Photo CreditAfter a long cold winter and the beginnings of spring have passed, you may now be starting to turn your attention to summer – a time when you can enjoy your garden. But after so many months not in use, there are one or two jobs that you will need to complete to make sure that it is totally ready for the weeks and months ahead. Do these and you will have an outdoor space that will be the envy of your neighbours and one that will be celebrated by your friends and family. So, here are a few summer jobs that you can complete to get your garden back to its best for the warm weather ahead.
Give Your Lawn a Bit of TLC
There is nothing like a neatly mowed lawn to form the foundation of your outdoor space, and you should make sure that yours is able to thrive after enduring the winter. You will need to start by resowing any dry patches, aerating it to encourage the growth of roots, and raking it thoroughly to allow light and water to reach the soil comfortably. You will also need to remove any unwanted weeds which have sprouted up over the past few months. When you are mowing your lawn, you should restrict the amount that you take off the top to around 1cm. If you cut it too short, it simply won’t look healthy, luscious and thriving. Finally, you can finish off the job by using a strimmer to tidy up the edges.
Get Rid of Weeds
We mentioned this job briefly in the last section, but now, we are going to go into more detail about it. It may feel like the job of taking care of weeds never ends, but if you are going to introduce any plants into your garden space (particularly woody ones), you should make sure that you check them carefully so that you are not introducing any parasites into your garden. If you find that you have left it too late and weeds are overrunning your garden, you could always invest in a specifically-designed weed-control product.
Clear Out the Shed
Photo CreditSince you have probably already been spring cleaning the rest of your house, it makes sense that you do the same to your shed. Otherwise, you are going to find it impossible to get the things that you need. To start off with, you could remove everything from your shed. This way, you can clearly see which items are worth keeping and which ones have seen better days and it is time to throw them away. If you have acquired a lot of stuff over the years, you are going to need to be ruthless in your approach. Since the shed is empty, this provides you with the ideal opportunity to clean it out, before putting everything back in an organised fashion that allows you to locate it all easily.
Start Any Big Projects
If you have any big projects planned for the summer, it is better to start them sooner rather than later. For example, you may be wanting to add a patio or some decking to your garden, and you need to give yourself the time to complete the job well. Think about whether you are going to handle the majority of the job yourself or if you are going to call in the experts like http://www.stylemasterpatios.com.au/. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the big project and you are much more likely to end up with a finished product of which you can be truly proud.
Clean Out the Barbecue
If you are planning to have some outdoor parties during the summer months, odds are that you will want to get out the barbecue. Depending on what type of model you have, some of them can be extremely difficult to clean out properly – especially if it has been affected by harsh winter conditions. When it comes to masonry barbecues, it is unlikely that you will have all that much to do, but you may have to scrape off any rust which has built up if the weather has been particularly wet. If you are lucky, it may just be the case of giving your barbecue a little spring clean and dusting down. However, if the job is going to be more intensive, it is worth finding out about it now – so don’t delay another second!
Sort Out the Garden Furniture
Another key component involved in entertaining is the garden furniture, and you also need to ensure that this is all in good condition. Hopefully, you have stored them away during the winter months – or at least the cushions! If not, you will probably need to put in some more work in ensuring that they are brought back to a good condition. Give the frames of the furniture a good inspection in case any of the wood has rotted away, which could then lead to a nasty fall.
Paint and Treat Your Garden Fence
Photo CreditThe winter months may not have been all that kind to your garden fence, which is why it is so important that you get it back into tip-top condition as soon as you can. So, this may be the time to give it a lick of paint. Instead of the standard brown and beige colors, you could go with something which is a little more out there to impress your guests. To make sure that it is protected as best it can be, use a treatment like creosote.
Provide Some Shade for Your Guests
For the days when the sun becomes overbearing, you need to think about the ways that you are going to offer some shade to your guests. There are a number of different ways of doing this including investing in awnings or a garden parasol. If you are looking for a solution which is going to stand the test of time, you could always look into building a pergola with some train climbers going up it. Essentially, it is worth looking into some creative solutions to the issue of keeping the sun at bay.
Let There Be Light (and Heat)
When the sun goes down and you don’t want the party to stop just yet, you need to think closely about the twin issues of light and heat. If you are looking for a natural solution to warming up your guests, you could always look into creating a cosy fire pit area. Otherwise, plenty of advancements have been made in the past few years in the world of outdoor heaters, so check out what is on the market. As for lighting, there are plenty of different options including lanterns, fairy lights, and standing lamps. However, if you are looking for an eco-friendly solution, you could look into getting some solar panel lights.
Create a Living Room Environment
Photo CreditWhen you are creating an entertaining area where your guests can relax, you should think about styling it on a living room so that they can enjoy maximum comfort. This doesn’t have to be an effect which is too complicated to create – you could simply invest in some scatter cushions and rugs for the area. Make sure that you have some sort of shelter so that your guests are protected if the skies do happen to open.
Add Some Color and Scent
Colour is one of the first things that you notice when you step outside to admire a garden area. If you find it difficult to grow and maintain plants, you could always look into getting some container plants and hanging baskets. When it comes to the flowers around your entertaining area, you should choose some which give off fine fragrances like roses and jasmine. Instantly, you will create the effect of being in paradise.
Introduce Some Personality into the Landscape
The final piece of advice that we are going to discuss in more detail is bringing some personality into the landscape. As well as the natural plants and flowers that you introduce, there are also plenty of ways of doing this with the water features, statues, benches, wind chimes, lighting – the possibilities are endless. You don’t have to introduce everything all at once. Simply adding a feature or two on semi regular basis will add interest to your garden and ensure that you don’t become bored with the space.
Of course, the quality of your garden space really depends on how much time and money that you have to spare, but these are just a few ideas to spark off your imagination. Even though we are still a couple of months away from summer, it makes sense that you start early so that your garden is all ready to go when the warmer months roll around. Create a garden that you love, and you will want to spend as much time out there as you can.
