WITH the longer evenings, warmer days and everything starting to grow, it's time to prepare your garden in time for Easter.

Lawns should be having their new years trim, and if your lawnmower is sounding a little chancy, why not leave it in to the local dealer and have it serviced. There's nothing worse than ever increasing grass size on the family lawn, due to the mower being out of action.

Brush the paths, clear the patio of leaves and dirt, and have it looking spic and span for an evening barbecue. With the frost nearly gone for good, there's nothing to stop you enjoying a family barbecue to celebrate Easter and watch the kids romping through the garden and searching for their creme eggs.

Decide on whether you want window baskets, window boxes or single containers with flowers. The local garden centre will advise on what is best for your garden and most offer a service to fill the baskets and boxes and - ensure a floral glory for the summer months.

This month the garden will burst into leaf and bud and will need a helping hand with a dose of fertiliser to ensure that all new growth is well fed for sturdy growth.

Spring bulbs will be at their peak and lawns will need to be cut as the weather warms up. There are annual seeds to be sown and vegetables to be planted.

Some people will wait until the end of May before buying ready grown bedding plants. Others will want to buy seedlings and grow them on. All in all, it's a busy time for those who want to be busy and an enjoyable period of anticipation for those who don't.

Inside the greenhouse pick out seedlings and pot on rooted cuttings Levinton Plant protection compost that will protect your small plants against vine weevil and aphids and give useful control of whitefly.

The soil inside greenhouses is often compact, dry and tired. It is unlikely to grow a good crop of tomatoes, peppers or cucumbers without plenty of organic matter and some extra special cultivation. To avoid all this soil preparation, plant out tomato seedlings in Fison gro bags, the original bag that still provides top quality growing conditions " for greenhouse crops.