With National Gardening Week just around the corner, many Brits will be thinking about how they can improve their green spaces.
The celebration takes place between May 1 and 7 and is run by the Royal Horticultural Society to raise awareness of gardening and horticulture and encourage more people to take part in outdoor activity.
On top of this, the #springgardenclean hashtag has reached 164.4 million views on TikTok, and searches for “gardening jobs for April” have seen a staggering 250% increase, so it’s clear Brits want to inject some of spring vitality in their gardens.
Express folding doors has teamed up with gardening expert Nigel Lawton at Dobbie Garden Center to reveal six quick gardening jobs you can do to transform your garden in under an hour, even if you’re a beginner.
From welcoming wildlife and refreshing planters to lawn and patio care, read on for the full list.
With National Gardening Week just around the corner, many Brits will be thinking about how they can improve their green spaces.
Tidy up the garden – 60 minutes
The first time-saving task that should take an hour or less is to declutter your green space.
With searches for “yard cleaning” increasing by 60% in the last three months, spring cleaning your garden is an essential first step when it comes to preparing for summer.
If you have maintained your outdoor space during the winter months, this will be an easy job.
Nigel points out that one of the quickest and easiest ways to tidy up your garden is to remove dead leaves, tidy up beds and borders for the growing season, remove weeds and apply a good layer of mulch over the surface with organic compost. .
He explains that mulch will not only help improve the appearance of your garden, but it will also integrate into the soil and give your plants a nutrient boost for spring.
Designing your beds and borders – 50-60 minutes
Once you’ve tidied up the garden and removed any weeds, the next step is to cut back any winter flowering plants whose flowers have begun to fade.
This is another quick task that should only take you 50 to 60 minutes.
Start by removing dead, diseased or damaged branches, and remove any branches that cross or add pressure on each other, says Nigel.
You can then prune summer-flowering shrubs such as Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuschias to make room for new growth.
In addition to encouraging new plant growth by removing dead material, pruning will also allow you to control the height and shape of your plants.
Next, for instant color in your garden this spring, Nigel recommends freshening your pots, hanging baskets and planters with early season flowers for a country garden effect.
Create a cozy patio: 30-60 minutes
As summer approaches, you may receive more visitors for garden parties and barbecues, so a cozy space to relax will be beneficial.
If you have a patio, the expert advises transforming it into a cozy place for socializing.
Suggests: “Start by giving it a good cleaning with a jet of water to quickly complete the job in less than an hour.”
‘You can liven up the area even more by adding some garden furniture combined with some cushions, some blankets and an outdoor rug.
“If you’re looking to blend the inside with the outside, Express Bi-Folding Doors recommends purchasing sliding doors or bi-folding doors, so you can create a seamless flow between the inside and outside, which will also make your space appear larger.”
Refresh your pots – 15-30 minutes
Next, for instant color in your garden this spring, Nigel recommends freshening your pots, hanging baskets and planters with early season flowers for a country garden effect.
One of her favorite ways to make an impact with potted plants is to focus on color themes in concentrated groups.
The expert advises: “Warm colors and shades of red, orange and pink are preferred in the warmer months, but displays of yellow daffodils and primroses, pansies or blue violas can be effective in spring to welcome the new station”.
To refresh your pots for spring, Nigel suggests taking stock of what you already have and rearranging them to give them a fresh look.
Sets of three work well and will allow you to create a striking display with small, medium and large plants of varying heights next to your door.
Depending on the weather, early spring is the time to prepare your lawn for planting by cultivating the soil and making sure the area is level and firm.
Lawn care: 15-30 minutes
Another beginner-friendly task you can do to spruce up your garden is lawn care; Searches for “lawn care” have already seen a 238% increase in the last three months alone.
Depending on the weather, early spring is the time to prepare your lawn for planting by cultivating the soil and making sure the area is level and firm.
However, before you do anything, be sure to clean any debris from your lawn.
Nigel adds that as we get closer to spring and the weather warms up, you can start raking up moss and dead grass.
Other lawn treatments should only be used in late spring once temperatures rise, as during the colder months the grass is still quite tender and this can damage it.
This will take between 15 and 30 minutes for small gardens and up to 60 minutes for larger ones.
Wildlife Welcome: 40-60 minutes
Finally, spring is the perfect time to welcome wildlife to your garden, as small animals come out of hibernation and new birds come to life.
The #gardenwildlife hashtag has racked up a whopping 2.9 million views on TikTok.
To ensure your garden is a safe space for wildlife, Nigel suggests dedicating a small section of your garden to creating a wildlife-friendly habitat with pollinator plants and places for small animals and insects to shelter.
You can create a safe space for them by stacking branches in a shady spot to help protect them from the elements, and all of this can be done in less than an hour.
Steve Bromberg, CEO of Express Bi-Folding Doors, says: ‘We hope these gardening tasks for beginners will help you get to grips with gardening and allow you to quickly transform your garden into a haven of peace.
“If you’re looking to open up your space, consider investing in sliding or folding doors, as they will allow you to easily blend the inside with the outside while also giving the illusion of expanding your space.”
