Now summer is fast approaching, it’s time to start preparing your garden for playing and long afternoons relaxing and entertaining friends. Winter can be harsh on your garden, leaving your furniture in poor condition, lawn dull and lifeless, and plants in need of some love and attention. If you’ve got children, your garden is sure to get a lot of use over the coming months. So, this is the perfect time to make sure it looks great and is safe for the whole family to enjoy. If your garden is in poor condition and the task seems overwhelming, find a tradesmen who can help with some of the bigger jobs.
Tidy
Start off by giving it a good tidy. Take up any plants that can’t be salvaged, remove any rubbish or unwanted items, and make sure any furniture is where you want it. Doing this first allows you to see what needs doing and make a plan.
Clean
Next, give everything a good clean. Consider hiring a jet wash or some other equipment to help with any hard to clean areas like the patio. Clean your fences and furniture, too. Sand them down if they need it. Winter often leads to a build-up of weeds, lichen, and excess moisture, which not only looks unsightly it can also be full of germs and bacteria so giving everything a thorough clean, is essential.
Repair
Assess any damage. Some of your fencing and furniture might need repairing or replacing. You should also service and clean your barbeque if you have one, so you’re not disappointed when it comes time to use it.
Plant
Now you’ve removed any dead plants, it’s time to start looking after what’s left and planting new flowers. Bright colours look fantastic in spring and often have a pleasing gentle aroma. If you’ve got children running around you might want to go for flowers and plants that are easy to look after and can withstand a lot of damage.
Lawn
After a long winter, full of wind and rain, your lawn is going to need some TLC. Start feeding and looking after it as soon as you can. If it’s in reasonable condition, one feed a week should get it back to its best. In other cases, a more intensive treatment plan might be needed.
Paint and Protect
Painting your fencing and furniture is a great way to make it look new without the large expense. Why not be bold and go for a different colour? Whatever you decide, be sure to protect and weatherproof it when you’re done.
Have Fun
Gardens are meant to be fun. Get the whole family out there cleaning and gardening together. Make it a fun adventure. Kids love getting dirty and will enjoy feeling involved. Try to include some outdoor toys and activities in your finished garden. Perhaps a kid’s zone if you want to keep a relaxing space for yourself. Don’t worry about spending lots of money on expensive equipment as they quickly outgrow it anyway. Children love the responsibility of growing things themselves, so give them a mini garden and watch as they enjoy the rewards of seeing their plants and flowers grow and change.
Try to get the kids involved as much as you can too. They’ll love helping you make decisions and getting dirty.