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Spring is absolutely amazing, whether you garden or not, as all of your senses are activated. There’s so much to observe, so much to learn, so much to do. The majority of the rains are past, the soil is warming, there’s sun, sun and more sun.
With the combination of sunlight, warmth and the remaining moisture from the rains, seedlings are coming up all over the place. Flowers are bursting open and there’s color everywhere.
If you’re into fragrances this is the best time of year. There are hundreds of different varieties of roses, some more fragrant than others, and some old roses that are over-the-top with fragrance.
I’ve yet to smell a perfume or cologne that compares to the fragrance of a real flower. For one thing, manmade scents are carried by a solvent like alcohol, whereas flowers’ fragrance is carried in oils warmed by the sun to just the right temperature so that they vaporize slowly, in order to attract pollinators like bees or butterflies.
There’s plenty to do in the garden this time of year. There’s planting, maintenance, irrigation systems to repair and parties to plan. Here are the tips.
Plan on planting a lot of different plants. It won’t cost any more but will make a bigger show.
Determine the sun-versus-shade areas in your garden. Plan on growing sun-loving plants in the sun and shade-loving plants in the shade.
Learn at least three new plants and pick one to grow, whether it’s beneficial, beautiful, edible or just interesting.
Make a design. Start small and then grow your design as you learn more about how to draw and think creatively.
Get a new tool, or if you’re really ambitious, make one. Try making a trowel or a hand rake. Even the broom is not really that complex to make.
Garden with a theme. We live in a Mediterranean climate. Your theme isn’t restricted to that though. Mediterranean plantings can span from almost desert to almost Alpine to almost tropical.
If you’re new to gardening or think you have a black thumb, start with easy plants to grow and add to your collection when you’ve had some success. Easy-to-grow plants are anything sold in six packs such as annuals, succulents and geraniums.
If you’re a master gardener, expand your pallet of plants. Take on a new genus and add as many species of that genus as you can. There’s always more to learn. Study a particular fungus or disease that you don’t know much about.
Spend time in your garden in the spring. Look at your plants closely. Cleanup around and in them.
Good gardening.
Jack McKinnon, a garden coach can be reached at 650-455-0687 or jack@JackTheGardenCoach.com
