Tips for tidying up your garden
A lot of people find garden maintenance a bit intimidating, believing it to be something that only the naturally green-thumbed can do well. However, you don't need to be a botanical genius to create a neat and tidy outdoor space. If you're keen to whip your garden into shape but aren't quite sure where to begin, the following advice should be of use to you.
Look after your outdoor furniture
Nothing makes a garden look more neglected than an outdoor furniture set which is faded, dusty and covered in leaves, twigs and other debris. Keeping these items in good condition will make a huge difference to the appearance of your garden. If your chairs and table are made from wood and have turned a dull shade of brown, it might be worth spending a weekend sanding and re-varnishing them. This is far less expensive than buying a replacement set and is a great way to breathe new life into your outdoor space.
Cleaning your patio set on a regular basis is also important. Almost all outdoor furniture can be washed using hot water and a mild detergent. Make sure to carry out this task with a soft sponge, as a scourer (particularly a metal one) will create unsightly scratches. If your table and chairs have intricate designs, a spare toothbrush can be used to remove dirt from the furniture's hard-to-reach nooks.
Lastly, if the branches of the trees in your garden hang over the area in which the outdoor furniture is positioned and as a result, there seems to be an endless amount of twigs, leaves and bird droppings on your table and chairs, it might be wise to speak to a professional who specialises in tree lopping. They should be able to trim back the branches of the offending tree to a length where they no longer dangle directly over your dining set.
Master the art of mowing
Everyone knows that mowing the lawn regularly is an important part of keeping your garden looking good. However when it comes to this task, it's important to know when to cut and how much. Generally speaking, the grass should be mown about once a week or so during the summer months and approximately once a month throughout the rest of the year.
The length to which you cut the grass also matters. Most experts recommend that you stick to a height of around one inch, but this figure will vary depending on the variety of grass you happen to have; certain types require closer cuts than others. A word of warning; although you may be tempted to cut the lawn as short as possible, to extend the amount of time between mowing sessions, this could potentially destroy your lawn, by weakening the grass and reducing its ability to fight off weed invasions and cope with environmental stressors.
Pruning or lopping your trees can allow more sunlight to reach your grass, which will also affect how often you should mow, so keep this in mind if you have your trees trimmed.
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