This month, like March, is a pivotal month for refocusing, this time on winter. The more effort extended now should equal less work later. The idea of autumn planting is to beat the major winter rains so that roots establish over winter while benefiting from soil still warm.

Now is also the time to clear out all the old summer annuals and vegetables, tidy up perennials, and to prune, transplant, divide and mulch.

Another month to relax and enjoy your garden, although there are some projects the keen gardener can undertake.  As in July, the crucial task is providing sufficient water to plants. The neediest plants are lawns (but not Bermuda or zoysia), vegetables, some annuals and some perennial shade flowers. Many plants in containers are likely to need water daily.

June is the ideal month to simply enjoy your garden as most of the spring planting should have already been done but the hottest days yet to arrive.  With so much in bloom, there should be plenty of colour now but if not you can head for your local garden centre for a quick remedy

May is the time to finalise all the spring planting, as the increased heat boosts all plants to really take off. 

From now until November one key to success is to water deeply but appropriately for each plant.

Whether it is fashion or phones we like to stay up with the latest trends and in the world of gardening it is no different!

Of course, the Algarve boasts colour year round, but April has the strongest punch of colour of any month. March was the first spring planting month, but if you did not get it all done, there is time to catch up in April. April can bring heavy rain interspersed with warm sunny days, speeding growth. Pests also benefit from the increased warmth, so one should pay attention to early control to avoid wreaking infestation later.

This full garden makeover is one of our firm favourites, consisting of the driveway, terraces, lawn, outdoor living spaces and even a putting green!

Flowers are a common luxury that most of us indulge in. A single rose can make our day bright. A garden-full of different blooms, however, will feel like heaven. Flowers are nature’s gift to us, and it is proper that we return the favour by taking care of them.