5 Ways to Transform Your Garden for Summer

Summer has officially arrived now that the summer solstice has passed, so it’s time to get those green fingers ready and ensure that your garden is ready for alfresco dinners, BBQs with family and friends and of course, for you to relax and enjoy.

The garden should be seen as an extension of your home, requiring the same love and care that you input to the rest of your property. Whether you want a quick garden fix or to take on a longer project, below are five ways you can give your garden a makeover.

Fake a more mature garden

If your garden is not yet well established, then instead of purchasing plants which need to grow from scratch, you should look to purchase ones which make your garden feel more mature.

Look for large shrubs or trees, which will add instant height to your garden and make it look as though they’ve been there for years. An ornamental tree such as an olive tree or topiary tree should do the trick, as it will also add a focal point to your garden.

Fill up plant pots with colourful flowers such as Geraniums and Marigolds and dot around your garden for a burst of colour.

Add garden ‘rooms’

Just like you’d section out areas of your home with different pieces of furniture, you can also create this effect in your garden too. A patch of grass in the middle and a border round the edge is standard garden practice, but don’t be scared to reinvent the landscape altogether, as you’ll be able to create ‘secret’ areas or little rooms to escape too.

Take a piece of trellis (either small or tall) and paint it in a colour of your choice; if you wish, you could also grow an annual climber up it for added privacy. This will allow you to section off garden beds and change your garden theme if you wish. For example, you could have classic English roses in one area and in the next Mediterranean plants.

If your garden is long and narrow, then add an archway with climbers growing around it to create a pathway inviting guests to discover another area of the garden.

Create structure in garden beds

When purchasing plants, many of us rush into choosing ones which are currently in bloom or die off soon after we’ve purchased them. While you will, of course, want to ensure that you have plants which flower in different months to others, adding a planting structure to your beds will mean that you have established plants all year round.

Add in a number of evergreens and small shrubs for greenery throughout the year and to create a backdrop for the rest of your plants.

Shed to summer house

This project may require a little more time, but it will effectively provide you with another space to entertain – especially if the weather turns for the worse and you need a place to shelter from your summer soiree.

Transforming your shed from a house for your gardening wares to a summer house, will give you somewhere to relax, hide-away or entertain. If you’re stuck for inspiration, then check out Pinterest for some creative ideas. You’ll need to consider whether you want to insulate the shed if you want to use it all year round or if you want proper flooring – although, a rug will do just fine for something cosy underfoot.

Add lighting

Solar-powered lights have greatly increased in design over the last few years. Whether you want traditional festoon lighting, bulbs in the shape of a heart or light stakes to add to garden beds or olive trees in pots, there’s plenty of options.

Adding light to your garden will bring it to life as the evenings draw in and add a decorative touch to your garden. You could try positioning lights so that it highlights certain plants or areas of your garden too.

Now dig out those gardening gloves and tools and visit your local nursery to begin your garden makeover!