Getting the Garden Ready for Summer

Over the last few weeks, maybe even a couple of months, we have been doing all we can to get our garden ready for the summer. As we’re having an extension at some point in the next year we know that this will probably be our last summer with our garden as we know it and so we are doing all we can to make sure we use the garden as much as possible this year and really appreciate it – before it gets landscaped again after the extension.

Here’s our progress so far:

New fences – Earlier this month we had our fences replaced on one side of the garden. We’ve gone from having short fences to having full height ones that make the garden much more private and enclosed. It’s the kind of job we didn’t think about over the winter and when we started using the garden again we realised that many panels were rotten or had fallen over. It was a good job done!

New roof on the shed – Having a 30ft shed in the garden comes with it’s fair share of problems! It’s such a great space for us to store all the garden furniture, power tools, gardening equipment and the children’s garden toys but over the winter the roof developed not just one but quite a few leaks. To salvage our storage space, and save us the huge expense of a new shed, we got the shed re-roofed and it has made a huge difference – the space is now lovely and water tight again!

Cleaning – We have had to clean all of the children’s toys, clean out the sand and water tables and even pressure wash the patio. Much of preparing for the summer involves cleaning – dusting off the barbecue, cleaning off the garden furniture that’s been under covers for months and having a general tidy up too.

Cutting the hedge and grass – At the very start of the season we have the mammoth job of cutting the huge hedge that runs along the other side of our garden. This is Dave’s job and I think he secretly likes getting the cordless hedge trimmer out! It takes the best part of the day though, followed by cutting the lawn too. These are some of my least favourite jobs but they really do get the garden ready for the summer.

When the garden is safe, clean and tidy we then spend some time buying new garden accessories – and that’s the stage we’re at now. I like to buy a few plants to dot around, pretty flowers to brighten the patio up and a few candles – the ones that look pretty but also keep wasps away! For me, getting the hard work out the way as early as possible leaves us loads of time to just appreciate the space and then invite all of our friends and family over to make the most of it. Garden party anyone?