With the arrival of spring, it’s time to put on your gardening gloves and get your hands dirty. April is a fantastic month to start planting, but it is also the ideal time to focus on the structural bones of your garden. Whether you're an experienced gardener or a beginner, balancing seasonal planting with essential hardscaping maintenance is the secret to a beautiful, functional outdoor space. Here is the lowdown on April gardening jobs to ensure your garden is healthy and your patio is summer-ready. From sowing vegetables and pinching out flowers to refreshing your paving and borders, we cover it all…

Basic Gardening Jobs in April

April is the time to begin weed control, clear away the last of the winter debris and look towards the lawn, it's the perfect time to patch in or lay a whole new green carpet. Be careful when mowing this month, it's important to use a high cut as the earth is often still moist from the spring showers and it allows the grass to grow stronger for a more consistent lawn throughout the year.

Prepare your soil: With the warmer weather and longer days, April is a great time to prepare your soil for planting. This might include adding compost or other organic matter to improve soil fertility and structure, as well as digging in any overwintered cover crops or green manures.

Prune and divide: April is a good time to tackle any pruning or dividing tasks in your garden. This might include pruning back shrubs, cutting back perennials, or dividing clumps of bulbs or herbaceous plants. This can help to promote healthy growth and ensure that your plants stay vigorous and attractive throughout the growing season.

April Vegetables

Before planting vegetables like carrots, peas, winter cabbages, broccoli, and lettuce it's important to harden the seeds gently to acclimate them to the outdoor conditions. Wait until any hard frost has passed, then sow the seeds directly into the soil. Provide a consistent water supply to help the plants take root, and any lagging plants should regain strength within a few days

April is a great time to plant early potatoes, which can be grown in containers or bags. Sow seeds for beetroot, radishes, and spring onions, all of which can be harvested relatively quickly. If you have a greenhouse or protected growing area, you can also start sowing seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, which will need to be kept warm until they can be planted outside in late May or early June.

Another top April Gardening Tip is to grow salad vegetables, simply sow the seeds in 4 to 6-inch rows, water and harvest as required. For smaller gardens, it's ideal to sow salad seeds in pots or boxes by the back door, ideal for grabbing fresh produce straight to the table. April is also the beginning of the asparagus season.

It's important to keep a close eye on your plants during this time, as April weather can be unpredictable and plants may be vulnerable to late frosts. Keep them well-watered and be prepared to cover them with fleece or other protective material if necessary. With a bit of care and attention, you can have a thriving vegetable garden that will provide you with fresh and nutritious produce all summer long.

A hand holding a carrot just pulled from the ground.

April Flowers

Ever popular rambling and climbing roses need tying in, and tree ties across all garden plants should be checked over to ensure there are no abrasions to the trunk, leaving room for growth in new ties - one of the most important April Gardening Tips to note down.

It's important to deadhead tulips and beloved daffodils at the end of April, remembering to allow the foliage to die back naturally.

From the middle to the end of April is considered the best time to plant hardy annuals, while it's a good time to sow half-hardy flowers in window boxes and greenhouses. For gardeners with a love of hanging baskets, April is the time to plant up early and let rest in the greenhouse, ensuring an abundance of strong colour in the summer months.

April Herbs

There are many herbs that can be sown, grown, or propagated from cuttings during April. By starting these herbs in April, you can enjoy fresh, flavorful additions to your cooking throughout the growing season. Here are some of our favourites:

  1. Basil is a popular herb that can be grown from seed or propagated from cuttings. It prefers warm temperatures and plenty of light, so it's a good idea to start it indoors in April and then move it outside once the weather warms up.
  2. Chives are a hardy perennial herb that can be grown from seed or propagated by dividing clumps. They can be planted directly into the ground in April or started indoors and transplanted later.
  3. Parsley is another versatile herb that can be sown directly into the ground or started indoors. It prefers moist soil and partial shade, so be sure to keep it well-watered and protected from direct sun.
  4. Mint is a hardy perennial herb that can be grown from seed or propagated by taking cuttings. It's best grown in containers or in a separate area of the garden to prevent it from spreading too much.
  5. Thyme is a low-growing herb that can be started from seed or propagated by taking cuttings. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun, making it a good choice for rock gardens or herb beds.
array of terracotta pots with plants

April Fruit

April is the time to boost the feed for your fruit, ideally with long-prepared manure. Weed as normal and be vigilant of any pest issues such as aphids, scabs and suckers and red spider mites.

Strawberries can be planted in April either in the ground, in strawberry pots or in hanging baskets. Though the bare root season is over, potted fruit trees such as currants, figs and citrus can be planted anytime of the year.

Many top and soft fruiting plants, once they start to bud and flower can be especially vulnerable to frost. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and be prepared to cover budding fruit if needed. Use fleece for trees and bushes and cloches for strawberries.

Hardscaping jobs for April

While April is traditionally associated with planting and pruning, it is also the most critical window for structural garden maintenance. As the ground thaws and the days lengthen, it’s the perfect time to shift your focus from the soft elements of your garden to the hard features that provide its backbone. Tackling these hardscaping tasks now ensures that your outdoor living space is not only beautiful but structurally sound and ready for a full season of entertaining. From refreshing tired grout to defining new boundaries, here are the essential hardscaping projects to tackle this month.

