It’s nearly spring
Garden Grooves
Good evening, Stirling, and welcome to another episode of Garden Grooves! I’m Mario, your host, bringing you a full hour of gardening chat, expert advice, and, of course, some great tunes to keep us going.
It’s nearly spring here in Scotland, and if you step outside, you can already feel it—the days are getting longer, the birds are singing louder, and before you know it, your garden will be bursting back into life. So, tonight, we’re covering everything you need to do to get your garden ready for the season ahead.
We’ll be talking about essential spring gardening tasks, the best plants to get in the ground now, and how to encourage wildlife into your outdoor space. Plus, we’ve got a special feature on the Scone Palace Show Garden Competition, an event that’s inspiring gardeners all over Scotland to get creative!
And, of course, I’ve got a fantastic playlist lined up for you tonight —so sit back, relax, get your cuppa and let’s get into it!
Music1 Lets get it started – Black Eyed Peas (7)
Music2 No Money – Galantis (10)
Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring
Alright, let’s get stuck in! Spring is just around the corner, and this is the perfect time to prep your garden for a season of growth. Here are my top tips for what you should be doing right now in February and March.
1. Clear and Tidy Up
• Remove dead leaves, weeds, and debris from beds and borders.
• Prune shrubs and trees before new growth starts—but avoid cutting anything that flowers in spring, like rhododendrons!
• Clean out greenhouses and sheds to make space for new plants and tools.
2. Improve Your Soil
• After a long, wet Scottish winter, your soil needs a boost. Add compost or well-rotted manure to enrich the beds.
• If your soil is heavy clay (common in Stirling), consider adding grit or sand to improve drainage.
3. Early Planting
• Hardy perennials like foxgloves and lupins can go in now.
• Start sowing seeds indoors—tomatoes, chillies, and sweet peas do well with an early start.
It’s all about getting the foundations right before the real growing season kicks off! Coming up next, we’ll talk about the best plants to grow in Scotland’s climate this spring, but first, let’s take a quick musical break.
Music3 Wellerman Sea Shanty – Nathan Evans (13)
Music4 This Girl – Kungs, Cooking on 3 burners (12)
Best Plants for a Scottish Spring
Welcome back to Garden Grooves! Now, let’s talk plants. What should you be growing this spring to get the most out of your garden? Well, living in Scotland, we need plants that can handle a bit of unpredictability. Here are some of my top picks.
1. Spring-Flowering Bulbs
• Daffodils, crocuses, and tulips – they’re already pushing through now, but if you planted them in autumn, you’re in for a treat.
• Snowdrops are a great naturaliser—plant them “in the green” now for flowers next winter!
2. Hardy Perennials
• Primroses & Violas: Perfect for adding early colour.
• Hellebores: Also known as the Christmas rose, they flower right through late winter.
3. Edible Plants to Start Now
• Rhubarb—once it’s in, it’ll keep coming back!
• Broad beans and early peas can be sown outside now in milder parts of Scotland.
After the break, we’re getting into landscaping—how to design a beautiful and functional garden space. But first, let’s have another couple of tunes!
Music5 Last Friday Night – Katy Perry (6)
Music6 Lil Boo Thang – Paul Russel (8)
Landscaping Ideas for Small & Large Gardens
Alright, let’s talk landscaping. Whether you’ve got a sprawling garden or a small city space, there are loads of ways to make it look fantastic while keeping it practical.
For Small Gardens & Urban Spaces
• Use vertical gardening—climbing plants like clematis or trellises with edible vines.
• Raised beds and containers are perfect for small spaces.
• Mirrors and light-coloured paving can make a space feel bigger.
For Larger Gardens
• Create “zones” – a seating area, a wildlife corner, and a productive veggie patch.
• Think about pathways and structure—curved edges can make a garden feel more natural.
After the break, we’ll be chatting about wildlife—how to encourage birds, bees, and other creatures into your garden. But for now, here’s your next music break!
Music7 Back on 74 – Jungle (2)
Music8 As it was – Harry Styles (1)
Encouraging Wildlife into Your Garden
No garden is complete without wildlife! Here are some easy ways to make your garden a haven for birds, bees, and more.
1. Plant for Pollinators
• Lavender, foxgloves, and buddleia are magnets for bees and butterflies.
• Avoid pesticides—let nature do the work!
2. Provide Food & Water
• Bird feeders with mixed seeds, suet, and mealworms will bring in a variety of species.
• A simple dish of water or a small pond can attract frogs, dragonflies, and even hedgehogs.
Speaking of gardens with wildlife, next up we’re diving into the Scone Palace Show Garden Competition! But first, here’s another couple of great tracks.
Music9 Stick Season – Noah Kahan (11)
Music10 Beautiful things – Benson Boone (3)
The Scone Palace Show Garden Competition
One of the biggest gardening events in Scotland is happening soon—the Scone Palace Show Garden Competition! Taking place at the Scottish Game Fair, this event challenges designers to create stunning gardens with different themes.
Some of the categories this year include ‘Wildlife-Friendly Gardens’ and ‘Edible Landscapes.’ It’s a brilliant place to get inspiration for your own garden, whether you love a formal design or a wilder, natural look.
If you fancy coming, check out the Scone palace garden fair website for all the details!
We’ve got one last segment coming up—your gardening questions! But first, here’s another music break.
Music11 Forget me – Lewis Capaldi (5)
Music12 Easy on me – Adele (4)
Listener Q&A
Before we wrap up, let’s go through some of your questions from our social media pages!
That’s all for this week! Thanks for tuning in to Garden Grooves—I’ll see you next Thursday at 7 PM for more gardening chat and great tunes. Have a fantastic week, and happy gardening!
Music13 Little bit of love – Tom Grennan