save yourself a lot of money on that water bill down the line! Be mindful of the overnight frosts too, fleece covering those young plants will be essential at some points, even into May. Clean out your old compost from pots and hanging baskets and make sure you give everything a rinse to protect your plants from any weevils hiding in old soil.

Tony’s top tip

Get those shrubs in this Spring for a great show for the rest of the year. Our top performing picks are:

Lavatera ‘Barnsley Baby’ for a delightful dwarf variety of this summer flowering cottage favourite.

Ceanothus ‘Diamond Heights’ is a vairegated, low growing with a powder blue flower.

Buddleija ‘Lochinch’ Lovely silver foliage against a delightful lilac flower.

Daphne ‘Odora Aureo Walberton’ Easy, evergreen and beautifully scented, perfect for a sunny position.

Myrtus (Luma) ‘Glanleam Gold’ Not only has it got traditional flowers but strong variegation in its leaves and pink tips on new growth.

Sambucus (Elderflower) ‘Serenade’ This large shrub is a real showpiece with purple foliage and different coloured flowers which make it particularly special.

Cercidiphyllum ‘Japonicum’ An elegant, medium sized deciduous tree with heart shaped leaves which are bronze tinted when young. Come Autumn, the leaves turn to yellow, orange and red before falling and produce a toffee-like aroma.