THE EVENINGS ARE slowly getting longer and the mornings are getting brighter, making the idea of relaxing in the garden much more realistic than it was a few months ago.
Of course, if your back door currently opens up to an overgrown stretch of grass or a blank square of concrete, then you may have some work to do first.
DIY experts like B&Q make it easy to create your dream garden with a wide range of outdoor tools and accessories, so where’s the best place to begin once you get outside?
We asked Irish landscapers Kevin Whitty of TheGardener.ie and Dean Lacey of LandArt.ie for their advice on creating a dream garden even if you don’t have green fingers. Here are their tips…
1. Only keep the outside furniture you regularly use
When most of your garden is taken up by chunky plastic garden furniture, you instantly lose out on space. Kevin suggests a more scaled down alternative, like “some café style tables, chairs and benches” or folding furniture that can be put away.
If you don’t have the budget to upgrade, he advises getting creative with old indoor furniture too, using weather-proof paint:
Don’t be afraid to introduce things like bedside lockers. Give them a quick upcycle and you have a unit to place plant pots or drinks on.
2. No grass? Use pots and hanging baskets instead
You don’t need endless green lawns to create a welcoming garden. In fact, you don’t need any green lawns at all, says Dean:
Put planting on all the boundary walls instead. Use hanging baskets filled with trailing plants, attach trellising and climbers or fit some window boxes to the wall to brighten up the space.
If you do want some green on the ground, Dean suggests using pots of various sizes, “grouped together and planted with bulbs, herbs, grasses or small ornamental trees, to mimic the large flowerbeds you might see in a big garden.”
3. Look for low-maintenance plants (ones that don’t mind the cold)
Perennials – plants which regrow year after year – are perfect if you’re not the green-fingered type. “Perennial bulbs like tulips, daffodils and alliums are cheap and they’ll surprise you with new pops of colour every spring,” says Kevin.
For a large plant that looks the part but requires minimal effort, Dean suggests a hardy tree like a Japanese maple. “They need little to no maintenance, will grow in the shade if they have to, and look beautiful too.”
4. Add colour with paving and planters
If you have a patch of green that could do with some livening up, think beyond flowers and leaves, says Dean:
Bright stone paving slabs can transform the space, especially a small garden with high fencing or walls around it.
Alternatively, swap out terracotta plant pots for vibrant ceramic pots in block colours or patterns.
5. Be smart with the layout of your garden
If you are laying paving or adding an area of plants, think strategically, says Dean.
Lay paving diagonally to trick the eye into thinking your patio is bigger. Or add an L-shaped planter at the end of the patio which can double up as a seat, making the area more functional.
Many Irish gardens are “wall-to-wall lawn,” but creating a flower bed is actually fairly simple, adds Dean. “Make out the space, dig up the soil, dig in some good quality compost and start planting.”
6. And add finishing touches for evening entertaining
Do you love the idea of having friends around for a back-garden barbecue, or sitting with a glass of wine as the sun sets? Then pick some garden accessories that suit that dream, suggests Kevin.
Decide if you want an outdoor dining room or a living room, or both, and decorate accordingly. Touches like outdoor lights or even a fire pit mean the entertaining doesn’t have to end.
Ready to update your garden for spring? B&Q has everything you could possibly need for outdoor and indoor DIY, including loads of handy how-tos to get you started. Have a look at what’s currently in stock, find your nearest store or arrange to chat to an expert.
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