GardenAdvice.co.uk Gardening Calendar First Week of May ( Audio Available )
Ceanothus Flowers In May
With summer on the horizon and the risk of late frosts fading fast, it’s a prime time to get outdoors and into your garden. Here’s what’s on the agenda this week:
Click here to download the audio file ( .wav ) or Click Here to listen as a podcast
1. Outdoor Sowing – It’s Time to Sow!
Now’s the perfect time to sow a wide variety of seeds directly outdoors:
- Beetroot
- Coriander
- Carrots
- Salad leaves & more
Tip: Warmer soil and longer days make germination faster and more reliable.
2. New! AI-Powered Gardening Calendar for Fruit and veg
We’ve just launched our interactive AI agent-based gardening calendar for fruit and veg, now available free for all GardenAdvice visitors.
Features include:
- Tailored sowing & harvest timings for your postcode
- Localised data including your soil type, local soil temperature, and rainfall
- Local Pest & disease alerts by season
To use it:
- Fill in the online form
- Tick the fruits & veg you want to grow
- Add any missing crops manually
- Receive monthly updates & reminders
Powered by: the GardenAdvice AI agent on an openAi platform
sign up here
3. Wisteria – Feeding & Planting Tips
In full bloom this week and the coming 4 weeks!
If you already have wisteria:
- Feed now with a high potash feed (e.g., tomato food) to boost flowering
- Choose plants already in flower or bud
- Dig a large hole, add organic matter, and water thoroughly
- Feed and water regularly in the first 2 months for strong establishment
4. Young Gardeners Club – Plan Summer Projects
The Young Gardeners Club is gearing up for summer holiday projects.
If you’re a member or part of the GardenAdvice MyGardenTeam, get in touch to have some help planning project this summer for your Young Gardeners :
- Request project ideas
- Receive planting kits
- Support your child’s gardening journey this summer
5. Planting Plans – Now’s the Time
Whether you’re creating new borders or revamping old ones:
- Use our stand-alone planting design and planning service
- Or, if you’re a MyGarden team member or have attended a GardenAdvice course, you can request a custom planting plan
Helps with:
- Colour themes
- Pollinator-friendly planting
- Year-round interest and colour
6. Fence Gardening – Make Use of Vertical Space
Often overlooked, fences are valuable growing spaces. Consider planting:
1. Garrya elliptica (Winter Tassels)
Description:
Garrya elliptica, commonly known as Silk Tassel Bush or Winter Tassels, is an evergreen shrub prized for its elegant, long, silvery catkins that appear in late winter to early spring. These tassels, especially striking on male plants like ‘James Roof,’ can hang up to 30cm long. The foliage is leathery and dark green, providing year-round structure.
Gardening Tips:
- Position: Full sun to partial shade; thrives in a sheltered spot.
- Soil: Well-drained soil, preferably neutral to slightly acidic.
- Pruning: Minimal; prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape.
- Use: Ideal as a feature plant against a wall or in mixed shrub borders.
2. Cytisus battandieri (Pineapple Broom)
Description:
Pineapple Broom is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree known for its exotic, pineapple-scented yellow flower spikes that bloom in early to mid-summer. The silver-grey, softly hairy foliage adds a Mediterranean feel to the garden.
Gardening Tips:
- Position: Sunny, warm, and sheltered spot – prefers a south or west-facing wall.
- Soil: Well-drained, sandy or loamy soil.
- Pruning: Prune lightly after flowering to shape; avoid heavy pruning into old wood.
- Use: Perfect for a hot, dry garden or as a fragrant specimen shrub.
3. Painted Kiwi Fruit (Actinidia kolomikta)
Description:
Known for its ornamental foliage rather than fruit, Painted Kiwi has striking variegated leaves that are green with splashes of white and pink, especially vivid on male plants. It’s a deciduous climber, adding dramatic foliage to walls and trellises.
Gardening Tips:
- Position: Partial shade to full sun; colour develops best in light shade.
- Soil: Moist but well-drained soil.
- Pruning: Prune in late winter or early spring to control size and shape.
- Support: Provide a sturdy trellis or wire framework for climbing.
4. Ceanothus (California Lilac – currently in full flower through May)
Description:
Ceanothus is a genus of evergreen or deciduous shrubs, with vibrant blue or purple flower clusters in spring or early summer. Evergreen varieties, like Ceanothus ‘Concha’ or ‘Yankee Point’, are particularly attractive and make excellent hedges or wall plants.
Gardening Tips:
- Position: Full sun and sheltered from cold winds.
- Soil: Prefers well-drained soil; dislikes waterlogging.
- Pruning: Light pruning after flowering; avoid cutting into old wood.
- Use: Superb for pollinators, good wall shrub or informal hedge.
5. Clematis armandii (Evergreen Clematis)
Description:
This evergreen climber produces a profusion of creamy white, almond-scented flowers in early spring. The glossy green foliage remains attractive all year, making it excellent for covering fences or walls.
Gardening Tips:
- Position: Full sun to partial shade; needs its roots in the shade and top growth in the sun.
- Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil.
- Pruning: Light prune after flowering to shape; avoid hard pruning.
- Support: Strong trellis, pergola, or wall wires for climbing.
- Feeding: Mulch annually with compost or well-rotted manure in spring.
Ask your GardenAdvice expert for recommendations tailored to your garden.
Wrap-Up:
Enjoy the milder weather this week – perfect for sowing, planting, and planning!
