How To Get Your Garden Ready For Summer

COLLABORATIVE POST | Right now, it might feel like the summer will never get here, especially with the terrible storms we’ve been having. However, the sunshine will be here sooner than you think, and it’ll pay you to get prepared.

Make the most of your garden in the warmer months by putting in the legwork and prepping your outdoor space ahead of time. By clearing up and doing a spot of sorting now, you can enjoy your garden as soon as the sun starts to shine!

Follow these tips and have your garden spruced up and ready to enjoy in no time:

Handle the Weeds

Get your borders in check and remove any obvious weeds now before they really take hold. Starting small and maintaining your borders is a much easier job than having to deal with pesky weeds once they get established. You’ll also have plenty of time to take stock of which plants need a refresh or where there are any bare gaps that can be filled in springtime.

Get Your Lawn in Shape

Nothing looks sadder in a garden than an unloved lawn. If your grass is patchy, yellow, or dry-looking, give your grass some star treatment by prepping it in time for summer.

Some lawns can be revived with specialised plant food, but you’ll get the best results by giving your grass a complete overhaul and laying new turf. This also gives you the opportunity to re-scape your space in time for socialising in the summer months if you fancy more of a challenge.

Swab the Decks!

Giving your decks a thorough scrubbing will brighten up your outside space and give it an instant refresh. Blast away the grime with a pressure washer and retreat as soon as you get a dry weekend.

Remembering to treat your decking will increase its longevity and help protect the wood. If you like, you could get in touch with a deck contractor who can suggest additional features for your deck, and can even help install it for you. It will also give your entertaining area a quick facelift. Think about adding an on-trend outdoor rug to make your decking feel like an extension of your house.

Clean Up and Clear Out

It’s not glamorous or pretty, but now is the perfect time to give your shed a good clear-out and throw away any broken tools or toys, including anything the kids have grown out of playing with. Also, consider giving the outside of the shed a lick of paint to smarten it up – go bold with a bright colour and liven up your outdoor area.

There are all kinds of gorgeous outdoor paint ranges available now, so you don’t have to settle for your wooden garden fixtures just being various shades of faded brown. Whilst you’re at it, why not treat your outdoor furniture to a lick of coordinating paint and give your garden a cheerful and cohesive feel?

Give the barbecue that much-needed scrubbing that never got done at the end of last summer, so it’s ready to go as soon as the sun’s out. I know this sort of prep is boring, but it’ll maximise the time you get for enjoying and relaxing in your garden, so it is totally worth it if you have a grey afternoon to spare while it’s too chilly for outside entertaining.

Add Some Pots

Brighten up any patios and decking areas by buying a range of different sized, coloured, and textured pots and placing them around your garden. You don’t need to plant anything in them yet, but it will give you plenty of time to consider what works best where and also gives you the opportunity to try different combinations before the pots are weighed down with soil and plants. You can also store the pots for the time being in your newly cleared-out shed!

Once you’ve decided on the placement of your pots, take a photo of your design and take it to your local garden centre. You’ll be able to get advice about what plants will be best suited to your plant pot positioning and choose plants that will thrive in your garden.

Getting your garden summer-ready might be the last thing on your mind during these dreary, drizzly days. However, with a bit of forward planning and some elbow grease, you’ll have a gorgeous garden ready for entertaining and enjoying at the drop of a (sun)hat!