Preparing your garden for a summer of sun and fun

With sunny days on the up and the evenings becoming longer, Summer is definitely on the way!

The last place we want to be is indoors when it’s glorious outside so it's time to dust off the rattan furniture, fire up the BBQ and grab those pruning shears. Time spent now giving your garden some much needed TLG (tender loving gardening) will pay dividends through the summer. 

Here are our tips for transforming your outside space into your very own Garden of Eden; somewhere beautiful to escape, relax and unwind all summer long.

1. Show your lawn some love

If you do nothing else, mow the lawn. A neatly mowed, bright green lawn can transform the scruffiest of gardens, so make its maintenance a weekly chore during the spring and summer months. Sparse patches? Reseed with an appropriate grass seed mix to build up some growth, and give it a good ruffle with a rake to ensure light and water are getting into the soil.

2. The need to weed

If you don’t keep on top of regular weed maintenance at least devote an afternoon every so often to tackling them. Make it easier by using a weed control product, such as a spray or powder. Can’t bear the thought of putting chemicals on the garden? Spread fresh mulch on the flower beds and forget about the weeds until next year - wood chippings, compost, grass clippings and straw all work well.

3. Freshen up furniture

Bring outdoor furniture out of storage and give it a good clean. Hot water with a dash of washing up liquid plus some elbow grease gets the best results. Afterwards, hose it down and let it air-dry. If your furniture is wood, don’t power wash it as this can crack the wood and encourage mold growth; buy a specific wood cleaner instead. Finish with a coat of wood preserver for a smart looking patio set all summer. If you have plastic adirondack chairs, all you need to do is give them a wipe-down with a wet cloth and some cleaning products.

4. The dreaded shed

Beyond the lawn mower and watering can, do any of us really know what’s in the shed? Now's the perfect time to get it all out and have a good old clear out. Keep only what you need. For safety, check expiry dates on weed killer, plant food, bird food, aerosols and tins of paint, and throw out any that have expired or are damaged.

With garden care, a good rule is little and often. Here's a few parting tips for a gorgeous summer garden:

• If you're hanging the washing out and see a weed, pull it up and dispose of it;

• Feed and water the lawn and plants regularly, taking care not to over water;

• Prune and deadhead plants and flowers to encourage growth and a longer flowering season;

• Water early morning; this gives water chance to reach the roots before being evaporated by the sun;

• Mow early evening, allowing the grass chance to recover before the cool night sets in;

• Don’t cut grass to less than a centimetre in length or it will look less healthy than it really is.

Sit back, grab a cuppa and enjoy the fruits of your labour - all we need now is the weather!