After a long cold winter, the early spring flowers are finally shooting up from the ground. Woodland walks are filled with snowdrops and crocuses. The daffodils are beginning to grow, and we can see their bright, shining yellow faces dancing in the spring breeze. The cold frosty mornings of winter will soon be a distant memory.

But as gardens begin to 'spring' back to life, things can start to look a bit untidy. 

Now is the perfect time to get out into the fresh air. Tackle those jobs in the garden ahead of the warmer weather. Work put in now will pay dividends later in the year as your flowers bloom for you to enjoy on those long summer afternoons in your garden.

Flowers: 

• Prune back roses.

• Cut back any dead foliage for ferns/firs and other evergreens.

• Tidy up borders, removing any newly germinating weeds, then mulch generously with compost.

• Dead-head the spring flowers as the season progresses, but leave any foliage to die off naturally.

Fruit & Veg:

• You can sow an early crop of carrots, but keep them under cloches or cover with fleece to keep them warm.

• Sow tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers and aubergines in pots and keep them indoors, either on a windowsill or in a greenhouse if you have one.

• Plant young herbs in containers and keep them near the back door or on the kitchen windowsill for easy picking!

• Plant early potatoes and parsnips (they are slow to germinate and need a longer growing season)

• Start hoeing the veg beds as soon as the weather warms up as weeds will germinate quickly.

• Plant strawberries in a hanging basket to keep the fruits away from slugs.

In the greenhouse: 

• Start off your fruit and veg crops indoors before they are transplanted to the garden later when the weather is warmer.

Garden maintenance: 

There can be lots of tidying up needed after the heavy rain and winter winds. 

• Prune any wind-damaged branches on trees and shrubs.

• Mow lawns as soon as the grass grows again and re-cut the edges.

• Start to collect your kitchen scraps for compost again.

• Replant pots of bulbs that were taken indoors for the winter.

To make the most of your garden this summer, the hard work happens in the spring. Spending a few hours on these tasks early in the year will help things grow strong and look beautiful through those lovely warm summer months.

You might like to grow your own veg - the smell of tomatoes in a greenhouse gently warmed and sweetened by the sun is so inviting.

Or perhaps you prefer to grow flowers and just love a garden filled with bright colours and insects buzzing in the sun.

You might never have tried gardening before, and your 'jobs' list is simply to tidy up the debris left over from winter. 

Why not get a few small pots and give it a go? You never know. You might just awaken your green thumb and be watching Gardeners' World before you know it! 

Time spent out in your garden is also excellent for your mental health and wellbeing. And if you are planning to sell your home this year, a lovely outside space will certainly bring those buyers in.

If you are thinking about selling your home, why not call one of our property experts today to discuss your options?