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Paradise Park
Avis Road
Newhaven
East Sussex
BN9 0DH
T 01273 512123
F 01273 616000

January    February    March    April    May    June

July    August    September    October    November    December

February is often the coldest month with the worst weather.

• Flowers and bedding.
  Spring bulbs should be coming through now. If you have gaps buy pots of bulbs and either plant them or sink the pots in the bed. Alpines will also start to flower if the weather is good. Check any that you have placed under glass to protect them from damp. Sweet peas can be sown at the end of the month.

• Perennials
  Mulch beds after weeding. Check on overwintering Dahlias and Chrysanthemums. The first signs of Delphiniums, Lupins and others will start to show in a few weeks so make sure that they will be protected from slugs. Cut off any spotty Hellebore leaves.

• Shrubs and climbers.
  Prune Callicarpa, Campsis, Spiraea and Tamarisk hard back to within a few inches of the old wood. Prune Group 2 clematis - includes the large flowered Clematis such as Vyvyan Pennell, Josephine, Dr Ruppel, Elsa Spath, Lasurstern, Miss Bateman,Nelly Moser etc.They normally flower twice, the first time in early summer on last years growth, and the second time on the current seasons growth. They should be pruned in late winter to a framework of stems. If you overdo it you will lose the first flowering but get extra flowers in later summer.
  Prune Group Three- Includes Clematis viticella, tibetana, tanguitica, rehderiana, Bill Mackenzie, Comtesse de Bouchard, Ernest Markham, jackmanii, jackmanii superba, Ville de Lyon, Rouge Cardinal. They flower in late summer on this years growth. Wait till the dormant buds are about to burst into leaf, then cut the whole plant back to 30cm from the ground

• Trees and hedges
  Continue to check for weather damage

• Roses
  Plant roses if the soil is still workable.

• Lawn
  If the weather is mild and the lawn is dry then aerate, scarify and top dress. Use a moss killer if necessary but don't use fertiliser or weedkiller. It is ok to turf if the weather isn't cold.If the lawn or ground is wet then delay for a few weeks.

• Vegetables
  Buy seed potatoes for chitting. Don't try using cooking potatoes as they may not be suitable for our climate. Continue to sow shallots,peas and broad beans.

• Fruit
  Apply tar oil to dormant trees and bushes. Spray peaches and nectarines for peach leaf curl. Try and protect them from the rain. Prune autumn raspberries to the ground.

• Ponds
  Weed bog gardens, sow primulas in seed trays outside.

• Greenhouse
  Growth will start in overwintered plants which may need more water. Many seeds can be sown in the greenhouse in February including tomatoes, some bedding and perennial plants.

• Indoors
  Some houseplants will start into growth as the days lengthen. Be very careful not to overwater them.

  Shrubs and climbers for north and east facing walls

  Azara microphylla	Berberis x stenophylla	Camellia (North Wall only)	Chaenomoles	Choisya ternata
  Crinondendron hookerianum	Daphne odora	Desfontainea caespitosa	Drimys winteri	Eriobotrya japonica
  Eucryphia	Euonymous fortunei	Garrya elliptica	Akebia	Celastrus
  Hedera	Hydrangea petiolaris	Grevillea rosmarifolia	Jasminum nudiflorum	Kerria japonica
  Lomatia myricoides	Mahonia	Pyracantha	Parthenocissus