Plant Monty Don says to plant now

Monty Don is telling gardeners to sow sweet peas now, saying the second week of April is close to the cutoff for worthwhile summer flowers. (express.co.uk) In comments reported from the *Gardeners’ World* podcast, Don said late sowing is “almost not worth it” after this point in April. The plant he singled out was sweet pea, a climbing annual grown for scented cut flowers. (express.co.uk) The Express report said sweet peas can be started indoors in trays in cooler areas, can flower from June, and usually continue through August. Don also said he sows in two or three batches rather than all at once. (express.co.uk) He said the plants need rich, moisture-retentive soil, a support frame for climbing stems, and enough room in pots at the seedling stage, with no more than three seeds in a three-inch pot. (express.co.uk) The timing lands in the middle of a wider April push toward selective spring jobs rather than blanket tidying. The Royal Horticultural Society says a biodiverse lawn should be cut only once every two weeks in April so dandelions, clover, daisies and self-heal can flower for pollinators. (rhs.org.uk) The Royal Horticultural Society also says gardeners can leave part of a lawn long through spring and summer, or cut a strip or path through it to keep the look intentional. For bulbs in grass, it advises waiting at least six weeks after flowering before mowing. (rhs.org.uk) Plantlife, the conservation charity behind No Mow May, says April lawns may already contain primrose, cowslip, lady’s-smock, lesser celandine or violets. Its guidance says gardeners with those spring flowers may want to avoid mowing in April, while shorter lawns without them may still benefit from an early spring cut. (plantlife.org.uk) Plantlife says more than 23 million gardens in the United Kingdom add up to a significant area for wildlife if they are managed differently. BBC *Gardeners’ World* Magazine, summarizing the campaign, said the charity launched No Mow May in 2019 after 97% of British wildflower meadows had been lost since the 1930s. (plantlife.org.uk) (gardenersworld.com) The practical message for April is narrower than “do less.” Don is urging gardeners to get sweet peas in before the month moves on, while lawn groups are urging them to leave at least some grass alone long enough for flowers and insects to appear. (express.co.uk) (rhs.org.uk)