May is one of my favourite times in the garden. The days are longer, the weather is improving, and you really start to see everything coming to life. It’s a great month to get stuck in. A few simple jobs now will set you up for the weeks ahead, and honestly, it’s easier than you think to make a big difference.
- Paraic Horkan.

Gardening Jobs for May

1. One thing I always say this time of year is to stay on top of your watering If you can, water in the evening when it’s a bit cooler, and always aim for the base of the plant rather than the leaves. You’ll get much better results that way. Adding a liquid feed into your routine now will also help keep everything strong and flowering for longer.
2. Have a look at your beds and borders as well. A quick run through with a hoe will keep weeds under control before they take hold. If you want to go a step further, adding bark mulch will help hold moisture in the soil and reduce weeds coming back.
3. Don’t forget about your houseplants either. They’re coming into their main growing season now, so give them a weekly feed, repot anything that’s outgrown its pot, and keep the leaves clean.
4. For shrubs and established plants, this is a good time to apply a slow-release feed to keep them growing well over the summer months.

Plants of May

This is the time of year to really bring colour and life into your garden. We’ve a great range of plants in store at the moment, whether you’re working on beds, containers or just freshening things up a bit.

You’ll find:

1. Perennials like Alstroemeria, Lupin and Delphiniums, which are brilliant for long-lasting colour in beds and borders year after year.

2. Calibrachoa are always a favourite as well, especially for pots and containers. They give you that instant burst of colour and are very easy to look after.

3. Hydrangeas are another standout this month. Varieties like Runaway Bride and Annabelle really make an impact, whether you’ve them in the ground or in a nice container.

4. If you’ve walls or fences to cover, climbing plants like Clematis, Honeysuckle, Wisteria and Rambling Roses are well worth a look. They add height and structure and are great for attracting pollinators too.

5. For quick colour, Begonias and ready-made hanging baskets are hard to beat. They’re ideal if you want something that looks good straight away without too much effort.

6. And Paniculata Hydrangeas are a great option if you’re looking for a real feature plant in the garden.

All of these are available in store, with selected offers running throughout the month.

With World Bee Day in May, it’s a good time to think about helping out the bees. You don’t need to do anything too complicated. A mix of flowering plants, a few climbers or even a couple of hanging baskets can make a difference. Plants like Honeysuckle, Clematis and flowering Hydrangeas are all great choices. Not only do they look well, but they’ll also bring a bit more life into your garden.

Lawn Care

A good lawn really pulls everything together in the garden. Now is the time to give it a feed and keep it looking its best. A product like Zero Lawn Feed will help green your lawn and keep it fed for up to three months. Regular mowing and feeding will make a big difference over the coming weeks.

Outdoor Living

This is the time of year when the garden becomes part of the home again. Whether it’s adding a bit of furniture, setting up a barbecue or just enjoying the space, it’s worth putting a bit of time into making it somewhere you want to spend time. We’ve a full range of plants, furniture and outdoor living options available in store.

Drop In and See Us

There’s plenty happening across all our garden centres this month, with fresh stock arriving all the time. If you’re not sure where to start or just need a bit of advice, call in and we’ll point you in the right direction. Hope to see you in store soon.