RHS Spring Flower Show Cardiff 17 April to 19 April 2009

Now that spring has most definitely sprung, it’s time to get out and get gardening. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, every gardener can find inspiration, ideas and a wealth of advice to help makeover your garden at the RHS Show Cardiff (17-19 April 2009).

First time gardeners can get ideas for an easy, low maintenance fruit and veg garden from ‘Eats Shoots and Leaves – A Permaculture Garden in April’ designed by The Edible Landscaping Team. The garden will show how fast growing vegetables and perennial planting get quick results with minimum effort even in the smallest space. Beginner gardeners can also purchase everything they need to get started, with a huge variety of plants and tools, including easy to grow vegetables and herbs from Pennard Plants, and everything from secateurs to loppers from Darlac Ltd.

Guy Barter, Head of RHS Advisory Service says: “Taming a new garden can be a daunting task for a beginner gardener, but first timers shouldn’t be put off because a few simple things can make a huge difference. Cut back hedges, mow lawns, cut neat edges to beds and borders and plant quick-growing annuals and perennials to fill in gaps and you’ll be on your way to a beautiful summer garden.”

Experienced gardeners looking to give their garden a makeover this spring can also find inspiration at the show. ‘The Four Seasons Garden’, designed by Caerphilly County Borough Council, is a garden for relaxation. Features like running water, scented and textured plants and bright bold colours are used to create a garden for that stimulates all of the senses. And the floral marquees also host a wealth inspiration for established gardeners looking to freshen up their planting, including rare Trillium species from Chris Cooke, and a new Bougainvillea from Westdale Nurseries.

Guy Barter says: “There’s a lot happening in the garden in April so now’s the time to edit your beds and borders. Flowers like agapanthus and hostas can be lifted and split now, and it’s also a good time to refurbish your containers. You can replant the ones that are beyond hope and others can be repotted to greatly prolong their life, especially shrubs such as camellias which should be repotted after flowering. If you don’t want to put them in bigger pots just replace a third of the soil and roots and return them to the same pot.”

The show is packed with expert advice covering every gardening question and query. Visitors can pick the brains of the RHS Advisory team, who are on hand to help with any gardening problem; and over 50 nurserymen and growers, who know every trick in the book about nurturing the perfect bloom, can give advice to any keen gardener. There will also be a programme of talks and demonstrations to guide visitors through a range of subjects from growing vegetables, and lawn care, to gardening with children.