In The Flower Garden This May

May is when the flower garden really hits its stride—fresh growth, longer days, and the first big wave of colour. A bit of timely care now makes a huge difference to how everything performs through summer.

🌸 Plant out with a bit of caution

You can start planting tender bedding plants (like petunias, begonias, and cosmos) outdoors. But don’t get caught out—late frosts are still possible. Keep horticultural fleece handy for chilly nights.

🌱 Sow hardy annuals directly

Now’s perfect for sowing straight into borders for an easy, natural look. Good options include cornflowers, calendula, nigella, and larkspur. Sow in small batches for a longer flowering season.

🌿 Feed and mulch borders

Plants are growing fast, so give them a boost:

• Apply a balanced fertiliser
• Mulch with compost or well-rotted manure

This helps retain moisture, improves soil, and suppresses weeds.

🌷 Care for fading spring bulbs

Deadhead tulips and daffodils as they fade, but leave the foliage until it yellows naturally. That’s how bulbs store energy for next year’s flowers.

🌹 Keep on top of roses

Roses are putting on strong growth now:

• Feed with a rose fertiliser
• Mulch around the base
• Watch for aphids and black spot

Early care leads to better blooms.

🪴 Support tall growers early

Plants like delphiniums, lupins, and peonies grow quickly and can flop. Put supports in now while they’re still manageable—it looks more natural and prevents damage.

🐝 Plant for pollinators

Add nectar-rich plants such as lavender, foxgloves, and alliums. You’ll attract bees and butterflies, which helps the whole garden thrive.

✂️ Prune spring-flowering shrubs

Once shrubs like forsythia or flowering currant finish blooming, prune them back. This keeps them tidy and encourages strong growth for next year’s flowers.

🌼 Weed little and often

Weeds grow just as fast as your flowers in May. Frequent light weeding saves you from bigger jobs later.

💧 Water young plants well

Newly planted flowers need consistent moisture. Water deeply at the base, ideally in the morning or evening.

🌺 Harden off indoor-grown plants

If you’ve grown plants indoors or in a greenhouse, gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7–10 days before planting out.