Your Complete Seasonal Garden Maintenance Guide
Spring Checklist (March – May)
Spring is the season of renewal in gardens across Berkshire, and the work you do now sets the tone for the entire year. As soil temperatures rise above 6°C — typically from mid-March in Slough and the Thames Valley — lawns begin to grow, perennials send up fresh shoots, and the garden transitions from its winter dormancy into active growth. Timely spring maintenance ensures your garden hits the ground running.
The spring maintenance programme we follow for our clients across Berkshire, Surrey and Greater London begins with a thorough garden clean-up. This includes raking leaves and debris from lawns and borders, removing any winter-damaged or dead plant material, cutting back ornamental grasses and late-flowering perennials left standing for winter interest, and clearing paths and patios of moss and algae. These tasks may seem basic, but they prevent disease, improve air circulation and give the garden an immediate lift.
Lawn care is a priority in spring. The first mow should be a light top at a high setting — typically 40mm — to avoid shocking the grass. This is followed by the first spring feed, applied once the grass is actively growing. If moss is present, a moss-killing treatment should be applied before or alongside the spring feed. April and May are also the time to carry out any lawn repairs — patching bare areas, overseeding thin spots, and re-edging borders for crisp definition.
In the borders, spring is the time to apply a generous mulch of composted bark or well-rotted compost. A 5–7cm layer suppresses weeds, retains moisture and slowly feeds the soil as it breaks down. We mulch after the soil has warmed up and after rain, so the moisture is locked in beneath the mulch layer. Spring is also the best time to divide and replant congested herbaceous perennials, giving them the full growing season to re-establish.
- Rake and clear all winter debris from lawns and borders
- First lawn mow at 40mm; apply spring feed and moss treatment
- Cut back ornamental grasses, dead perennial stems and winter-damaged growth
- Mulch all borders with 5–7cm composted bark or compost
- Divide congested perennials and replant
- Edge all lawn borders for crisp definition
- Clean paths and patios; check and repair fencing
Summer Care (June – August)
Summer is when your garden should be at its most impressive, and regular maintenance ensures it stays that way throughout the long days. Across Berkshire and the Home Counties, summer brings both the joy of abundant colour and the challenges of heat stress, drought, rapid weed growth and pest pressure. Our summer maintenance programme keeps on top of all these demands.
Mowing frequency peaks during summer — weekly or even twice weekly for formal lawns. We maintain our clients' lawns at the appropriate height for their grass type and use, adjusting the cutting height during hot, dry spells to reduce stress. Regular edging keeps borders looking defined, and we blow or sweep paths and patios after every visit to leave the entire garden presentable.
In the borders, deadheading spent flowers is the most impactful summer task. Removing faded blooms from roses, dahlias, geraniums, sweet peas and other repeat-flowering plants redirects the plant's energy into producing new flowers rather than setting seed. This simple act can extend the flowering season by weeks. We also stake tall perennials such as delphiniums and hollyhocks before they topple, tie in climbing plants, and monitor for aphids, slugs, blackspot and other common summer pests and diseases.
- Weekly or fortnightly mowing with crisp edging
- Deadhead all repeat-flowering plants regularly
- Stake tall perennials and tie in climbers
- Monitor and treat pests and diseases early
- Water containers, hanging baskets and newly planted areas
- Trim hedges (check for nesting birds first)
- Hoe or hand-weed borders to keep them clean
Autumn Preparation (September – November)
Autumn is arguably the most important season for garden maintenance in the Berkshire climate. The work carried out now determines how well your lawn, borders and structural elements survive winter and emerge in spring. It is also the ideal season for many improvement tasks — planting spring bulbs, renovating lawns, planting new trees and shrubs — because soil is still warm from summer and increasing rainfall helps establishment.
Leaf clearance is the most visible autumn task and one that should not be neglected. Fallen leaves left on lawns block light and trap moisture, causing yellow patches and encouraging fungal diseases. On borders, a light leaf cover is beneficial as a natural mulch, but excessive accumulation should be removed to prevent smothering. We collect leaves regularly throughout autumn and either compost them in your garden (if space allows) or remove them to a commercial composting facility.
Lawn renovation is best done in September and October. Our autumn lawn programme for clients across Slough, Berkshire and surrounding areas includes scarification to remove thatch, hollow-tine aeration to relieve compaction, overseeding thin areas with quality grass seed, and application of an autumn feed high in potassium to strengthen roots and improve cold tolerance. This intensive autumn treatment produces dramatic improvements by the following spring.
- Regular leaf clearance from lawns, borders, paths and drains
- Scarify, aerate, overseed and autumn-feed the lawn
- Plant spring-flowering bulbs (tulips, daffodils, crocus, alliums)
- Cut back spent herbaceous perennials (leave some for winter structure)
- Plant new trees, shrubs and hedging while soil is warm
- Apply final hedge trim before growth stops
- Clean and store garden furniture; drain and store hoses
Winter Protection (December – February)
Winter maintenance is often overlooked, but the tasks carried out during the dormant months are essential for protecting your garden investment and ensuring a strong start in spring. Across Berkshire, winters are generally mild but can bring sharp frosts, occasional snow and prolonged wet periods that test the resilience of both plants and hard landscaping.
Pruning is the primary winter task for most gardens. Deciduous trees and shrubs are best pruned while dormant and leafless, when the branch structure is clearly visible and the plant is not actively growing. Winter-flowering shrubs like mahonia and viburnum are pruned after they finish flowering. Fruit trees are pruned to maintain shape and improve next season's crop. We carry out all pruning to RHS best-practice standards, using clean, sharp tools and making cuts at the correct angle to promote healthy healing.
Protecting tender plants from frost is important in gardens across Berkshire and the surrounding counties. We wrap borderline-hardy specimens with horticultural fleece, move container plants to sheltered positions, and apply a thick mulch over the root zones of newly planted or vulnerable shrubs. Checking and maintaining garden structures — fences, trellises, raised beds, pergolas — is also a winter priority, as wind damage and moisture exposure are at their worst during this season.
- Prune deciduous trees and shrubs while dormant
- Protect tender plants with fleece, mulch or by moving to shelter
- Check and repair fences, trellises and garden structures
- Keep paths clear of leaves, moss and ice for safety
- Clean and oil garden tools; service the mower
- Plan next year's planting and improvements during the quieter months
Technology plays an increasingly important role in how we deliver seasonal maintenance across Berkshire and the surrounding counties. We use digital scheduling systems to ensure every client's garden receives its visits at the optimal time, weather-adjusted reminders to reschedule visits when conditions are unsuitable for certain tasks, and photographic records of each visit so you can see the work carried out even if you were not at home. These systems help us deliver a more consistent, accountable service than traditional pen-and-paper approaches.
For clients who travel frequently or own second homes in the area, our maintenance service provides essential peace of mind. We keep your garden in perfect condition whether you are there to enjoy it or not, alerting you to any issues that need attention — storm damage, pest outbreaks, irrigation failures, security concerns — and dealing with them promptly on your behalf. Many of our clients across Berkshire and Greater London rely on us as their eyes and ears in the garden while they are away, and we take that responsibility seriously.
We believe that a well-maintained garden is one of life's great pleasures, and our mission is to make that pleasure accessible to everyone — regardless of how much gardening knowledge, physical ability or free time you have available. Whether you simply need someone to keep the lawn mowed and the borders tidy, or you want a comprehensive programme that nurtures every plant, manages every seasonal transition and continuously improves your garden year on year, Dripstop Roofing has the expertise, the commitment and the passion to deliver exactly the level of care your garden deserves.
