April is the busiest month in the London gardening calendar. The soil is finally warming up, the light is back, and there's a real window to get ahead before summer arrives. Whether you're working with a small North London terrace, a shaded courtyard, or a few well-chosen containers, here are 16 practical things to do in your garden this April.
Remember, we have everything you need for April gardening at Boma Garden Centre in Kentish Town, so come down and see what's in store!
16 Best April Gardening Tips & Garden Jobs To Do in April
1: Clear weeds & mulch
Get your beds ready for the season by clearing weeds now, before they establish. Follow up with a layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost to improve drainage on London clay and help retain moisture through drier spells. It's one of the best returns on an hour's work you'll get all year.
2: Fertilise shrubs and trees
Spring-flowering shrubs and newly planted fruit trees benefit from a slow-release fertiliser or plant food now. Roses in particular respond well as they push into new growth — Top Rose & Shrub Feed covers nitrogen, phosphate, iron and magnesium, helping prevent the leaf discolouration you often see on city soils.
3: Aerate and feed lawns
Aerate compacted lawn areas with a fork or aerator, then apply a high-nitrogen feed. Bare patches can be overseeded now too. Miracle-Gro EverGreen Complete 4-in-1 feeds the grass while tackling weeds and moss — worth doing before growth really takes off.
4: Lift and divide ornamental grasses and perennials
Lift and divide clump-forming plants like miscanthus, daylilies and hostas. It rejuvenates tired plants, improves airflow, and gives you free divisions to fill gaps elsewhere in the garden. April is the ideal window — the plants are growing but not yet at full pace.
5: Support tall perennials early
Put supports in for delphiniums, asters and sanguisorba while they're still small enough to work around. Ties and twines or stem clips installed now will be invisible once the plants fill out — far easier than trying to rescue flopped stems in June.
6: Plant new perennials and shrubs
Spring is the prime planting window for perennials and shrubs — roots establish well in warm soil before summer heat arrives. If you're working with London clay, mix in compost at planting and water new arrivals regularly through any dry spells in April and May.
7: Prune penstemons
Once the risk of frost has passed, cut penstemons back to just above the lowest new shoots. If there's no growth on old stems, cut back to the base. This encourages bushy, free-flowering plants rather than woody, leggy ones.
8: Trim lavender
Give lavender a light trim to remove last year's spent flower stalks and tidy the shape. Don't cut into old wood — lavender won't regenerate from bare stems. Little and often is the rule.
9: Pinch out seedling tips
If you're growing fuchsias from cuttings or sweet peas from seed, pinch out the growing tips now to encourage bushy, branching plants. It feels counterintuitive but makes a real difference to flowering later in the season.
10: Deadhead spring bulbs
Remove spent flowers from daffodils and tulips but leave the foliage to die back naturally — don't tie it or cut it. The leaves are feeding the bulb for next year. Tidy it away only once it's yellowed and comes away easily.
11: Sow hardy annuals directly outside
April is a reliable time to direct sow hardy annuals like nigella, poppies and sweet peas directly into borders. These establish quickly sown in situ and need very little fuss. If you're short on border space, they work well in containers too.
12: Start tomatoes and tender crops on a windowsill
Sow tomato, courgette and pumpkin seeds indoors this month — a sunny windowsill is enough. They need warmth to germinate and won't be going outside until after the last frost, so getting them started now gives a useful head start.
13: Sow herbs in pots
April is a good time to get herbs going — chives, coriander, basil and parsley all do well sown now in pots on a kitchen windowsill or a sheltered outdoor spot. Herb plants are also available at Boma ready to go if you'd rather not wait for seeds.
14: Plant climbers
April is a great month to establish climbers — clematis, jasmine, wisteria and perennial sweet peas all benefit from an early start. In a small North London garden, climbers earn their space by adding height and coverage without taking up ground area.
15: Refresh containers and window boxes
Containers that have been sitting through winter often have tired, compacted compost. Tip them out, refresh with new compost and slow-release feed, and replant with spring and early summer plants. A quick job that makes a significant visual difference to a terrace or balcony.
16: Support April wildlife
April is when pollinators start appearing in numbers — bees, butterflies, hoverflies. A few targeted choices make your garden part of the wider urban ecosystem:
- Plant for pollinators — salvias, cosmos and alliums are particularly good for bees in city gardens
- Leave a wild corner — even a pot of clover or a patch of long grass supports ground beetles and other beneficial insects
- Add a bird feeder — urban gardens see real pressure on foraging birds; a feeder makes a meaningful difference
- Consider a small pond — even a half-barrel water feature supports a surprising range of wildlife in a small London garden
Digitalis Foxglove ‘Apricot Beauty’
Best Plants to Buy in April
Here’s what’s worth picking up at Boma this month:
- David Austin Roses — plant now for first flowers from late spring
- Bedding plants — snapdragons, geraniums and salvias for immediate colour
- Perennials — geums, hardy geraniums, cosmos and more for the border
- Shrubs — azaleas, rhododendrons, photinia and hydrangea are all good April choices
- Climbers — clematis, jasmine and wisteria
- Herb plants — ready-grown herbs for pots and kitchen gardens
- Ornamental grasses — carex, miscanthus and festuca for structure and movement
- Evergreen shrubs — for year-round structure in shaded London spots
Visit Boma in April
Everything on this list is available at Boma Garden Centre in Kentish Town. Our team can help you choose the right plants for your soil and space — whether you're working with a small shaded courtyard, a roof terrace, or a larger North London garden.
With a wide selection of outdoor plants, indoor plants, pots and planters, gardening accessories and more, we have everything you need for the season. Rather not do the heavy lifting yourself? Talk to us about our planting services — from sourcing and delivery through to getting everything in the ground properly.
Shop now for delivery to all London M25 postcodes
Gardening Tips April Popular Questions
What should I be doing in the garden in April?
Focus on clearing, feeding and planting. Clear weeds before they establish, feed shrubs and lawns, and use the warm soil to get new perennials, shrubs and climbers in the ground. It’s also the right time to start tender crops like tomatoes on a windowsill.
What is the best thing to plant in April?
Perennials, shrubs, David Austin Roses, hardy annuals and climbers all establish well planted in April. For instant colour, bedding plants and ready-grown herbs are worth picking up too.
What to sow outside in April in the UK?
Hardy annuals like nigella, poppies and sweet peas can all be direct sown outside in April. In a sheltered spot, herbs like chives and coriander will also do well sown directly into pots.
