Garden space can provide tremendous value, especially during the summertime. It’s associated with superior mental health outcomes, to say nothing of the physical and spiritual benefits. What’s more, the more time you spend in your garden, the greater the benefits will be. If you’re looking to get the best from your garden this summer, then you might already be considering a few choice improvements. But exactly which garden upgrades are worth the money? Let’s take a look at a few popular choices.
Raised Beds for Easy Growing
One of the ongoing challenges of tending to a ground-level flowerbed is that you’ll have to constantly kneel down in order to reach them. This can be painful for older gardeners – but it’s not much fun for younger ones, either. There’s a solution to this problem: raised beds. By lifting the bed a few feet, you’ll be able to reach it that much more easily. Better yet, your plants will enjoy superior drainage and more soil to grow into. You can also be more sure of what soil you’re using. Whether you’re growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, or a combination of all three, a raised bed can be a considerable boon.
We’ve completely cleared our ground level vegetable patches and are hoping to make it way more less maintenance by introducing raised beds. We’ve also marked out a couple of areas that we are going to brickweave and use pots and planters to ensure we still have growing space, but without the need of having to constantly weed.
We have a huge issue with muntjac in our garden, as well as all the other lovely wildlife that seem to help themselves to our growing wares so raising the beds will also make it easier to cover, and hopefully, stop the pests getting in!
Polytunnels and Greenhouses
Certain plants are more delicate and will benefit from a hotter environment. This is where polytunnels and greenhouses come in. These structures work via the same principle, trapping heat so that your plants are protected from unreliable British weather. They also tend to be highly efficient, allowing for impressive yields even when space is limited.
For smaller gardens, polytunnels tend to represent the best way forward. You might supplement yours with an automated watering system, so that you can safely go on holiday without worrying about your precious plants dying.
Our greenhouse needs a big deep clean this year. We’ve decided not to use it, and we’re going to break down and start from scratch. We’ve had some incredible cucumber and tomato yields over the last couple of years but now the greenhouse itself needs a bit of attention to ensure it works more efficiently for us. This is our job over the summer – it’s a bit of a big one!
Durable Outdoor Furniture
Spending time in the garden means being able to recline in comfort. If you don’t have the right seating, this might be difficult.
Look at garden furniture that’s easy on the eye and that will keep you comfortable even if you’re reading in the sun for long periods. You might even build your own bespoke benches to fill the space around your patio.
Certain materials, like teak, rattan, or powder-coated aluminium, are a great fit for outdoor furniture – it lasts so well and it’s really durable. If you know that you’re going to be entertaining guests regularly, it’s worth keeping a few foldable chairs on standby for those occasions where your permanent seating isn’t sufficient. Over the last couple of years we’ve added to our outdoor seating; we went for a gorgeous round table for when we’re hosting or eating lunch outside on the lower patio, and a futher L shaped seat on the upper patio for when the bifold doors are wide open.
Garden Lighting to Extend Evenings
A few extra light bulbs might provide a great means of extending your time outdoors. When evening draws in, the right accent lighting might make a big difference to the vibe – as well as making the space easier to navigate. Solar panels might highlight the edges of flowerbeds and garden paths, while festoon bulbs might give your seating areas a welcoming glow.
Water Butts and Irrigation
Water butts can save you big money on your water bill, especially during dry spells. You can simply water your plants with rainwater you’ve collected over a period of months. Given that droughts are expected this summer, this is an upgrade that might justify itself fairly quickly.
Wildlife-Friendly Features
If you can attract the right wildlife to your garden, then your plants might stand a better chance. Larger predators, like bees, birds, and hedgehogs, might provide a natural form of population control for the smaller pests that might seek to eat your vegetables. You can encourage them to visit with the help of bird baths, bug hotels, and patches of wildflowers.
Long-Lasting Decking or Patios
The patio area is a major focal point for any garden. Putting together an impressive one might involve a significant outlay, but the results can be worth it. What matters is that your chosen materials are weather-resistant and that you’ve thought about drainage. Timber decking and natural stone tend to be excellent picks.
Smart Storage Solutions
You’ll need to find a space to keep all of your garden tools. This is the purpose of a good garden shed. However, for your shed to be effective, you’ll need to make sure that it’s well organised. Wall-mounted shelves, cabinets, and other space-efficient items can make a big difference. You might also consider other storage solutions, like Ottoman-style benches and bike boxes.