How To Improve Your Garden

If you’re lucky enough to have outside space at home, are you making the most of it? At this time of year especially, it’s so nice to get into the garden whether it’s to entertain friends, make memories with the family or just to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet by yourself. We all need a spot in the garden for a morning or evening drink. A place to sit and read or just relax and enjoy the view. When the weather is nice, the garden essentially gives you another ‘room’ in your home to enjoy.  Here are a few ways you can create or improve your special space and make the most of your garden. 

Make A Plan

If you want to really improve the overall way the garden looks, altering the land itself is a major factor. You can do that by calling in a professional landscaping team to come and look at how your garden’s layout and groundwork might be changed for the better. You’ll be amazed at what they can achieve, and often this is all you need to do to make sure that you are going to have a much stronger garden on the whole. If you want to have a different shape to your garden or you are just hoping to improve the ground then this is the way to do it.  The first year I was in my home, I wanted to change the landscape of my yard.  I paid a professional to come and visit and make suggestions.  I didn’t have the money to have my garden professionally landscaped, but I used a professional’s expertise to gain ideas.  I made a plan  and drew a graph of my proposed changes and began to implement it over 5 years. Each year the plan is changed with additions and deletions.    See Garden Guide for more information and forms to plan your garden.

Cut Back Perennials

If you have a number of perennials in your garden, then you need to reguarly prune your plants.  It’s so healthy for the plants.  Some perennials benefit largely from regular pruning during the summer growing season, but the most important cleanups are in the fall and the spring.  A large number of perennials respond best to a tidy spring cleaning and are seemingly rejuvenated from the practice. Other perennials favor a quick cutting-back before winter sets in, so that they can get right down to business in the spring, unimpeded by last year’s growth.

Garden Borders

Look at the flowers in your garden and be ruthless. Get rid of tired, old plants.  Enrich the soil with compost and add new flowers.   Consider the orientation and available light, and then add color.  Remember seasonal displays such as spring bulbs and plan for varying heights too.  If you are interested in attracting butterflies or birds to your yard, check 5 Steps For A Butterfly Garden  and National Audubon Society’s How to Make Your Yard Bird-Friendly.

Trees and Shrubs

First take a hard look at existing shrubs and trees. The yard will look totally different with a good pruning of overgrown shrubs.  If you don’t have any trees, you will find that planting some new ones is going to make a huge difference to how your garden looks, and you can use them to completely change the feel and layout of the entire space. Do the shrubs and trees seem to be compatible and present a cohesive view?  If you only have a small garden, a couple of smaller trees in pots can provide the same effect. Remember to investigate plants that do well in your growing zone.  As I’ve said before, it’s a waste of money to plant something that will fail in your environment.  Consider your choices for seasonal change; color, blossom, fruits and berries, leaf shapes and textures, and then create your new look.

Add Big Pots

Plants need lots of room for their roots. Add large pots to fill in blank spots.  What I love about container gardens is how easy it is to change the garden for each season. Remove the spring bulbs and put out summer perennials. Add pots of chrysanthemums in the fall.   For shrubs and small trees you must use the largest pot you can get.  Choose galvanized, terracota, or wooden with steel bands.  They will last for years.  Consider placement carefully for the largest pots will not be easily moved when filled.

Create a seating area

Spend some time getting your patio area up to scratch. Jet wash slabs and replace any that are cracked, pull up weeds, rake pea gravel. Get whatever you have down looking its best.  If you don’t have a patio or deck, find a spot in the yard on the grass.  Then if you don’t have seating, invest in great outdoor furniture. That’s what really makes the garden usable.  If you go with a corner sofa with an outdoor dining table you get the best of both worlds as you can use it for dining or relaxing. 

I hope I’ve inspired you to take some time this week to look at your existing garden and make a plan to make it better for this summer.  Stay well!

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