Planning a spring garden tidy-up

Start with the spaces you need to use

Walk the accessible routes between the house, gate, storage and sitting areas. Note loose garden material and obstructions separately from broken surfaces or structural repairs. Clearing a path and repairing it are different jobs and need different decisions.

Choose the areas that matter first. If you only have time or budget for part of the garden, a prioritised list allows a useful visit without pretending everything will be completed. Describe the desired finish for each area rather than asking for a general transformation.

Review the beds before cutting back

Mark planting you want retained, including the locations of bulbs or plants that are not obvious at the time of the visit. Keep uncertain growth on a discussion list. A spring tidy is not blanket permission to cut every shrub or remove every stem.

Plant-specific timing matters. Identify the plant and consult suitable horticultural guidance before deciding on pruning or removal. If you are unsure, make identification a decision to resolve rather than allowing the tidy-up deadline to settle it.

Separate tidying from new planting

You may want an existing bed weeded, a container refreshed or a different planting arrangement. List these as separate tasks. Agree who chooses and supplies plants or other materials, and who will look after them following the visit. Do not assume new planting is included in a general maintenance quote.

For focused help with existing beds, see garden weeding and border upkeep. For a wider set of finite tasks, a one-off garden tidy may be the more suitable brief.

Treat the lawn as its own decision

Look at the present growth and ground conditions before scheduling the first cut. Do not add mowing to the job simply because it is spring. Our first-and-last-cut guide explains how to organise the seasonal change, while the wet-grass guide covers postponement.

If a gardener is returning after a break, provide an updated photograph and tell them about any new objects or changes to access. The garden may no longer match last year’s working arrangement.

Finish with a manageable routine

Before the tidy-up, decide where green waste is going and what material, if any, you intend to retain for a planned use. After the visit, record outstanding decisions and choose which tasks need repeating. The maintenance checklist provides a simple structure.

For help in our south-east London coverage areas, contact PW Gardening Service with your postcode, photographs and priority list. Mention any deadline when enquiring so availability can be checked before you rely on a date.