Spring has finally sprung, which means it’s time to dig out your gardening gloves, dust off those pruners and make your way to a nursery for some fresh flowers. You don’t have to be an expert to prep your garden for warm weather and turn it into a beautiful retreat. And nothing beats relaxing in the sun, enjoying the fruits (blooms?) of your labor.
To get the dirt on how exactly to transform a garden for spring, we consulted with four experts, including a landscape designer and the executive director of the National Garden Bureau. Anyone can try their tips, whether you have a palatial property or a yard the size of a postage stamp. Take it from me: Though I’m a longtime home and garden editor, I haven’t always had the greenest of thumbs (please don’t ask about the Great Veggie Garden Disaster of 2021). But I can definitely throw some mulch on my flower beds and hang a cute new hummingbird feeder! More sage advice right this way …
How to transform your garden for spring
1. Clean up — just a little
Of course it depends what kind of plants you have — and your tolerance for mess. But in general, you should pick up winter debris, such as fallen branches, and prune dead material from shrubs, so long as they don’t bloom on old wood, like certain hydrangeas, says Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau. You can also use a rake to clean up some of the fallen leaves (but most pros agree it’s fine to ignore them and let them decompose! “Dead foliage actually acts as a really good mulch to protect the soil,” points out Linda Ly of the gardening blog Garden Betty).
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Blazek likes to break out the power washer and clean her siding, sidewalk and driveway. “It creates this beautiful contrast between the clean concrete and your garden,” she says.
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“Anything by Felco is great,” says Laura Janney, a professional gardener and gardening teacher based in New Jersey. Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer and trend spotter for the plant company Monrovia, agrees: “We use Felco pruners here at the Monrovia nursery. They really last.”
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Pardon the pun, but a good pair of gloves will come in handy, no matter what task you’re tackling. And all our experts agree that in general, there’s no need to spend more than $10 on a pair. Blazek, for example, likes these $7 grippy gloves from Mud, which have a textured palm that makes them ideal for weeding and gathering debris.
(That said, if you’re feeling fancy — or looking for a nice gift for the gardener in your life — Janney likes the British brand Burgon & Ball, which sells gloves with some very pretty patterns.)
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A Yahoo reader favorite, this tool comes in handy for trimming larger branches and carving shrubs into shape. Between this, the pruner mentioned above and a lopper, you should have every cutting need covered in the garden.
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One of Amazon’s top-selling rakes, this pick has an 18-inch-wide head so you can cover more ground — literally — in one go. Once you’re done using it on leaves, you can spread mulch with it, says Blazek (more on that below!).
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Intimidated by power washers? Consider a handheld model like this, which gets its pressure from a 21-volt battery, so it’s cordless. At only 4 pounds, it’s easy to carry, and the rubberized handle helps you get a good grip. Choose from six spray patterns, including a “shower” option gentle enough for many pots and even rugs.
2. Condition your soil
Now’s a great time to make sure your soil is healthy, says Tamony. “Dig some amendment into your soil, so it’s more nutritious for planting. That way, when you go to the garden center and buy plants and get them planted, your chances of success will really improve.” One of her favorite products is E.B. Stone Soil Booster, which you can get at most local garden centers.
Another option? Ly says one of the easiest ways to amend your soil is to just add a couple inches of compost right on top. “You don’t have to dig it in or anything. It’s the most low-maintenance thing you can do.”
Ace Hardware
Before she adds any kind of amendment, Tamony breaks up and loosens the soil in her garden with this pick. “It’s a really handy thing to have,” she says.
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Espoma’s been in the gardening biz for nearly a century, and its organic fertilizers get great ratings. Peat moss, humus, limestone and crab and lobster meal provide nutrients for soil, helping flowers, trees and shrubs grow stronger roots. (Just keep in mind you’ll need about four bags for every 24 square feet of garden.)
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Ly recommends buying compost locally from a landscaping company. But if you’re looking for bagged soil quickly, she’s a fan of G&B Organics compost, which can be used for trees, shrubs, bulbs, fruits and vegetables.
3. Mulch it up
“Spreading mulch covers all a garden’s sins,” says Blazek. “It’s the perfect low-effort, high-impact way to make a garden look great and is an excellent spring thing to do because it saves you from having to clean up all of those fallen leaves. If you spread mulch over them, then it’s all going to decompose and it’s so much better for your soil. At the same time, it’s giving you a nice tidy look at the beginning of the season.” Use it around trees and flower beds to help the soil retain moisture and block weeds.
