Have you got an outdoor space that resembles a wild forest or a dumping ground for random items and you need some gardening inspiration? Are you hoping to rejuvenate that area to create a beautiful garden that you and other people can enjoy – especially during the summer months? If the answer’s yes to both questions, and you’re new to gardening, you might feel a little out of your depth.
After all: horticulture is quite a complicated subject, and there are so many facets to it. Where do you get started? What should you do with your garden? What should you avoid doing?
Those questions and more might have you feeling like you should probably give up on the idea of creating a lovely garden. The truth is, gardening is something that everyone can do – and it’s an ongoing DIY project your kids can get involved with doing as well.
If you’re keen to get stuck in and need some guidance to help you get started, take a look at the following tips and tricks for some practical help and inspiration:
Consider Going On A Gardening Course
If you don’t know anything about gardening, or perhaps you’ve only got a bit of knowledge from helping your parents with it when you were younger, you’ll likely feel unsure about the dos and don’ts of gardening.
In those situations, it often makes sense to attend a gardening workshop or course hosted by a local college or organisation. Doing so will teach you the basics of gardening and give you the grounding and confidence to create an awe-inspiring outdoor space in your garden.
Clear Away The Mess
Does your garden resemble something from a horror movie?
Are you afraid to walk in it during the day, let alone in the evening, in case something might pop out and surprise you? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, it sounds like you need to clear everything there.
Consider investing in a garden waste skip and spending a weekend clearing all the waste, dead foliage and other unwanted items, so you can reclaim your garden and get started with your plans.
Level The Ground And Grow New Grass
Once you’ve cleared away all debris and things like weeds, you’ll likely get left with something that resembles the surface of the moon – a barren landscape looking sorry for itself. You could use air pruning pots on the patio so it doesn’t damage the grass.
The good news is that you’re now left with a blank canvas that allows you to forge ahead with your gardening ideas and plans. First of all, it makes sense to level the ground and spread some grass seeds on top.
You will need to hire or purchase a tiller or rotavator to mix the soil up and then a levelling rake to ensure that your newly mixed topsoil doesn’t have any high or low points. Once you’ve done that, you can spread some grass seeds on top to grow some new grass.
Build A Shed
Have you got a shed in your garden? You can probably skip this section if you do, and it’s in good, useable condition.
However, if you don’t have a shed, or the one you have has seen better days, now is an excellent time to consider buying and installing a new one.
You can purchase traditional wood sheds, but it’s also possible to buy ones made from lightweight aluminium. In any event, make sure you get one that is big enough to house all the garden tools and accessories you need.
Invest In Some Basic Gardening Tools
You can’t do much gardening without having the right tools for the job. With that in mind, you should invest in some good quality gardening tools, equipment, and accessories.
Some of the things you need to get include:
- Lawnmower;
- Strimmer;
- Shovel, pitchfork and edging hoe;
- Rake or leafblower;
- Secateurs for pruning plants and trees.
If you are on a tight budget, you can get the items you need cheaply on the secondhand market. You may even find some people willing to give such things to you.
Think About The Best Plants To Grow
You will probably want to grow some shrubs or flowering plants in your garden. Make sure you research the best ones to grow for your environment.
For instance, avoid plants that require lots of sunlight if your garden doesn’t see much of it due to surrounding trees and buildings. Plants are undoubtedly the best features of any garden!
Create A Maintenance Schedule
Finally, you need to maintain your garden, or it will become “wild” again! Set yourself a maintenance schedule, such as a Sunday morning each week or whenever you’ve always got some spare time.
