Five ways to organise your outside

hanging-basket.jpg

At this time of year when we tend to spend a lot more time enjoying the garden, it’s worth working on keeping your outside space in order. Tackling tasks little and often will help to keep things in check, without making you feel like you’re prepping for a royal visit. In recent years there’s been a rise in a more natural, undone aesthetic, too - so use this to your full advantage and forgo stripes in the lawn (unless you really want them, of course.) Much like the relief you feel when you’ve cleaned and decluttered the house, giving the garden a good tidy helps to create a relaxing space you can enjoy throughout summer and beyond. Read on for tips on how to get your outside space organised…

Make your Bed

It doesn’t take much for beds and borders to start looking unruly - a few weeds, some overgrown plants and a touch of summer weather to make everything grow faster, and suddenly you’ve got a mess on your hands. But, even the most chaotic bed or border can be given a spruce by adding a bark such as woodchip or ornamental bark. Not only does the addition of a bark act as a weed suppressant, it also provides a pleasing aesthetic and makes the space look instantly neater. Once you've done your weeding and planted up your desired flowers and shrubs, add a layer of bark as the finishing touch.

Lawn Labour

If you happened to partake in No Mow May, then the bees may be happy but you might be struggling to keep the lawn in order. One of the quickest ways to keep your garden looking tidy is to give the grass a good trim, but don’t neglect the edges - that’s where you can really make a difference, so grab those shears and get trimming. Ideally to keep on top of your edges and stop the grass encroaching into your borders, aim to trim them after every mow. Once the tidying and neatening is done, treat the lawn to a little TLC by using a summer lawn feed to help aid drought resistance - essential as we head into the warmer weather.

Dress to Impress

Usually, tidying means decluttering and throwing things away, so the suggestion of introducing more plants to your garden might sound counterintuitive, but hear us out. Bringing hanging baskets and pot plants into your outside space helps to ‘dress’ it by adding colour and charm. Much like homes, minimalist spaces can look cluttered quickly if there aren’t focal points - by adding striking pot plants or beautiful potted displays, the focus becomes about the plants and less about the surrounding (potentially less tidy) area.

Patio Prep

Often patios and decking areas can be overlooked when it comes to garden maintenance because the focus tends to fall to beds and borders. But, ensuring these areas are kept clean and tidy can make a huge impact when it comes to the overall aesthetic of your garden. If you have one to hand, or can borrow one, use a pressure washer to give your patio or decking a thorough clean. Keep an eye on any weeds that might be popping through as these can look unsightly, and repair any damaged areas or touch up areas where paint may have faded.

June Prune

At this time of year, deadheading and pruning plays a big part in keeping your plants thriving for longer. Not only that, but doing so helps to keep everything looking tidy, too. Faded flowers can look unsightly, and also cause a mess as the petals and leaves drop. But, if you deadhead and prune as soon as you can after the flowers start to look past their best, not only will your garden look instantly tidier, in many cases you’ll also be helping the plants to produce more flowers for longer.