The soil is warming and herbaceous plantings are moving. The buds are thrusting up through the soil, established clumps of Hosta are hedgehog like with the multitude of pointed buds springing into life.

This is the last opportunity to top dress borders with organic matter. Easily spread when the plantings are dormant, less so when leaf growth expands. Good practice dictates that perennial weeds should be removed prior to top dressing as survival being uppermost in the living plants psyche it will grow through a layer of loose organic matter and repopulate the border. This is where the mention of size 10 boots arises, the surefooted gardener will look and place their footprint on bare soil taking care to avoid damaging these buds which will show damage as they unfurl into less than perfect shoots.