It can be hard to find the motivation to get out in the garden and complete those little odd jobs. However, we spoke to garden professional Darin Bradbury, the director of MINT Pool + Landscape Design, and asked him what the five key garden jobs are that will make the most difference to how your garden looks and feels in the shortest amount of time. Read on for his tips and advice.
1. Remove dead or struggling plants and replace them with new plants
“Beautiful gardens have one thing in common: the plants are alive. Living, green plants always look better than sick, brown plants. If it’s not working after two growing seasons remove it or move it to a better location. Sometimes, you just have to start again and try something new. Planting new plants is like giving your garden a spring clean. You’ll feel better for it and your garden will look fresh and healthy.”
2. Paint those ugly fence palings
“This one is guaranteed to give your backyard a face lift faster than a Hollywood plastic surgeon. The rule of thumb here is ‘the darker the better’. The first thing we do on all our projects is paint the boundary fences black or off-black, such as Colorbond Monument. Two coats of good outdoor grade paint should do the job to cover all those drab grey timber fences. Not only does the dark colour create a uniform finish to those vertical surfaces, but it also creates the perfect backdrop for all that green foliage.”
3. Mulch your garden
“A good mulch will provide a dark and uniform background for your foliage, making it the hero of the garden. Do not use coloured mulches, as they draw the eye away from the plants. The best option for your soil and plants is a bio or composted mulch. Not only does this keep moisture in the soil, but it also provides nutrients and improves the water holding capacity of the soil.”
4. Pressure wash your hard surfaces
“Timber, concrete and stone start to look pretty weathered over time. To get them looking fresh again, pressure wash your hard surfaces. Don’t go too hard on old paved areas as you can blow out the grout. A light pressure wash is all that’s needed to remove sun-baked grime. Only pressure wash decking that is in need of a fresh coat of oil. This will give you an excuse to get a few new coats on once the timber has dried.”
5. Update your outdoor furniture
“Just like interiors, outdoor furniture trends evolve over time. Due to its durability requirements, outdoor furniture does tend to be more expensive than indoor furniture. However, it’s worth investing in something that is going to impress your friends and survive outdoors for many years to come.”
You might also like:
How to make a small garden feel bigger
How to prepare your garden for spring
Want some more outdoor ideas? Watch the video below.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
