Helen's monthly choice - February
Written by: Helen Derrin, Crocus plant doctor
Last updated January 2025
Although February can often be the coldest month of the year, you should still be able to see a few signs of the coming spring. Snowdrops and crocus will be breaking through the frosty ground adding pockets of colour, and the buds should be starting to swell on many trees and shrubs.
Begin the month by taking a good hard look at the garden to see if there is anything that might have outgrown its allotted space, or simply doesn't ‘work' where it is anymore. If it's not too big, move it to a new home now while it's still dormant. On sunny days dust off the secateurs and get stuck in out there. All the perennials and ornamental grasses that were left unpruned to provide winter interest should now get a short back and sides. Some of them may even be lifted and divided into smaller clumps. It always looks a bit drastic initially, but it means you will be able to get a clearer view of the spring-flowering bulbs when they appear. If it's mild towards the end of the month you could also get a head start on the roses and Clematis that need cutting back too. As soon as that's done, the beds can get a generous cover of mulch from the compost heap and then they will be ready for all the lovely new growth to start.
