Wet soil will compact easily and result in poor drainage and aeration for the remainder of the year. Fertilizing during active root growth is a perfect way to get the plants off to a good start. I steer towards a fertilizer which is not too high in available nitrogen and has an organic base. With this type of fertilizer you are providing gentle encouragement in the form of slow release nutrients. A handful around every plant can be cultivated in along with the compost or manure when the shoots have safely emerged.
Grasses start to grow earlier than most perennials and spread quickly in early spring.
To maintain the clean edge of the bed and prevent grass invasion, edging in early spring is one of the first tasks. This can done by using your trowel or an edging tool and making a clean cut in the sod around the bed. To avoid or delay edging, you can put a physical barrier between the bed and the lawn. Stone or landscape bricks make an attractive border and can give a soft, natural look by allowing creeping perennials to spill over. Creeping phlox, aubrietia, dianthus or lamb's ears are some examples of perennials well suited for this task.