Nottinghamshire &amp; Derbyshire


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="The glorious gardens at Renishaw Hall" class="wp-image-17745" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The glorious gardens at Renishaw Hall</figcaption></figure>



<p>If you’ve ever seen the glorious roses and neat borders at <a href="https://renishaw-hall.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Renishaw Hall and Gardens</a>, you’ll know that head gardener David Kesteven knows how to nail a showstopper of a garden. Fancy a slice of that in your own backyard this summer? Well, May is the time to get busy. David talks us through the jobs he’s focused on at Renishaw and shares some gardening tips for May.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-David-main-1024x683.jpg" alt="David Kesteven, head gardener at Renishaw" class="wp-image-17746" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-David-main-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-David-main-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-David-main-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-David-main.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">David Kesteven, head gardener at Renishaw</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-planting-out-bedding-plants"><strong>1. Planting out bedding plants</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-3-1024x683.jpg" alt="gardens at Renishaw Hall" class="wp-image-17747" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-3.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>‘May is the month when we expect the last frost in Derbyshire,’ says David. ‘I used to think that would be 26 May, but climate change has brought that forward. From the first week in May, I’m looking at the forecast two weeks ahead to see if it is safe to plant out our bedding plants.’</p>



<p>TOP TIP: We grow a lot of tender plants from seed here &#8211; salvia’s, nicotiana’s, cleomes, nasturtiums. If you plant them out too early and a frost is forecast, you’ll need to cover them with a layer of fleece.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-lifting-tulips"><strong>2. Lifting tulips</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="gardens at Renishaw Hall" class="wp-image-17748" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-gardens-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Tulips are gorgeous, expensive, essential but not reliably perennial. ‘To maximise our chances of success the following year we lift our tulips after flowering. Unlike daffodils where you must let the foliage die down. As soon as the petals fall from tulips, you can lift them with a fork and put them in a sheltered sunny spot.’</p>



<p>TOP TIP: &nbsp;A greenhouse bench is ideal to let the foliage wither and bulbs bake. The original tulips are native to Turkey, so a summer baking helps the flowers develop for next year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-buy-dahlias"><strong>3. Buy dahlias</strong></h2>



<p>It’s not too late to buy dahlia tubers in May. ‘There really is nothing quite as showy as these flowers,’ says David. ‘The largest blooms are in the category “decorative dahlias”. The “pom-poms” have exquisitely geometric flowers which are much smaller but borne in profusion.’</p>



<p>TOP TIP: Start the tuber off in pots, planting out when they are about a foot tall, after the last frost. Decorative dahlias will need staking.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-stake-perennials"><strong>4. Stake perennials</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall--1024x683.jpg" alt="fountain and gardens at Renishaw Hall" class="wp-image-17749" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall--1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall--300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall--768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>‘It’s always best to tie up perennials before they fall over,’ advises David. ‘Surround clumps with canes and green string that will soon be covered in foliage.’</p>



<p>TOP TIP: Remember what fell over last year and do those first. We always stake delphiniums, dahlias, thalictrum, sunflowers and lots more besides.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-get-in-the-vegetable-patch"><strong>5. Get in the vegetable patch</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-1024x1024.jpeg" alt="head gardener David kesteven planting at renishaw hall" class="wp-image-17750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-500x500.jpeg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting-1100x1100.jpeg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2026/04/Renishaw-Hall-David-K-planting.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>&#8216;In the vegetable patch, tomatoes and courgettes can be planted out and it’s not too late to sow climbing beans,&#8217; says David. &#8216;French beans, runner beans and other squashes such as pumpkin and butternut squash will soon catch up after a late sowing. Just remember not to ever let them dry out.&#8217;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<p><a href="https://nottsderbyshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/whats-on-may-notts-derbyshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Your local what’s on guide for May</a></p>



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5 gardening jobs for May (if only!)

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