AT Home with Sarah Beeny - May 2011 - (Page 242)

| OUTDOOR WONDERS| Spring garden Your garden will be starting to take shape now that the warmer weather has arrived – but be warned that, with it, comes an invasion of slugs and snails… and the occasional overnight frost The end of spring is a lovely month in the garden as new ﬂowers start emerging all the time. It’s important to keep on top of mowing (once a week at this time of year), weeding and hoeing, because once you’ve planted your seedlings of ﬂowers and vegetables, you’ll be adding regular watering to your list of garden tasks. May is the month to put in bedding plants and frost-tender vegetables, sow perennial seeds Deadhead and plant and train sweet peas, which make owers often to a delightfully scented cut ﬂower – perfect encourage new for bringing your garden into your home. If growth and feed you’ve got variegated shrubs or trees, pinch regularly for out any green shoots that appear and, for bigger blooms evergreen shrubs, it’s pruning time. If you grow that classic favourite, forsythia, it’s time to prune it now that the blooming time is over. You might also check whether you need to stake any perennials and biennials in danger of ﬂopping over when fully grown. When you deadhead tulips and daffodils, remove only the seed pods once the ﬂowers fade and fall. Leave foliage for at least six weeks after the plants have finished ﬂowering. Although they will start to look a bit scruffy, leaving on the foliage means energy can be returned to the bulb for next year’s ﬂowering. Finally, sew grass seed on any bald patch of lawn – and make sure you water it daily. Weather watch: Some say May is the end of spring, while for others, it’s the start of summer. Whatever your viewpoint, the days should definitely feel warmer and the evenings are getting longer. However, you still need to beware of late frosts. As the weather warms up, garden pests will start to thrive, so it’s vital to keep them at bay. ✱ 242 | MAY 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AT Home with Sarah Beeny - May 2011

Editor’s letter
A word from Sarah
Notebook
Spring sensation
Big-name bedrooms
Brilliant buys for your home
House talk
Home horrors
Areas on the up
Property perfectionist
Mortgage mania
Solicitor’s service
a penny for your thouGhts
Housing hotshot
Wise up
Flying the nest
Making the ideal become real
Boost your build
Feeling lofty
Garden plotting
When cracks appear
Window shopping
Stay toasty
Warm up
Success story
Top transformation
Greenovate your home
Eco boost
Organic ignition
Green queens
Solve those dilemmas
Splash of colour
Bed down in style
Lounge around
Kitchens and bathrooms
Bubble up
Shower power
Instant illumination
Floor wars
The carpet market
Tip-top tiles
Tools of the trade
Fresh air furnishings
Grill thrills
Picnic perfect
Green supreme
Diary date
Kerb appeal
Up top
Brick cladding
Groovy garages
Lodge life
Go your own way
Car booty
Clock ticker
Stockists
Coming soon
On the list
Listed lovelies

AT Home with Sarah Beeny - May 2011