LANDSCAPING : A descending Waning Gibbous moon with nearly 79% illumination — the energy is settling into the plant’s structure rather than racing upward, which makes this a genuinely productive flower day. Set out hardy annual seedlings raised under cover: larkspur (‘Giant Imperial’), nigella (‘Miss Jekyll’), and calendula (‘Indian Prince’) can go into prepared beds now, spaced 20–25 cm apart in well-loosened soil / Sow sweet peas (‘Matucana’, ‘Cupani’) directly in a sunny border at 2 cm depth, 15 cm apart — their fragrance alone is worth the effort, and a pre-soak of 6 hours in tepid water speeds germination noticeably / Divide established clumps of pulmonaria and hellebore (‘Double Ellen White’) after flowering; replant divisions 30 cm apart and water in with 1 litre per plant to settle the roots / In Mediterranean or mild coastal gardens, plant out osteospermum and diascia plugs now; in heavier clay soils, hold back another week and work in coarse grit at 1 bucket per m² to improve drainage before planting.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Check on seedlings started over recent days — good ventilation now prevents damping-off, which can wipe out a whole tray overnight. Sow climbing French beans (‘Cobra’, ‘Blauhilde’) in 9 cm pots under cover at 3 cm depth, one seed per pot, keeping compost at 18°C; they’ll be ready to harden off in 4–5 weeks / Direct-sow annual herbs with edible flowers: borage and nasturtium (‘Alaska’, ‘Empress of India’) in drills 1 cm deep, rows 30 cm apart — both attract beneficial insects and the flowers go straight into salads / Transplant leek seedlings (‘Musselburgh’, ‘Bleu de Solaise’) started in January into module trays if they’ve reached pencil thickness; drop each into a 15 cm dibber hole, water in without backfilling — the soil settles naturally and blanches the stem / Under glass, pot on sweet pepper (‘Gypsy’, ‘Lipstick’) seedlings into 9 cm pots using peat-free compost enriched with a quarter-strength liquid feed; consistent warmth above 16°C is key for strong early growth.