As the weather begins to warm up, it isn’t quite time to blow the cobwebs from the barbecue or get the loungers from the shed just yet. Whilst all you may want to do is sit in the sun at the first sign, it is worth taking some time preparing your garden for the summer months ahead. Our gardens change drastically in the winter, so it will benefit from a little love and care to become the beautiful garden you had last year.
In order to transform your garden from winter to summer-ready, here are some tips that are worth taking the time to do in order to give your garden the best chance of looking great this summer.
Tidy Up Flower Beds And Borders
When it comes to your flower beds and borders, start by having a general tidy-up. Remove the old leaves and debris from them and cut back any old and dead growth in order to allow new buds the chance to grow through in time for summer. Clear the beds and borders so that they are showing bare soil and put the dead debris into a compost pile or garden waste bin to break down naturally. If you can see any weeds, be sure to remove them and put into the waste bin – do not put them in your compost heap, as the seeds will only germinate and cause you issues later on.
Maintain Garden Fences
Following on from winter, now is the perfect time to check any niggling maintenance jobs in your garden. Check your gates and fences for any signs of winter weather damage or decay, as fixing the structures now will give you much more time in the summer to spend in the garden. Be sure to clean gates and fence panels in order to remove moss, dirt and mildew. Once washed, let the wood fully dry before applying two coats of varnish or stain to preserve the wood until next winter.
Dust Off The Garden Furniture
If your garden furniture has spent the winter in a shed or under a protective cover, now is the time to get it out again and care for it the same way you do your garden fences. For cane furniture, you will need to dust it down to remove cobwebs and dirt before you put it outside, but you must make sure that it is specifically designed for outdoor use. Cane chairs and furniture are particularly susceptible to mould and mildew and the weather can instantly damage it.
Love Your Lawn
A neat and tidy lawn is nothing short of a joy in the summer months, so now is the time to ensure yours will be in top condition for when the time comes. In the winter, you should have re-sown any poor or bald patches in order to encourage growth in time for the summer. Be sure to remove any sprouting weeds from the grass by ripping them out individually from the stems in order to stop them becoming anymore established and spreading through your lawn. Remember, you mustn’t mow more than 1cm off the height of your lawn as cutting it too short will make it look far from healthy.