Category: Gardens

It is important that when we experience hot weather in the UK, you think about your garden and what you need to do to look after it. If you only have patios and grass then investing in a cheap sprinkler that attaches to the hose pipe or watering your garden with a hose at the end of the day may be enough to keep on top of it. If you have lots of plants in your garden then you should water these on a daily basis. It is important to only water your plants in the evening time or very early morning. If you water the plants in the day then they may get scorched by the sun.

If you are not great at remembering to water your plants then you could put water bulbs in that slowly release water to the roots over a few days, although this may not be enough if the weather is really hot.

If you are going away and the weather is going to be hot then you could ask a friend or neighbour if they would mind popping in to water them. If your plants are all in pots you could even put them on the front of your house and ask your neighbour to water them when they are doing their own.

It is so easy to leave your garden to grow and before you know it, it has gotten out of control. As we have been having a lot of rain and some nice sunny days in between, it is likely that the grass and plants have been growing super fast and so no soon had you mowed it, it needed doing again. If you leave it until it is too long it becomes a much bigger job and you may find that your lawn mower struggles to cut it properly. If you can adjust the height you may have to cut it in the highest setting first then drop it down and cut it again.

Weeding is another job that often needs doing regular, but if you are not a keen gardener then you will probably not take much enjoyment from this job. The best time to do weeding is when the ground is a bit wet as the weeds will pull out easier and the ground will be softer to dig in. Don’t try and mow your lawn when it wet, especially with an electric lawn mower as it will clog up quickly and cut out. It is also not a good idea to use an electric lawn mower in the wet!

With spring well under way, many of us are starting to turn out attention to our gardens. Often over the winter months, our gardens get a bit neglected and we do very little in terms of maintenance. Once the warmer weather is on its way and the beings start to get lighter l, it is nice to be able to have some time out in the garden getting it ready. Social restrictions are also starting to be lifted which means that from the end of March up to 6 people or two households can meet outside. This is the perfect motivation to get your garden looking lovely. Planting some brightly coloured flowers or having hanging baskets and potted plants around really will brighten up an area. It can make a huge difference to a garden. You may decide to just get some seasonal plants that you replace every year. These are usually quite cheap and look nice for a good few months. If growing them from seeds, be sure to start them off at the right time. Too early and it may be too cold, too late and you may miss the season as to when they are supposed to flower.

If you want to take up some gardening or want to add some life to your outside area, you may decide to do container gardening. This is essentially creating beautiful areas of the garden using potted plants rather than planting them in the ground. This type of gardening is perfect for those that have a small garden or are renting somewhere temporarily. It is also great for those that are not great at gardening and just starting out. It allows you to love plants around without having to disturb them which can be great if you need to change the layout of your outdoor space from time to time.

Adding potted plants and hanging baskets really can transform an area and add a touch of beauty to any space. If the plants die it is easy to take them out of the pots and plant something else. You may decide to go for a certain colour scheme one year and then the following year change the scheme.

Most people have container plants on their patios or decking. This allows you to keep them near to where you can see or your seating areas, allowing you to keep an eye on them. It often means that you check on them more regularly than if they were planted directly in to the ground.

For many of us our garden is a place where we can relax, sit in the sunshine, or shade, enjoy a barbeque with friends and generally chill out but are we getting the most out of our gardens all year round or do we not venture past the patio doors from October to April?

Living in the UK we get used to the weather being unpredictable and so even in the summer months we can have a week or more of wet weather and so it is a good idea to have an area in the garden that is covered over and yet still open to the fresh air. This may be a summer house or a gazebo either a permanent feature or a removeable one. If this area has seating that is protected from the elements and a type of heating it can be used in every season not just summer.

Inflatable hot tubs have become extremely popular this year and despite the weather, a dip in a hot tub is enjoyable. Gazing up at a starlit sky whilst relaxing in the beautifully warm water of the tub is a must in the cooler months and is a totally different experience. Some people prefer to site their hot tub under a gazebo where it is protected from the weather, so this is an alternative option.