A well-maintained garden can be a huge positive selling point, making our homes more appealing and even helping us command a premium when it’s time to sell up. But investing time and attention in our gardens isn’t just helpful when it’s time to sell, it provides us with an extended living space, providing us with a nature-based sanctuary we can relax in.
With summer rapidly approaching, now is the perfect time to lavish your garden with some love and attention, so read on for our tips to help you make the most of your outdoor garden space.
1. Start with a Clean Slate
Kick off the gardening season by tidying up your garden space. Spring is the perfect time to get out the pressure washer to clean off the patio and garden furniture and remove leaves and debris from winter.
- Remove debris, dead leaves, and any winter-damaged plants to create a clean canvas for spring growth.
- Pressure wash the pathways and patios (does anyone else find this extremely satisfying to do?).
2. Embrace Seasons
A great garden with flowers in bloom year-round can take careful planning to achieve, and every season, even winter can provide you with seasonal colour or foliage to ensure your garden remains a space you want to spend time in regardless of the time of year.
- Late spring is a great time to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and moist soil to plant new additions to your garden.
- Incorporate spring-blooming perennials and hardy to brighten up your garden.
- For an instant splash of colour, you can’t go wrong by investing in some cheery bedding plants.
- Consider adding flowering trees or shrubs like magnolias or peonies for a stunning focal point.
3. Tend to Your Lawn
Once the temperature begins to soar, it’s particularly important to ensure your grass is maintained and cared for. This might require watering during prolonged periods of dry weather, regular weeding and of course, regular mowing too.
- Give your lawn some TLC by aerating, fertilising, and overseeding to tidy up any patches as needed.
- Keep your grass well-maintained by mowing regularly and edging along pathways and border
- With the arrival of warmer weather, it's essential to keep your garden adequately hydrated.
- Water plants deeply and consistently, preferably in the early morning or late evening to minimise evaporation.
4. Add Colourful Accents
Nothing says summer like a blaze of colourful flowers in full bloom and investing in new bedding plants each year can be a great way to add some variation to your garden. Bedding plants are also great for providing instant colour without the need to wait for seeds to germinate or for perennials to grow.
- Incorporate vibrant summer annuals to infuse your garden with a riot of colour.
- Experiment with different combinations of flowers and foliage to create eye-catching displays in pots, containers, or hanging baskets.
- Grab a packet of sunflower seeds and plant some, they truly are a joy to watch grow, no matter how old you might be and even better if you're a bit competitive, who can grow the biggest?
5. Cultivate Edible Delights
Even the smallest of gardens can provide enough space for veggies, salad or herbs. If you don’t have a big garden or a dedicated vegetable patch, you can purchase inexpensive planters that will fit on balconies, in back yards and even on fences.
There really is nothing more satisfying than picking fresh produce from your garden to eat, but make sure you focus on a handful of crops rather than trying to do too much, particularly if you’re new to growing food.
Tomatoes are incredibly easy to grow, as are courgettes and lettuce…the list goes on and the benefit of growing in containers or tubs, means it’s easy to move things around the garden to expose them to direct sunshine, or whatever conditions they thrive in.
- Take advantage of the summer growing season by planting a vegetable garden or herb patch.
- Grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and herbs like basil, mint, and parsley to enjoy fresh, homegrown produce all season long.
6. Dine Outside
With the school holidays and warmer weather here, now is the ideal time to embrace outdoor living! Whether it's a family fun day complete with paddling pool, water pistols and games or a warm sunny evening after work, dining al fresco is the perfect way to make effective use of your garden this summer.
Whether you choose a good old crowd-pleasing barbecue, a simple 'picky tea' eaten outdoors or a lunchtime picnic, eating outside and maximising your exposure to sunshine. It's also a wonderful way to spend quality time with loved ones and to top up that feel-good vitamin D, just make sure you're using appropriate sun protection.
If you're wondering how much your property could be worth, you can get a fast free online property valuation here.