We all dream of spending summer evenings in a beautiful garden and with the help of our landscaper Steven, you’ll be able to transform your outdoor space into the ultimate summer sanctuary.
Here he’ll show you how to turn your garden dreams into a lush, vibrant reality.
Starting from scratch
“If you’re working with a blank canvas and ready to get started, the best piece of advice I can give is to think about how you are going to use your garden in the long term.
“Remember that gardens evolve and are never truly finished, so have a plan and do things in stages if need be.
“Swapping the odd plant is easy but replacing paving or decking is not and these structural items are very important to get right first time. They are also likely to be your most expensive items.
“We all like the job to be perfect straight away but this can be expensive - and when you’ve just moved into a new home you may have other priorities.”
Watch the weather
“At this time of year, you should be aware that grass, plants and trees are now actively growing.
“Watering will be needed over the summer with new planting and turf and both grass and plants would appreciate a careful application of spring fertiliser.
“On new lawns I’d suggest you avoid the Weed and Feed type of products and be careful that the application rates are followed accurately. We all tend to think more is better but in the case of fertiliser, an over concentration of the product will poison rather than feed the lawn.
“I would also suggest any remaining fallen winter leaves are raked up and the lawn may also benefit from aerating with a garden fork to improve drainage.”
Go all out
“Whether you’re hosting guests or unwinding, gardens need a social area to sit and appreciate your hard work.
“The careful choice of plants is paramount. A mixture of evergreens and summer flowering varieties is best and well-mixed so that there are no barren areas of the garden during the winter.
“Gardens should be a feast for the eyes, so carefully mixing different colours and textures is key.
Complete the look
“This includes hard features with the use of paving, gravels and garden ornaments as well as a host of plants with varied colours and foliage types.
“Incorporating a handful of architectural plants in certain spots will also make an impact and they look particularly good in gravel. Planted pots are great too, but they can add to your workload as they will need regular watering in the summer. If you’re looking for a low maintenance option, then with pots I would go large as they retain water better, allow the plants room to grow and won’t blow over in the wind.”
