Not enough people appreciate a good garden. Even those that do often don’t have the time to actually work on their garden themselves. But if you even have a garden then you should consider yourself lucky! Not only are gardens adding more and more to real estate value, but they’re somewhat of a rarity for many people these days. To some, a home with a nice garden is the ultimate life goal.

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So let’s say you’re someone who does appreciate a good garden. Let’s also say that you don’t really spend that much time on your own. What are some simple ways to spice up your garden to add some life and luxury to it? Here are some quick tips.

Fountain

There’s nothing quite like walking out into a garden and hearing the faint trickle of water in the summer. It’s relaxing, luxurious, and classy. This can be attained via pretty much any water feature. But perhaps the most famous, and the most elegant, is the garden fountain.

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Fountains make for an amazing focal point in any garden. Putting one in the middle of your lawn could be enough to add some class to your property. You can read about professional installation at https://www.outdoorfountainpros.com/, as well as seeing just how many different designs you can get for your garden. Remember that all eyes will be drawn to it immediately;  add some beautiful flora around it for extra effect.

Stone pathway

A beautiful stone pathway encourages guests to explore your garden. It defines a walking area, so you don’t end up trodding over all your grass. While you may not care too much about flattened grass, having a given path for roaming makes the roaming all the more pleasurable.

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It’s easier than you think to get one of these in. You can read more about the required landscaping at http://www.hightechlandscapes.com/. Take a walk around your garden, trying to envision a path. What route or walking style do you like best? You should also consider the other features of your garden. You could have your pathway lead to a fountain or your favourite flower beds. And once a stone pathway is set, you can decorate it further. Nothing compliments a stone pathway more than a trellis with cascading vegetation!

Deck

People love a good patio. But timber decking is even better! With elevated, high-quality wood beneath your feet, a strong deck is the best way to enjoy your garden on those sunny summer days.

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You’ve probably seen an elegant garden deck before, so you know what kind of benefits they can bring to you. If it’s well-designed, it makes your house look amazing (and adding to its value in the process!) You can help ensure your decking meets that particular criteria by visiting http://www.americandeckbuilder.com/ and working with experts in the field. With a safe cooking area installed, you can get a classy BBQ with friends and family going. You can consider it your home’s “hub” of outdoor entertainment during the warm weather.

With the warmer months rapidly approaching it’s no wonder most of us our turning our attentions to our beloved gardens. However the cooler months tend to mean our gardens have been somewhat neglected so it’s difficult to know where to start trimming and preening the wilderness that has taken over.

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So today we are discussing the simple ways we can organise and preen our gardens so they are ready for us to enjoy over the spring and summer period.

Clear Out the Debris

Sometimes the winter damage can look worse than it actually is, due to all the debris that has accumulated over the colder months. So beginning with clearing out all the debris will give you a better idea of what actually needs doing.

Re-energise the Earth

The winter months tends to leave the soil in your garden packed and undernourished, so revitalising the soil is really important. Just adding compost,and fertilizer where necessary, will have the earth healthy and ready for the sunnier seasons.

Nurturing Existing Plants

For those plants that have survived the winter, you’ll need to prune in order to prepare them for the spring and summer. ‘Deadheading’ flowers and extracting dead leaves will leave your plants ready to flourish and blossom.

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Look Up

Look at the trees in your garden and evaluate their health and positioning. It’s important to keep trees trim particularly if they are situated close to your home. Hiring a local tree service company is a good idea if you’re unsure about how to care for the trees in your garden.

New Flowers and Shrubs

Look around your garden and consider the colours and types of plants you’d like to add to get your garden looking tip-top. Some fantastic spring plants are snapdragons, pansies, lilacs and tulips. So take a trip down to your local garden centre and start planning how to breathe new life into your garden.

Maintenance

Once you’ve done all the cleaning, re-nourishing, potting and planting it’s easy to think the work is done. But maintenance is key in order to keep your garden in premium condition throughout the warmer months. Dust off those little hand pruners and do a weekly inspection of the dead flowers and leaves that need removing.

Inspect your flowers and plants for insects. Looking for holes or stickiness to leaves could mean an infestation so take a sample down to your local garden centre for advice on appropriate action.

Keep your garden hydrated by watering regularly. Drip irrigation pipes and soaker hoses are generally more effective at evenly distributing water around your plants that standard sprinklers, so consider investing in one of these if you don’t already have one.

Finally, have fun with it. Gardens are the wildest area of our homes and we should be free with the way we nurture and care for them. Finding new and creative ways of adding colour and diversity to your garden is such a rewarding way to spend time over the warmer months. Then of course, there’s nothing better than sitting back on a spring evening and admiring our handy work.

