AFTER a wonderful stint of rain and some warmer weather on the horizon, Claire Cunningham of Enchanted Garden said now was the perfect time for gardeners to get their hands dirty.

Along with her husband Eric, Mrs Cunningham has owned and gardened at Enchanted Garden nursery for more than 35 years and is quick to offer her customers advice on all things gardening.

"With this rain it's easy to plant a lot of trees and shrubs," the experienced gardener said.

"Flowers for spring should have been planted a little bit earlier, but we have some wonderful colours at the moment."

She said for those wanting a colourful garden straight away, the answer laid in buying developed plants that could be pulled out of the pot and planted in the ground.

"If you still want some of the spring flowering annuals, you can get pots of colours if you want that colour straight away."

Mrs Cunningham said in the coming days she would plant an array of vegetables than enjoyed a bit more heat.

"We'll be planting lettuces, tomatoes, beetroot, silverbeet.

"We'll be also planting our watermelons, rockmelons, cucumber, and you can still plant some potatoes if you want to.

"It's a bit early for pumpkins, but I think you get a better crop if you put them in later as they tend not to pollinate as well when you put them in this early.

"We've got strawberries in the garden and they'll be ready to pick soon."

Mrs Cunningham said her strawberry crop featured a Japanese variety that offered a sweeter, more subtle taste.

"Strawberries are best planted in the autumn or winter, and you should be picking them around this time of year.

"You can also grow some spring onions."

Mrs Cunningham said the vast majority of what she grew at Enchanted Garden was sold in their shop.

"We've got a bit of rhubarb at the back and we've got some beetroot that I will have to pickle soon," she said.

"The rhubarb likes the cooler weather, and sometimes it's a bit hard to grow in that really hot weather."

Enchanted Garden can be found on 49 Alexandra Dr, just as you drive into Warwick from the north.