LANDSCAPING : The waning crescent casts a gentle, introspective light — a fine moment to focus on flowering ornamentals that reward careful attention now. Plant out pot-grown wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri) and sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus) into prepared borders, setting them 25–30 cm apart and firming soil well around the rootball to eliminate air pockets / Deadhead spring pansies (Viola × wittrockiana) and violas by pinching stems back to the first healthy leaf node — this redirects energy into fresh bud production rather than seed set, extending the display by several weeks / Stake young delphiniums and lupins (Lupinus ‘Gallery’ series, Lupinus ‘Russell’ hybrids) with canes at 60–80 cm before stems arch under their own weight; tie loosely with soft twine in a figure-of-eight to allow a little natural movement / In Mediterranean or sheltered gardens, this is a good window to set out young gazanias (Gazania rigens) and osteospermum — plant in full sun, 20 cm apart, in free-draining soil.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Run your fingers across freshly raked soil — a flower day with the ascending moon draws vitality upward, making this a rewarding session for edible flowers and aromatic companions. Transplant nasturtium seedlings (Tropaeolum majus) raised under cover into the kitchen garden at 30 cm spacing; their flowers are edible, their roots repel whitefly, and they establish swiftly in spring warmth / Sow borage (Borago officinalis) directly in place, 1 cm deep, thinning later to 30 cm — the vivid blue flowers attract pollinators and the young leaves add a cucumber freshness to salads / Direct-sow pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) along vegetable bed edges at 2 cm depth, 20 cm apart; petals deter aphids and double as a garnish / Set out sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) transplants only if night temperatures stay reliably above 10 °C — if in doubt, keep under a cloche for another week.
INDOORS : Check on trays of sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Cupani’, ‘Spencer’ types) and cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sensation’, ‘Purity’) started under glass — pinch out the leading shoot of each sweet pea plant once two pairs of leaves have formed to encourage bushy side growth and a stronger flowering framework / Pot on young pelargoniums (Pelargonium zonale, Pelargonium × hortorum) into 12 cm pots using a free-draining loam-based compost; water in with a half-strength balanced liquid feed (e.g. 5:5:5 NPK at 1 g per litre) to settle roots without forcing soft, vulnerable growth / Sow French marigolds (Tagetes patula ‘Naughty Marietta’, ‘Striped Marvel’) in module trays, 0.5 cm deep, at 20–22 °C — germination takes 5–7 days and seedlings will be ready to harden off in three weeks.