Creating the Perfect Summer Garden in 2016

Summer has arrived! A back garden is the perfect place for a glass of wine in the evening, a BBQ with friends or a fun filled Saturday afternoon with the kids, but is yours in tip top condition and ready to be enjoyed? If not, here’s how you can create the perfect summer garden in 2016. 

Mow the lawn and trim back the plants

First, you need to take care of all that greenery. Mow the lawn when the grass is dry (if it’s been raining, hold off until the sun has dried it out), and prune back any trees, bushes and plants that are beginning to run wild. It might also be worth putting down some weed killer if you’ve noticed any weeds emerging over springtime, and if you have fencing or borders in your garden make sure they’re properly fixed into the ground.

Inject some colour

If your garden is looking a bit bland, why not add a splash of colour by planting some beautiful flowers? Choose blooms in whites, yellows, reds, oranges and pinks, placing them in raised beds or plant pots to reduce the likelihood of slugs and other pests feasting on them. It’s a small improvement to your garden but will make a big difference to how it looks and smells.

Pressure wash the patio
Next, get rid of all that grime by pressure washing your patio. Doing so will reveal the original colour of the bricks or paving slabs, making your garden look as good as new and far more expensive than it did covered under a layer of dirt and moss!

Spruce up the decking

Then, if you happen to have decking as well, pressure wash it to reveal the true, vibrant colour of the wood beneath it. This will make it a lovely area to dine on, providing an extra outdoor space, where you can make the most of the evening sun. Decking is the perfect addition to a summer garden as it’s raised from the ground which makes it feel more like a ‘room’ than a patch of garden. Plus, decking boards are made from timber which feels warmer and softer underfoot… far more pleasant than cold stone or patio bricks!

Add comfortable furniture

A perfect summer garden needs comfortable, functional furniture. Invest in a set of tables and chairs that your family and friends can use, and consider a swing or outdoor sofa for those hazy summer afternoons when you fancy reading a book in the sunshine. A parasol of some sort will help to provide much needed shade, too.

Get the BBQ ready!

Finally, no summer garden would be complete without a BBQ! Dig yours out from the garden shed and give it a thorough clean before you use it. Heat resistant paint can be used on BBQs this summer if you want to change the colour of your BBQ rather than buying a new one, and as a bonus you’ll protect it against heat loss too… meaning those sausages will be sizzling in no time!