We all want to make our homes look their best. We put our design minds on and make each room the way we want it. But, there’s one part of our homes too many of us forget. Most of us put all our efforts into making what’s between our walls work. But, what about your outside space? Decor doesn’t stop at the door. Turn your designing hand to your garden to ensure you can be proud of your house as a whole!

[Photo courtesy of 김 대정/pexels.com]

Get Creative with Flowers

No garden is complete without flowers. If you have a flair for creating, you can have a lot of fun designing your flower beds. If you’re not familiar with gardening, you may be tempted to stick to safe designs. Don’t do it! You just need to put some thought into the way you’re planting things. Flowers look beautiful no matter what, so you can’t go far wrong. Think about where you would like your flower beds to be. You don’t have to stick to the traditional options! Think, too, about how you’re planting. Do you want to work on a color scheme, or would you prefer the colors mixed?

To Patio or Not to Patio

Flowers aside, consider what you’re going to do with the rest of your space. If you’re not keen on the idea of plain grass garden, a patio might be for you. Bear in mind that a patio could make a small garden seem smaller. Plus, it would take over your greenery altogether! If you have ample space to play with, though, a patio could be an amazing design feature. If you’re unsure what a patio can do for you, take a look at some examples to help you decide. If you’re worried about covering your grass, remember you can enhance your patio with potted plants!

[Photo courtesy of Terje Sollie/pexels.com]

Don’t Forget the Furniture

Now we’re on familiar footing. Like the rooms in your house, your garden needs furniture! What you buy depends on what you’re going to be using the space for. If you plan to eat outside, invest in a table and chair set to suit your needs. If not, you might just want to buy a sofa or lawn chairs. And, the furniture choices don’t end there, either. You could add to the atmosphere by purchasing a log burner. Or, you could go all out and treat yourself to a hot tub. Again, this is best for a larger garden. If you want to put your design skills to good use, design your own hot tub.This option also has the benefit of ensuring your choice fits in with your garden. Don’t forget, too, to stock up on some lighting for your outside space! That way, you can enjoy your garden well into the evening!

These are just a few of the ways you can turn your designing hand to your garden. The trick is to not feel overwhelmed. There’s nothing to it. Think of it as a house without a roof!

Making your garden look as good as it should can take a lot of effort. If you aren’t a natural gardener, it can take a lot of persuasion to get you out in the garden working on bringing it up to muster. The more effort you put in, though, the better it will look. And the better your garden looks, the more ready you will be to go out there and keep it in fine condition. When you have a garden to be proud of, things flow from there.

[Photo courtesy of  Karen Arnold/publicdomainpictures.net]

One of the most important things about getting your garden in check is having a plan. Sometimes, when you move in to a new place, your garden needs a bit of work just to make it tidy. In doing so, you can keep it simple, or you can be ambitious with it and create something you’re proud to call your own. It should be something that fits where you live, as well. Picking the right things to put there will make a real difference.

Growing Something Beautiful

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A garden isn’t really a garden without at least a spray of natural beauty. What you’re aiming for is something that gives a burst of color. That will make it a pleasure to sit out in the garden and take in the view while chatting, eating and drinking. Flowers that suit the soil, whether they be roses, poppies or anything you like the look of, will be a pleasure to look at.

Growing Something Useful

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Plants that have a utility beyond just looking pretty can be a sound addition to a garden. Not least because they themselves can be beautiful too, but also because they create a working garden. If you plant tomatoes, sweetcorn, chilli peppers or similar, you can then pick them when they’ve grown and use them. There’s something nice about eating food that you have grown yourself from native Australian seeds.

Creating An Ornamental Display

Not everything that you put in your garden has to be something that grows. Indeed, it can be efficient for you to put things there that don’t require planting and watering. Some decking or decorative gravel can create a walkway that looks good in the garden and is useful to you. Additionally, ornamental touches such as parasols and garden furniture can make the garden a more pleasant place to sit.

Add A Water Feature

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Making use of water in your garden can make it a more relaxing place to be. The sight and sound of running water, against a backdrop of an interesting sculpture, is an excellent finishing touch to a garden. It attaches to your home water supply – so it might be a good idea to go for something small if you don’t want higher bills. It does, though, make a wonderful conversation piece and a touch of class.

You may well have your own ideas for what to do with your garden – it’s certainly something that is easier to do when you have had a look. Picking the right things to add to a garden takes some thought, but is well worth the effort.