How best to give your garden a colour boost this spring
Nicholas Spargo, landscaper and invasive species consultant, shares tips on lawn care and choosing plants for the new season
Spring is all about blooms and blossoms. Any tips to ensure you have maximum colour now?
When you plant your new seedlings, remember that most flowering plants require sun or semi-sun for at least 4 to 6 hours a day. Very few plants flower in deep shade, so bear this in mind when planning your spring garden.
Early composting, mulching and adding slow-release fertiliser will boost overall colour.
What do you tell clients when it comes to choosing plants for the new season?
South Africa has such a rich biodiversity. If you choose indigenous plants, you will be rewarded with beautiful butterflies, birds and animals. This will make being outdoors even more enjoyable.Your top tips for responsible gardening?
Only water your garden between 6pm and 6am.
If you love growing your own vegetables, plant heirloom seeds that are non-GMO. Most nurseries now stock them.
Finally, keep up to date with invasive species regulations, which affect all property owners.
What do we need to do to our lawn at this time of year?
It depends on what lawn varieties you have.
Sun-loving lawns often build up a thatch content which can be rectified by scarification. Once the thatch has been removed, lawn dressing and fertiliser should be applied.
For lawns that are mostly in shade, apply an organic slow-release fertiliser...
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