The weather is finally improving and we’re well on our way to the summer. With this, many of us will be wanting to spend time outside in our gardens; having BBQs, socialising and enjoying the feeling of the sunshine on our faces. In order to make the most of being outside, you want your garden to look its best.
Over the past few months of winter, it could be that storms have ravaged your plants, damaged your fences or it’s generally looking a little worse for wear. Luckily, making your garden look great again and getting it ready for the summer doesn’t need to be too difficult.
Here are our top tips to get your garden ready for summer in no time at all. It will allow you to enjoy dining al fresco, sunbathing and having your kids play out on the lawn.
Prepare your fences
When summer is on its way, one of the first things to start preparing is your fencing. During the winter months, the heavy rain and gale-force winds can cause damage to your panelling, moss will grow and your fences will start to discolour. Use a pressure washer on your fence to remove all the dirt, let it dry completely and then repaint or re-stain. Give your fence a few layers and, depending on how much time you have available, you could consider using a different colour paint to give your garden a completely new feel. If you need some inspiration, check out Pinterest or Instagram to see what shades other people are painting their fences. At the same time as repainting your fence, you could also repaint your shed. Just like your fencing, sheds are prone to discolouring and deterioration.
Power wash your paving
You’d be surprised at how much dirt and moss will grow on your paving over time. Start by using a stiff broom to remove any loose debris and stones, then dust down your power washer and go over your paving with it. Make sure you go over the corners and repeat the process several times to remove any tough stains. Once dried, you’ll be amazed at how clean your paving will appear; it can completely transform how your garden looks, bringing it back to new. If you don’t have a power washer, try using a hosepipe along with a broom to clean the surface. The average power washer costs around £200 and, depending on the size of your paved area, it will take a couple of hours.
Give your lawn some attention
Another job you should do when getting your garden ready for the summer months is mow your lawn. When your grass is too long, it can look untidy and make your lawn look scruffy. Mowing your grass will also help with future growth and help remove any weeds that might be currently growing. During the summer months, aim to mow your lawn about once a fortnight to keep it at its healthiest. When little rain has fallen, remember to water the grass (preferably with rainwater from your water butt) in order to keep it looking its optimum.
If you’re feeling creative and enjoy having a more eco-friendly option, transform your lawn into a wild-flower meadow. It creates a better environment for garden birds and insects and only needs to be mowed once in the autumn. You can still mow a neat, meandering path through the wild flowers to create an avenue that guides you from one end of the garden to another.
Add some lighting
Lighting can add a completely new dynamic to your garden. You can use solar lights to brighten your pathway or add some spike lights to create a glow to your trees. Overhead lights are a great way to add some atmosphere in areas which are difficult to illuminate. When you can, try to use solar lighting as this is more economic and costs less to run. There are a variety of coloured bulbs that you can use, so try playing with these colours to add different effects to your surroundings. You can also play with patterns for a different feel.
Make sure you have shaded areas
When the sun is at its hottest, you will want shaded areas in your garden to help keep your guests cool and prevent people from getting burnt. Consider purchasing a parasol that you can quickly put up. Not only does this provide shade but it can look visually appealing and normally connects to a table, helping you be in the shade when eating. If you enjoy having trees in your garden, you could plant some new ones to provide shade as well as add seasonal colour. Other ways to get shade in your garden can be installing a canopy, installing a retractable awning or investing in some architectural elements – however, this can begin to get expensive.
Create a place to have BBQs
One of the best things about the summer is being able to dine al fresco. You can have BBQs under the sun, enjoying the weather and the relaxed atmosphere. If you’re someone that loves to have a BBQ, why not designate a space for this? You could look into creating a built-in BBQ – there is plenty of inspiration for this on sites such as Pinterest – or you could purchase a BBQ that you can get out and put away when the weather works for it. There are a host of different types of BBQ you can get, as well as smokers, fire pits and more depending on what thing you’re after and what will work best in your space.
Divide the space into designated areas
If you have a large garden, it can be a good idea to split it into designated areas to easily sort it out and enjoy different spaces. You could divide it up so one area is purely for plants – you could consider a vegetable patch too where you can grow your own vegetables to eat. You could also have a space that’s purely for somewhere where your kids can play. This is where you can keep their toys and things out and don’t need to worry about them cluttering up the other space in the garden. It also means you don’t need to worry about their kicking footballs around and potentially ruining any precious plants or flower beds that you may have!
Consider adding a summer house
If you have a little money to spend and want to really elevate your garden, consider adding in a summer house. A summer house is a versatile building that is great for creating a space to relax and hang out in – even when the weather isn’t so nice. It creates a focal point for you to look at and can be used for a host of different reasons. You could have a summer house to create a space with a dining table and chairs, or it could have lounge furniture in which you can relax while your little ones play in the garden. Some summer houses have bi-fold doors so you could utilise these and enjoy the fresh air without being properly outside in the sun.
It can be a good source of shade and ensure you don’t get sunburnt, but also don’t have to properly go inside when the sun is at its hottest. Summer houses can be large or small, include a little decking area or not and can be wired up with electricity and heating. This means you can watch films, host guests and have access to both air con or heating if you choose to install this. You could also make the summer house a playroom, movie room or something else – the choice is yours!
Add some garden furniture
Don’t underestimate the power of garden furniture for getting your garden ready for summer. It might be that you have some garden furniture but it’s beginning to look a bit ropey and seen better days. If this is the case, it’s time to invest in something new. Garden furniture sets don’t need to be expensive, however there are a host of luxury options should you want these. It’s a good idea to get a few chairs or look into buying an outdoor sofa that you can sit on for relaxing and others that are good for sitting up and dining from. You could get a new table too – ideal for putting a summery glass of Pimms on. You could also look at different things such as a garden swing seat or a bench. Make sure you take care of your garden furniture so it can be used in the future and doesn’t get ruined by the weather. If it comes with cushions, be sure to store these away somewhere that the damp won’t get to them and ruin them.
The above are ten different ways to get your garden ready for the summer months. Depending on your budget, some options will cost more than others, making certain ones more suitable for you. What changes are you planning on making to your garden this summer? Will you be changing anything from our list above? Is there anything we’ve missed that you would like to share with our other readers? Let us know in the comment box below, we look forward to hearing from you.
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