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Though it’s a bit more expensive, Janney advises getting organic, natural mulch. “It won’t break down as easy other kinds,” she says. She also warns against getting dyed mulch because the color can run off into your soil.
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If you don’t want to have to worry about hauling 20-pound — or heavier! — bags of mulch, compost and more around the yard, you’re going to need a wheelbarrow. Tamony likes this one: Two wheels make it easier to balance, and it has a lightweight frame that can hold up to 300 pounds.
4. Refresh flower bed borders
No need to do anything fancy: Just take a spade or an edger and go in and dig. “The landscapers do this to make a nice, defined edge,” says Janney, who says you can either cut a line into the earth or dig a little of the soil out to create a narrow trench.
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Just make sure to decide in advance if you want straight edges for your flower bed or curves. “It’s easier on the eyes if it’s curving,” says Blazek. “But it’s easier on the lawn-mowing person of the family if it’s straight. So, you might have that marital discord, but it’s all up to you!”
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You can use this heavy-duty spade for edging and digging. “I love a wooden handle,” says Janney. “Doesn’t melt in the sun (some of those soft comfortable handles do!)”
5. Have fun with annuals
“If you want to keep the color going, I always say invest a few hours every season in planting annuals,” says Janney. “A lot of people roll their eyes. They say they don’t want to plant them every year. They complain about the cost — but some annuals are probably cheaper than dinner! They’re how you get a garden from pretty to off-the-charts.”
For the biggest impact, buy more of fewer types of plants. It sounds like a brain teaser, but the idea is very straightforward: Instead of getting two violets, three pansies, two impatiens and a marigold, focus your plant picks on two or three flower types, each type the same color, and buy lots of them. “You’ll create a more cohesive, more stunning look,” says Tamony.
As far as where all those annuals should go? “I always try to put some in the front of a border, but I like mixing them all through the garden,” says Janney. “They play nicely with perennials because they have shallow roots.” Just make sure to layer your plants’ heights, from the tallest in the back of your bed to the shortest in the front. “That way you can create this really nice depth,” says Ly.
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Weeding, breaking up soil, even helping to dig holes: This tool, a favorite of Blazek’s, does it all. The sharp blade cuts through any kind of soil, including clay, and it has an ergonomic handle made from recycled plastic.
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If you’re going to get down and dirty, you need to take care of your body. At Monrovia, everyone who works in the growing fields starts their day with a 10-minute warm-up stretching session, says Tamony. Another thing that helps? A knee pad you can toss on the ground to cushion your legs, she says.
Made by Fiskars, this pad is constructed from lightweight EVA foam that won’t absorb moisture.
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For all-purpose digging, you’ll want a trowel, and this traditional pick is the way to go, says Janney, who calls the handle”very comfortable.” Made from ash wood, it will get smoother with time. And the stainless steel head is rust- and corrosion-resistant.
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Plan on doing a lot of planting? Speed things up with an auger-type tool like this, which lets you dig about 2″-diameter holes while you stand. “They’re perfect for planting annuals or quart perennials — you can just put them right in the ground,” says Blazek.
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The uses for this wildly popular carryall know no limits! Janney says her team dons it around the garden for carrying their phones — and pruners. It’s just the right size for a few small pieces of gear, and unlike a tool belt, it easily transitions from work to play.
6. Supersize your pots
Instead of lots of little containers, which can look cluttered, says Blazek, go for a few large, statement-making pots. “When I think about taking a garden from plain to stunning, I think about scale. Larger containers with larger-scale, taller plants will make more of an impact,” she explains. Use them to punctuate different parts of your yard, like the beginning of a walkway, your front door or the edge of your patio. “I always say two containers by your front door changes everything,” adds Janney.
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Tamony loves planting containers with roses because many newer varieties are more compact and “bloom like crazy.” Other shrubs work well in pots, too: “Sometimes we get to the garden center and we look for small cheerful annuals, but there are a lot of shrubs that do well in a containers and they’re going to flower for longer,” she says. Make sure the plant tag says “long-blooming” or “blooms from spring to first frost,” she advises. That way you’ll get color all season.
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Janney likes the modern look of TierraVerde’s containers, which are made from recycled rubber, so they won’t break or crack — even in freezing temperatures. This one measures 15″ W x 28″ H, and the matte black finish will make colorful blooms pop. Because it’s lightweight, you can easily move it around.
