Some of the earliest plants to appear in our garden are the edible natives – Cleavers; Dandelion leaves & flowers; Hairy Bittercress; Sorrel are to name a few. They are all at their best when eaten at this time of year – young fresh shoots, chopped up as a Spring salad, the perfect tonic to cleanse our systems. If you haven’t enjoyed nettle soup before, it is a real treat. There are many recipes to follow, and its rich, peppery, earthy taste is matched with a long list of health benefits. Stinging nettles can also be used to make tea (good for allergies); a liquid fertiliser for the garden (leave in bucket of water for a month 1:10 ratio of nettles to water, before using again at 1:10 ratio in a watering can); and also a valuable food for butterflies and supporting over 40 different types of insect. Let’s praise the humble nettle patch!
A profusion of colour should be brightening up our garden at this time of year – the striking exotic heads of Fritillaria imperialis, the pendulous, feathery catkins of the hazel, and the cheerful wands of yellow flowers of the Forsythia. Now is a good time of year to divide overgrown clumps of perennials. Pop them out with a fork and then use 2 forks back to back to prise them into smaller pieces. Replant the smaller clumps in groups of 3 or so depending on the space you have and add some organic matter. Pot up the remainders and give to a neighbour. It’s the last chance to move any shrubs now, also to finish planting any bare-rooted plants and to cut back ornamental grasses before new growth starts.
Towards the end of this month the Spring equinox marks the point in the year when light and dark are in balance – 12 hours of each. A time for new ideas and fresh energy. Why not use this time of year to think how you can use your garden in a positive way to lessen the future impact of a changing climate?
Dartmoor Gardens 