It’s hard to escape the constant news about coronavirus at the moment and that means many of us are spending more time in our homes. With spring definitely well on the way and the first hints of warmer weather, now is the perfect time to start getting your outdoor space ready for the summer.
Even if you can’t have huge gatherings and garden parties this year, you can still make the most of your outdoor space, so it’s well worth taking the time to look at how you can spruce up your garden after the winter.
Country Living recently offered some suggestions of garden tasks you can do if you’re self-isolating as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Even if you’re not self-isolating but are following the advice on social distancing, it’s still a good idea to spend time in your own garden rather than in parks.
You could start by bringing some colour and sunshine to your garden by planting sunflowers. Sow your seeds now and you can look forward to some bright and beautiful yellow blooms as the weather warms up.
The publication recommends planting them in pots on a sunny windowsill initially and only putting them outdoors once the seedlings have started to grow and the danger of frost has passed.
You could also explore creating a veg patch and there are lots of options that do well in containers if you don’t have a very large garden or outdoor space. Among the recommendations to plant now are salad leaves, beetroot, herbs, dwarf carrots and potatoes.
Invest in some new planters if you don’t have what you need already. There are even illuminated planters available, which means they double up as garden lights as well as a place to grow flowers, veg, or other ornamental plants.
Another item worth buying, according to Country Living, is some bird feeders. These are a great way to encourage a range of birds to your garden and if you’re spending more time at home they can provide a welcome distraction from the news.
Although the evenings are getting lighter, especially with the clocks changing at the end of this month, it’s still well worth buying some outdoor garden lighting to help illuminate your outdoor space to enable you to use it into dusk.
You can pick some really pretty outdoor lights these days, including fairy lights that can be draped from trees, which can give your garden a magical feeling.
Don’t forget about your walls and fences either. As the news provider noted, there’s no need to stare at a blank wall. You can invest in some environmentally friendly hessian flower bags.
They’re simple to install, you just fill them with compost, plant them up with flowering plug plants and then hang them along the wall. They’ll burst into colour and provide a welcome refuge for insects too.
Better Homes and Gardens recently highlighted some of the top garden design trends of 2020, which you may want to bear in mind if you’re shopping for decorative garden accessories to give your outdoor area a lift.
Foodscaping is one trend that the news provider identified. This refers to using edible plants in at least some parts of the garden. This might be in the form of a proper vegetable patch if you have the space, or could simply mean filling some of your planters with lettuce plants or herbs.
If you only have a small outdoor space and it’s in an urban environment, then you might wonder how you can make the patio or terrace stylish without cluttering it too much. One of the top tips from the publication is to “use outdoor furniture to define specific areas, and varying pavers to create different moods”.
Think about how you want to use your outdoor space this year too. Is it somewhere you want to relax with a good book in the sun? A spot for having barbeques? Or a space where the kids can blow off some steam? Or even a combination?
Another thing to consider is how you can create a sense of cohesion between your outdoor space and the rest of your home. This is a trend that’s gaining momentum, according to the news provider.
In practice, that may mean using similar paving or tiling between indoor and outdoor spaces to create continuity. Or you could choose a selection of modern garden accessories that are similar to the decor in your home.
You might even pick a series of planters that can feature both in and outdoors, giving you a simple and affordable way to create that continuity between your spaces.