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For a sleek planter, you can’t do much better than Crescent Garden. Blazek is a fan of the brand’s TruDrop self-watering collection, which has an easy-to-read water level indicator, so you always know when it’s time to fill ‘er up again. The company promises plants can go weeks without watering thanks to this system!
Lowe’s
They’re heavier than fiber cement, but wood barrel planters have a unique, rustic look that Ly appreciates. “They’re great for shrubs or any plant that takes up space,” she says. This one has a 13″ diameter and is made from weather-resistant acacia.
Perigold
“I’m a big believer in lightweight pots — you should be able to move them around. And they should be really simple,” says Janney. Anything from Campania International’s Lite line of fiberglass fits the bill, she adds.
She recommends sticking to planters with around a 15″ diameter (this one measures 13″ H x 11″ W x 14″ D). “No need to go wider,” she says.
7. Add lighting
And make it solar. “There are so many cool solar lights now. You don’t have to run electricity,” says Blazek, who suggests taking a look at the front of your house or around your patio when you have people visiting — where they congregate should be where the lights go. Tamony adds, “If you have any sort of stairs or pathway, you want lighting.”
Both pros also love the idea of uplighting a tree or other statement plant. “It’s beautiful but also really easy to do,” says Tamony.
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Modern and minimalistic, these solar lights give off a warm white glow, perfect for lining a pathway. Tamony is a fan because they’re so simple to install: They automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn, and the LED bulbs will never need to be replaced.
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Blazek’s pick lets you put a beloved tree, planter or even flag in the spotlight — without having to do much work at all. The light comes with a solar panel and mounting hardware, and it automatically turns on in the evening and off in the morning. You can adjust the brightness, handy if you have multiple flood lights and want to create a more subtle glow.
8. Decorate, decorate, decorate!
After all that hard work, you deserve a spot where you can relax and enjoy the final result. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, just a few Adirondack chairs and a tree stump. At her own home, Ly set up a lounge area right in the middle of her vegetable garden! “Having some kind of seat, even if it’s as simple as a log, is important and definitely adds to the decor,” she says. “Even if you don’t have room for full-sized outdoor patio furniture, you can incorporate something as simple as a stool.”
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To complete the scene, add a few accessories — just like you would for a room inside your house. Bird feeders, sculptures and throw pillows can give your garden so much personality. “A lot of times people don’t realize that having these non-organic objects is just what you need to fill up a space. It doesn’t always have to be a living thing,” says Janney. “Those details are what make it special.”
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More than anything, your garden should be a place to relax, and having hummingbirds visit your yard “is a great way to make it feel more like a garden of Eden,” says Tamony. “Plus they’re just so much fun to watch! We’re calling them ‘the glamour pollinator.'”
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One of the best ways to give your feathered friends a happy place to nest is to make sure you get a birdhouse with thick walls, holes for ventilation and a sloped roof that extends off the structure to keep out rain. This little shelter, recommended by Tamony, checks all those marks — plus it’s made from reclaimed wood and metal to give it a rustic, cottage-inspired look.
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Let’s be honest: Patio furniture isn’t exactly known for being comfortable. That’s where outdoor throw pillows come into play. These cute lumbars have a sophisticated floral pattern that would look so lovely against wood or metal chairs.
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“I’m always a fan of adding something for the wildlife,” says Ly, who likes these puddle jumpers for attracting butterflies and birds. Perched on thin stakes, they sway with the breeze — it doesn’t get more soothing!
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No space for a big outdoor dining table? No worries — this bistro set suggested by Janney can squeeze onto a tight patio and both the chairs and table fold flat when they’re not in use. Though they’re relatively petite, the chairs are far from flimsy: They come with thick seat pads and can hold up to 400 pounds each.
Ruggable
Tamony uses a Ruggable in her own yard, for good reason: All of the brand’s rugs are machine-washable, but their outdoor versions have a water-resistant barrier that helps them resist fading and mildew. “They have so many options that work well for the outdoors,” she says.
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They’re on the pricier side, but Polywood furniture is worth every penny, says Ly. “I’m in Bend, OR, where we have pretty hectic weather. We leave these chairs outside all year round, and they are awesome because they don’t chip, peel, fade, any of that.”
Bonus: Polywood is made from recycled plastics that would otherwise go to landfills.
