YEARS of plotting and planning will bear fruit this month when Tatton Park's kitchen garden officially opens.

Visitors have enjoyed the garden and its produce for some time and hopefully this will continue.

The final part of the project is the reconstruction of the pineapple house.

Just in the past week we have heard enough information to be confident that it will happen.

But it is not just work in the kitchen garden that is keeping us busy.

The debate lingers whether May is the first month of summer or the last of spring.

I am sure the Knutsford Royal May Day Committee will have their own views on that after the downpours over the past few years.

But whatever your view as a gardener, May means one thing for us all - we are busy.

For me, the summer calendar for horticulturists begins with the Chelsea Flower Show.

This year the show is celebrating 200 years of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Controversy is expected again with much discussion over whether it is indeed a horticultural show or a garden architectural exhibition.

We will have to wait and see for further debate. Cheshire will further root itself in history this month with the launch of the Cheshire Gardens Trust at Arley Hall.

For a long time only Cheshire and Lancashire have been without such a Trust.

They were set up to monitor and keep a register of gardens in each county.

The trusts will also encourage the development of new gardens along with modern additions to current ones.

Rather than just 'mothball' what is already in place they will have a development brief and I think this is the most exciting development. Back in our own gardens and May is the time to plant up containers, hanging baskets and tubs. Garden centres have had plenty of good plants to choose from in the past couple of weeks.

This is the month to sow seeds of half-hardy annuals direct, maybe even planning an annual border.

As well as putting on a good show, the flowers can be cut and used as decoration in the house.

Grasses and other plants that can be dried for winter decoration are easily produced by sowing now. Annuals can be used to plug gaps in the borders. Continue to plant sprouts and cabbage in the vegetable gardens. Sow peas and beans, plant out runner beans and prepare the ground for pumpkins and marrows.

In the greenhouse sow the seed of pumpkin and marrow and they will germinate quickly, making decent plants.

Plant out by the end of the month when the danger of frost is gone.

Greenhouses will now want shading as the hot sun will soon bleach foliage and scorch any young plants.

Ventilate them as much as possible but be aware that we may still get frost at night.

After all, we are still just about in spring - or is it summer?

knutsford@guardiangrp.co.uk