Gardening at Home with Toby Buckland

With warmer weather on the way, we can finally say that spring is here. As we’re all going to be spending a lot more time at home in the coming weeks, we spoke to local gardener, TV presenter and author Toby Buckland to get some tips on setting up your garden for a wonderful spring.

If you’re just setting out with your garden and wondering where to start, Toby advises to simply spend some time in your garden, checking your current plants and working out locations with the best conditions to give your plants a good head start.

It’s essential we stay at home where possible and stay safe during these challenging times, but you can still re-vamp your garden by taking advantage of the plants you already have. Choose your favourite plants in your garden, cut just underneath the bud and divide across your garden – before you know it you’ll have bunches of your favourite flowers blooming in every corner!

If you don’t have many plants in your garden, research which local nurseries are safely carrying out home deliveries. You’ll have something new to add to your outdoor space as well as supporting a local business.

According to Toby, the world is now your oyster when it comes to planting this time of year. Brighten up your garden with beautiful sunflowers and have a go at growing as many vegetables as you can, to go straight on your plates. Growing hearty potatoes in pots and juicy tomatoes in bags is a great start – perfect for enjoying your delicious salads in your new garden!

Welcoming wildlife into our gardens can lift spirits. If you’re keen to attract more birds, find anything in your house that can hold water to create your own bird bath. To ensure the safety of your new guests, place your bath high up and in an open space so the cats can’t reach them. Whilst you’re tidying up your patches, don’t remove all the weeds from your garden as this can attract groups of smaller creatures. It’s ok to keep the dandelions that pop up in your outdoor space, just make sure you don’t let them go to seed.

Gardening can be very therapeutic, even more reason to get outside and get your hands dirty. Being outside in the fresh air, experiencing the scents and getting stuck in with the bacteria in the earth is naturally good for you – it does wonders for your mental and physical well-being.

Thanks to Toby for sharing his tips with us. For even more gardening tips and tricks, remember to catch Toby Buckland every Sunday morning on BBC Radio Devon between 10am – 2pm.

The Toby Buckland Garden Festival at Powderham Castle, which was due to take place in April, has been rescheduled for 17th & 18th July, 2020. Keep your eyes peeled for tickets, due to be on-sale soon!