Here are 7 simple ideas that can give your garden a fresh new look for the year ahead. Go on, you can do it!
1. Clean up and clear out
As the days begin to get longer, the gloom and dark that has reigned for months is highlighted. So buy or hire a pressure washer for quick results and clean up the drive and paving stones. Pressure washers are widely available and you should find one to suit your needs and pocket.
Then give yourself a blank canvas. Clean out and recycle all the junk that has collected in the garden over the years.
2. Improve the view
If you don’t have a view to be proud of, create one!
- A clever, inexpensive way to distract the eye and produce instant impact is to use two or more woven obelisks in a line.
- You can buy different sizes in most garden centres and they will look just as striking bare as they will covered with plants.
- Plant them with fast growing climbing plants like nasturtiums and they will soon be covered in brilliant flowers.
3. Reclaim your borders
- Clear out overgrown stems and dead leaves.
- Underneath there should be fresh young growth.
- Dig up and throw out any plants that are tired or don’t work for you – they can go into the compost heap. Then head for the shops to get some new ones.
4. Mulch ado
- Once your borders are done, a thick coating of mulch will improve how they look and also help to smother weeds.
- Composted bark looks good and lasts well but you may prefer to use a different type – there are plenty to choose from.
5. Trim and edge
- Grass demands to be cut!
- A neatly shorn lawn acts as a perfect foil for your planting and a quick trim of the edges will give your garden a finished look.
- There are many types of lawnmower available to suit the size of your garden and your income.
6. Pot up some colour
- Get to the garden centre and choose some brightly coloured flowers. Pansies make a lovely splash of colour in spring.
- If you don’t want to pot them yourself, you can buy pots already planted up although they are more expensive to buy.
7. Enjoy the high life
- Buy climbing plants like clematis so that you can have the pleasure of looking up into open flowers. They will add an extra dimension to your planting and if you have a small garden this will mean you can fit more plants into a smaller space.
Happy gardening!
You may not be able to do all seven of these steps in one day, but if you take it a step at a time then you will have a garden to be proud of. In fact taking this a step at a time will give you time to look and think and plan what you would really like your garden to look like in the coming year.
