Preparing Your Garden for Summer

May is an exciting month in the garden as spring fully takes hold and plants begin growing rapidly. Warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours encourage flowers to bloom, lawns to thicken, and vegetables to establish strong growth. It’s the ideal time to prepare your garden for the busy summer season ahead. Regular watering becomes increasingly important, particularly for newly planted flowers, shrubs, and vegetables. Adding mulch around plants can help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil health as temperatures continue to rise.

This is also the perfect month for planting summer bedding plants, hanging baskets, and tender vegetables once the risk of frost has passed. Gardeners can begin planting tomatoes, courgettes, beans, and peppers outdoors in sheltered spots. Borders may need tidying after spring flowering, and fast-growing plants often benefit from staking early to protect them from wind and heavy rain later in the season. Feeding plants with a balanced fertiliser during May will encourage healthy foliage, vibrant flowers, and strong root development.

Lawns usually begin growing vigorously in May, requiring more regular mowing to keep them looking neat and healthy. It’s also a good opportunity to repair bare patches and edge borders for a tidy appearance. Weeds can quickly spread during late spring, so regular hoeing and hand weeding will save time later in the summer. Garden pests such as slugs, aphids, and caterpillars also become more active at this time of year, making early control important to protect young plants and tender shoots.

May is one of the most enjoyable months for gardeners, with colourful blooms appearing everywhere and outdoor spaces becoming more inviting. Spending time on regular maintenance now helps create a healthy, vibrant garden that will continue to flourish throughout the summer months.