12 Ways To Freshen Up Your Garden

Rewild Your Garden

Not only does rewilding save you the trouble of regularly mowing your garden, it can also help restore healthy ecosystems by creating wild, biodiverse spaces that support natural processes. From nurturing the plants and animals that already have a home in your garden to avoiding pesticides and setting up wildlife corridors, there’s plenty you can do to set up a rewilding space – and the results are wonderfully rugged, too. Marian Boswall Landscape Architects specialises in creating landscape with long-term sustainability in mind, helping garden owners transform their space through a mixture of rewilding and conservation.

Image: Marian Boswall (c) Jason Ingram

Up Your Garden Furniture Game

Whether you’re looking to invest in a luxurious outdoor lounge set or prefer vintage finds, the right furniture can transform not only the look of your garden, but your al fresco experience too – so be sure to find pieces that are suited to you. Hadley Rose offers a wide range of elegant outdoor sofa and dining sets, whilst antique retailer The Hoarde boasts an eclectic array of vintage items, from rustic patio sets to antique French garden benches.

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Get Ahead With A Spring Refresh

‘Early in the season, it’s a good idea to give your flower borders a bit of a tidy up before they burst back into life,’ garden designer Randle Siddeley tells us. ‘Remove the last of the fallen leaves and pull out early weeds before adding a layer of mulch to feed the soil and prevent more weeds. You can also cut back dried foliage and grasses, and add some well-rotted manure into the soil.’

Learn more about spring planting in our full guide

Plant Pretty Perennials

From lavender to peonies, pretty shasta daisies and pastel-coloured yarrow, planting perennials is the perfect way to add a natural splash of colour to your garden. These eye-catching flowers are best planted in spring, so they’ll be looking their brightest by the time summer comes around. Visit the RHS website for expert guidance.

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Paint Your Plant Pots

Another easy and non-expensive way of adding a splash of colour to your garden: painting your plant pots. Simply coat a terra-cotta plant pot in acrylic paint (using whichever colours your wish), then use a stencil (optional) to create patterns for added decoration.

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Grow Herbs

From parsley to mint, basil and dill, not only do herbs add flavour to your dishes, they’ll also add a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to your garden – the kind which affirms you’re a pro in both the kitchen and the grounds. The reality is, herbs are pretty easy to plant and grow. Look to the RHS guide for advice on how to get started with harvesting your own herb garden.

Image: Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Add A Water Feature

Whether it be a water fountain, pond or an ornamental pool, enhance your outdoor space with a sense of tranquility by adding a water feature. Better yet, fill the pool of water with petals to add vibrance and colour. If you’re looking for something unique, see David Harber’s impressive array of features, from serene water walls to water-filled fire pits.

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Light Up The Garden

Add lights to your garden for an instant dose of fairytale glamour – ideal for those long summer evenings spent relaxing and dining outdoors. Fairy lights, candle lights, wall lights, festoon lights… the possibilities are endless.

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Invest In A Summerhouse

Create your own garden hideaway with the addition of a summerhouse. Whether for work, entertainment, or even as a secret reading spot, summerhouses are a great investment. We’re a big fan of Birstall’s sophisticated lead roof summer houses complete with plywood flooring and translucent double doors which let the light flood in.

Add A Hammock 

The epitome of relaxation, there’s nothing better than soaking up the summer sunshine in a hammock. There are plenty of alternate styles available, from Amara’s outdoor hammock chair to ODD’s luxury garden swing seats.

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Create Your Own Allotment 

Freshen up your garden with an allotment. Not only can you produce your own fresh and homegrown fruit and veg, but allotment gardening has also been praised for its array of physical and mental health benefits. Plus, it’s good for the environment. Find out how to make your own kitchen garden with former RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold-medallist, Jo Thompson here.

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Bring The Heat

Lengthen your time spent in the garden with the inclusion of a fire pit or chiminea to keep you warm as the evenings get chillier; the perfect setting for playing card games, toasting marshmallows and cosying up to a movie outdoors.

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