The Chelsea Flower Show is almost upon us, the most exciting week in the garden lover’s calendar!! If you’re not an avid watcher then give it a go – there’s so much inspiration to be had for your own garden. I foolishly booked a holiday during Chelsea week so cant attend this year, but will be recording everything from the BBC so I can binge watch on my return…

Spring is a great time to rejuvenate your open-air living space. Without having to spend a huge amount you can transform an untidy worn out garden in to one you can’t wait to spend time in (once the rain stops!!)

Spend a few hours one weekend doing these quick fixes and you will not regret it the next time the sun shines…

Show your lawn some love – feed with a high nitrogen fertiliser. Lawns need extra nutrients to encourage growth at this time of year. Now is also a good time to re seed any bare patches and get rid of the weeds.
Fill any gaps in your beds with plants for pollinators – such as bees, butterflies, beetles, birds and bats. Add some spring flowering plants loved by these guys to brighten up your garden – Geums, Geraniums, Hebes, Aquilegia and Erysimums are all perfect choices! Also add some plants for summer colour/interest such as Lavender, Achillea, Buddleja, Sedum, Penstemon – the list goes on –garden centre signs should point out which plants are good for pollinators, or check out the RHS’ perfect for pollinators list here:https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/pdf/conservation-and-biodiversity/wildlife/rhs_pollinators_plantlist.pdf

If you have limited planting space in your garden then add a few pots filled with these plants. Grow a climber up a wall or fence, and plant up some window boxes. Transform your space with colour!!!
Clean your patio – this can make a huge difference to how your garden looks. Over time paving becomes covered in grime and algae – and no matter how ‘maintenance free’ your choice of paving was, they all need some upkeep. Scrub with a hard brush and diluted bleach or jet wash to kill off the algae and get rid of the grime. Use a patio cleaner but make sure it’s the right stuff for your paving – if unsure check on an out of sight slab. Treat patio weeds with a weed killer, and repoint in between the paving if necessary. Use a weed repellent on newly cleaned paving.
While you’ve got the jet wash out also give fencing and rendered or brick walls a clean. Recoat any painted surfaces with suitable outdoor paint for a clean fresh look.
A much needed trip to the tip can make a huge difference – get rid of all the junk that has found its way in to your garden – old toys, broken furniture, bags of stuff that should have been banished months ago but somehow ended up here!
New furniture – if your budget allows treat yourself and your garden to some new furniture – a set of outdoor sofas and a coffee table, a dining table and chairs or a couple of new sun loungers will make the space so much more inviting.

Once the hard work is done, and the sun comes out, grab a drink, sit back and enjoy your beautiful new(ish) garden!