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Outdoor space can make or break the overall look of your property. Fortunately, more people are beginning to appreciate their gardens and recognise them as a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but unfortunately, a lot of people can’t seem to find the time to maintain their outdoor space.
With long working hours and personal responsibilities, it can be hard to muster up both the energy and the motivation to keep on top of an aesthetically pleasing garden. This means a lot of people opt for paving slabs or decking, or worse still, settle for overgrown lawn and a garden chair at best. The good news is, there are options out there to give you a perfectly landscaped looking garden without the hassle.
For those interested in making their neighbours jealous of their outdoor space, keep reading.
Start with the basics
The first step to making your garden look amazing is to start with the basics i.e the fence or perimeter. Whatever it is that marks out the boundary of your space, make sure it’s in tip top condition. If you don’t have too much time, it’s best to stick to a fence of some description as oppose to a hedge or a foliage border which will require constant maintenance and pruning. Whilst a fence still requires a touch of maintenance, for most of the year it can be left alone and still look good.
The first step is to make sure your garden fence is in a suitable condition. If you notice any broken panels or posts, look to get them replaced. In the event your fence is old and/or particularly damaged, you may need to replace it all. If you do, it’s worth keeping in mind your existing fence. If you have a mismatched, jumbled fence, it will bring down the look of your garden. Before you replace anything, you should speak to your neighbours as it will affect their property, too.
Gardens with nicely painted and well-maintained fences look instantly better than those without, so although it seems like a trivial thing, it will have a big impact. What’s more, aside from a yearly coat of paint, it won’t take any effort to maintain!
Alongside the fence, you should think about having a clear out. A lot of people’s gardens become dumping grounds for items that can’t be stored elsewhere. Anything that’s not garden specific will stick out like a sore thumb, so be sure to clear away items that don’t belong in the garden.
Another tip is to have a sweep every now and then to clear up debris, and spray weed killer to get rid of pesky stalks that might be growing between the cracks. These simple steps will overhaul the appearance of the garden and make it look automatically better.
Keep it simple
The next step to making your garden look good is to mould it to the purpose you want it to serve and keep it simple. There’s a temptation to overfill the garden with a vast array of plants, ornaments and furniture. Unless you have the time to keep on top of it all, the chances are parts of it will fall into a state of ruin. Whether that’s in the form of overgrown plants, debris covered ornaments or dilapidated furniture, it will bring the overall look of your garden down.
Avoid this by keeping it simple. If you don’t have a lot of time to look after a lot of plants, stick to the basics that you know you can manage. There is a wide array of garden plants that require very little attention in the way of pruning. Examples include lavender, geraniums and topiary, but there are lots more low maintenance plants that need minimum amounts of attention but that will still look good in the garden.
Think practically
There’s nothing worse than a messy garden that’s ill-kept. Even if your neighbours have 10 types of vegetables and hanging plants in every direction, that doesn’t mean you need to have the same for your garden to look good, too. This is especially important when you consider that not every garden is the same and what works for one won’t work for another. Whether it’s differences in soil or a lack of storage space for tools, choose simple yet workable solutions.
A nifty trick is fake grass. This looks good all year round and whilst keen gardeners sneer at the thought of plastic blades, those with particularly hectic lifestyles or limited space will do better with fake turf than real. This is because it requires literally low maintenance which means you don’t need to worry about finding a place to keep things like a lawnmower. If you have a small, cramped garden, the lack of accessories needed for artificial grass make it a win.
Keep it simple and keep it practical and your garden will look amazing with very little effort!
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