Seize spring

Rush out and seize spring, worship your garden while its pristine, while there is no sign of viburnum leaf beetle damage, miners, borers and Colorado potato beetles.

Every garden is an award winner right now, a photograph worth framing, a Walt Whitman poem.

It's all to do with the quality of the light and the minty green of new spring growth.

Take boxwood, the growth is soft and succulent in spring, the colour sings. A frame of boxwood makes any plant look aristocratic. I loved a combination I saw recently of a mass of leopard's bane (doronicum) against boxwood planted in a classic knot design.

The leopard's bane is a choice plant for spring. The flowers are simple, clear yellow daisies - refreshing to see so early in the year. Interplant it with spring bulbs in rich soil with good moisture. It will go on siesta during the summer, so make sure you have other perennials nearby that move in to fill the gap.

The boxwood of course, will soldier on, providing the foundation for other stunning plants. Roses planted in a square of boxwood look dreamy, and boxwood makes a classic edging for a herb garden.

Visit a nursery and you will find a broad selection of boxwoods. Some of the best for cold climates (Zones 5-9) were developed at Sheridan Nurseries (www.sheridannurseries.com). 'Green Gem', 'Green Mountain', 'Green Mound' and 'Green Velvet' are all Sheridan introductions, and have performed well in gardens since the 1970's.

Read the tag carefully when buying boxwood, some are more dwarf then others, some are mounding, some more spreading, and others will take on a bronze cast in the winter.

Plant boxwood where the roots can be left undisturbed, a layer of mulch will help retain moisture. This plant has been in use for hedges and topiary since 4000 B.C., proof of its usefulness and adaptability. It is insect and disease resistant, and grows well in average soil.

There are some considerations to be mindful of when planting boxwood. It can suffer from winterburn, and damage from freeze and thaw cycles, so a location that offers shelter from winter wind and sun is helpful. The hardy selection called 'Wintergreen' might be prudent in exposed locations. A newly planted boxwood should be kept well watered, until a healthy root system can develop.

After a tiresome winter, boxwood can show signs of damage, tips may die and sometimes whole branches die, first they turn pale, and then crispy. Fraser Hancock, Plant Propagator at Sheridan Nurseries, says the remedy is simple, prune back to healthy wood. "Boxwood will break (force new growth) from old wood, so it is necessary to get rid of the dead wood, cut it out with secateurs," he says.

The gap that is left might be scary to some, but it means rejuvenation will follow according to Hancock, "Nature hates a void, the boxwood will grow in to fill the gap, if you leave the deadwood, new growth won't fill in."

Another reason boxwood is so adored is that it does not require the constant trimming of some other fast growing shrubs. But if you feel soulful about your boxwood, trim it by hand with well-sharpened hedge clippers. Electric ones are faster, but experts say the blades tear the leaves rather than cut, and it takes longer for the leaves to recover.

So become one with your boxwood, water, mulch, trim artfully and enjoy the classic form of an ancient plant.