Now that we’re in the summer and we have had temperatures of over 20 degrees, more and more people are having bbqs. Entertaining at home during the summer is always popular. How many bbqs and garden parties have you been invited to so far? If you’re entertaining at home, there’s a need to keep your garden space clean and tidy at all times. A lot of us tend to ignore our gardens during the winter. In fact, the British public are wasting up to £672 million each year as we don’t know how to best look after our garden space.
If you are struggling to spruce up your garden, here are some ideas.
Is your garden prepared?
Start off by sweeping any patios or decking that you have in the garden. Then, use a high-pressure cleaner to wash away any remaining dirt. If you have any tiled areas, then make sure you replace any broken or chipped tiles and give it a thorough clean. As this area is usually the most walked-on area, it’s important to keep on top of maintenance here not just for appearance reasons, but to make sure it is safe.
Just some simple weeding can make a lot of difference. Weeding may seem like an endless task but removing them will make your garden automatically look a whole lot cleaner and presentable. It won’t take you too long and you will love the results!
If you have fencing or a shed, you may find it useful to give it a fresh coat of paint. Maybe even change the colour of it to make it feel like it’s brand new!
You may also notice it’s a good time to remove any clutter from your shed. Get rid of that old lawn mower that doesn’t really work. Sort out all of the old tools that you don’t actually need. You may be able to make more room for other things!
Flowers and plants
Unless you’re a very keen gardener, the chances are that your plants and flowers won’t survive the winter months. You don’t want your garden to be looking dead and uninviting, especially if you are going to be inviting people round. Make sure you always check the optimum time of planting any seeds before planting. This will make sure your display is up and running and ready for the parties in the summer.
Why not take the next step and grow your own vegetables? You can then serve them at your bbq and your garden will look fab. But you’ve got to be a little careful when growing your very own veg, especially with the number of wild birds flying around looking for a delicious snack. That’s why it’s certainly worth investing in a bird table and some premium quality bird feed from the likes of Little Peckers. This will help to ensure birds are fully fed, and perhaps more importantly your veg is safe and well.
It’s also important to plan ahead when it comes to perfecting your bloom. It’s never too early to start getting your garden in shape and looking pretty. For example, hanging baskets can bring some colour to your garden all year round. To perfect your hanging basket displays in time for the summer months, you should ideally be planting them in April so this requires a bit of forward thinking.
However, be prepared to protect them from any potential frost well into May – we had a very cold spring this year. Calibrachoa is a good choice to add to your basket, alongside blue petunias – a flower which is known for being weather resistant and they are also beautiful to look at too!
Furniture and utensils
If you have a bare garden, make the most of your space by introducing garden furniture. This is a great way to add a bit of character into your garden and make sure that you have somewhere to entertain. It doesn’t matter what size garden you have, somewhere to relax is essential, especially when you have guests around. For those with limited space, add a hammock -they’re a lot of fun as well!
You have to think about where you’d want to spend those sunny days relaxing, or indeed how you’d want to entertain any guests. Aim to position this furniture towards the bottom of your garden to give it the illusion that it’s bigger than it actually is. You can also add a gazebo to make a nice shaded area in the garden. Mounting a mirror is another sure-fire way in which to make your space look larger and it will also make the garden look fancier.
With parties and entertaining in mind, think about adding a BBQ to your garden too. They are a great way to socialise and a big hit in the warmer months. Charcoal, electric or gas BBQs can turn your personal space into a home entertainment haven. While the UK may have unpredictable weather forecasts at times, as soon as the sun shines we have the BBQs out! Make your spot the place to go and show off your garden space.