Refresh Paving Joints and Pointing

While April is prime time for planting, it’s also the best month to inspect your patio for winter damage. Frost and ice can cause mortar to crack or pop.

  • The Project: Spend an afternoon raking out loose or crumbling mortar from your paving joints.
  • Why Now: Re-pointing in April, before the summer heat arrives, allows the new jointing compound to cure slowly and effectively.
  • Pro Tip: Use a brush-in jointing compound for a quick DIY fix, or consider a traditional lime-based mortar for period-style flagstones to maintain that authentic, breathable finish.

Design a New Patio

What better way to enjoy the long hot summer nights than on a new patio? Planning ahead in April can really pay off, with time to create a new design, remove the old flagstones and replace with the new patio of choice. Limestone Slabs, Indian Sandstone Slabs and Porcelain Tiles are both popular choices for garden paving in 2023.

Westminster Stone's best-selling range of hand made traditional flagstones, are perfect for period properties, listed buildings, barn conversion and kitchen gardens. Visit our Customer Gallery page to discover wonderful UK-based Garden Designers and inspiration for your next project.

Define Your Borders with Stone Edging

As your perennials begin to push through, the sprawl of a spring garden can quickly look messy. April is the ideal time to install permanent stone edging.

  • The Project: Lay a row of stone setts or Victorian-style path edging between your lawn and flower beds.
  • The Benefit: Not only does this provide a crisp, professional frame for your April blooms, but it also creates a practical mowing strip, preventing grass from encroaching on your borders and saving you hours of strimming later in the season.

Clean the Greenhouse

Properly cleaning a greenhouse in April allows the maximum light to enter and improves the conditions for all seeds, bulbs and plants. After the last of winter's remains are cleared from the greenhouse gutters (this is great for topping up the compost bin), an all-over exterior wash with warm water and sponge is recommended, washed down with fresh water from a watering can or low-pressure hose.

Pick a dry sunny day to clean the greenhouse interior, if possible removing all items, brushing down the shelves and window sills and depending on the flooring material either brushing, mopping or power washing. Take particular care to clean the windows and wipe them down to remove any residue.

white greenhouse with grey paving and plants either side

Build a Decorative Low Wall or Raised Bed

April’s soil is easier to work with than the baked earth of summer. Building a raised bed using walling stone is a fantastic way to add height to a flat garden.

  • The Project: Use dry-stack or mortared walling stone to create a dedicated herb bed or a focal point for spring shrubs.
  • Hardscaping Edge: Raised beds built with natural stone or high-quality stonecast walling retain heat better than timber, helping to warm the soil and give your young April seedlings a head start.

4. Upgrade Your Garden Pathways

With more foot traffic expected as you move back and forth to the greenhouse or vegetable patch, check the safety and stability of your paths.

  • The Project: If you have high-traffic areas that turn to mud in spring showers, consider laying stepping stones or a formal gravel path with a stone base.
  • Material Choice: For a secret garden feel, use irregular flagstone offcuts or stepping stones. They provide a stable, dry route through the garden without the need for a full-scale patio installation.

April Gardening Tips

Get Free Plants

One of the very best April Gardening Tips is to get plants for free by splitting and replanting perennials that have become woody or died back at the centre. It's wise to turn the earth over, and fertilise and water well to give your free plants the best possible start.

Pinch out Sweetpeas

If you sowed your sweet peas earlier in the year, April is usually the time they reach that leggy stage. To transform a spindly seedling into a bushy, vigorous plant with an abundance of flowers, you need to "pinch them out."

  • The Technique: Once your sweet pea plant has grown to about 10–15cm tall and has two or three pairs of true leaves, simply use your finger and thumb to nip off the top of the growing stem, just above the highest set of leaves.
  • Why It Works: Removing the central growing tip breaks the plant's apical dominance. This signals the plant to divert its energy into the side buds, creating a much bushier plant with more flowering stems.
  • The Result: While it feels counterintuitive to cut back a healthy plant, it prevents it from becoming one long, weak vine. Instead, you’ll be rewarded with a sturdier plant that can better withstand the wind and produce a far greater volume of fragrant blooms for your vases in June.

Top Tip: If you missed the window to sow seeds, April is the perfect time to buy plug plants from the garden centre. Often, these haven't been pinched out yet, so give them the same treatment before you plant them out in their final sunny spot.

Making the Most of April

April is the true turning point for any garden. By balancing your time between the seasonal needs of your plants and the structural integrity of your hardscaping, you set the stage for a summer of effortless enjoyment. Whether you’re pinching out your sweet peas for a fragrant floral display or laying the groundwork for a new stone terrace, the effort you put in now will pay dividends when the warm weather finally arrives.

Your garden is more than just a collection of plants; it is an extension of your home. By giving your garden paving, garden paths, and borders as much attention as your seedlings, you ensure that your outdoor space remains a beautiful, functional sanctuary all year round.

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About the Author

Sian McHugh

'Sian has been working with us at Westminster Stone for over 7 years and has developed expertise in garden design and landscaping. Her passion for nature extends to tending her own garden, teaching yoga and hiking during her free time.'