It’s no secret that Project Garden is firmly on our to-do list for the summer. It needs a lot of work to get it to a manageable state. Then it’s going to be consistent care and maintenance to keep it healthy throughout the year.
Gardening is not a hobby for us, which is why it’s currently a bit of a mess. We just haven’t had the time to see to it since we moved in. Saying that, I’m longing to be able to enjoy our garden this year. I want to sit outside and enjoy a G&T in the evening, play with my little boy and fill it with beautiful flowers. So, let’s hope that by the end of summer I’m a little more green-fingered.
In the longer term I’d love to have a veg patch but I don’t have the time or energy for that right now. Perhaps we’ll revisit that idea next year.
I’m currently doing lots of reading and research to figure out the best and easiest ways to manage a small garden. I want it to look good, be functional and very easy to manage.
Today I’m going to share the tips I’ve recently picked up.
6 Time-saving tips for an easy to manage garden
Be honest
The first and most important step is to be open and honest with yourself. We’d all love a stunning garden filled with exotic flowers, fruit trees, a veg patch and a neat and shiny lawn but that would take a lot of work. If you have the time and passion to get into the garden each day then you’ll probably be able to create something truly amazing. If like me, you just don’t have the time or the dedication then you’ll need to work towards something much more manageable.
So, be honest with what you can and can’t do when it comes to garden maintenance.
Pick plants that need less water
Look for plants that need less watering (Portulaca lives best in dry soil) to make your life easier. Especially if you don’t have time to water the garden every morning.
Artificial grass
Switch your lawn out for artificial grass. This will make your garden really low maintenance.
Paving stones
We’ve got a small area of paving which I wouldn’t mind adding to. Marshalls sandstone paving have a really fab choice of durable paving available. Our current paving has enough room for a table and chairs. I’d like a little more room for a BBQ and it would mean less grass to keep under control.
Mulch
If you don’t fancy having plants and flowers to deal with you could cover the soil with mulch. It keeps your garden looking neat and tidy as well as suppressing the growth of weeds.
Do your research
Look the plants you currently have in your garden and do a little research to learn more about them. If they sound like they could potentially be high maintenance then it’s a good idea to switch them out for something more manageable.
I hope to learn more over the next month or so. If you have any gardening books or blogs you can point me in the direction of that would be fab. I’m thinking of ordering this one.
Are you green-fingered?
Thanks to Marshalls for collaborating on this post.