It’s that time of year again, spring is just around the corner, and you can almost smell that freshly cut grass, food grilling on BBQs across the country and sweet-scented suntan lotion being applied… 

All that is left to do now is to get your garden ready so you enjoy those fast-approaching summer months outdoors. But whilst we’ve all been tucked up inside away from all the rain, our gardens have had to fend for themselves, and it’s taken its toll. Looking at your garden now, you may be thinking “Where do I start?”. 

It may seem like a daunting task, but now that the sun is shyly making an appearance, we’re here to help you reclaim your garden with our round-up of 8 simple ways to get your garden looking summer-ready.

1. Create Space

We’re not all blessed with acres of outdoor space, but we can certainly create the illusion of having a roomy and refined garden. To begin making space, trim back any hedges, bushes or beds that may have got little wild over winter.

Tidying back any untamed greenery will instantly make your garden feel bigger. Then, as you would inside your house, start to declutter your garden. Throw out all your broken pots or branches and discard of any half-finished projects you may have started last year, so you can begin this year on a fresh slate. 

After all of those jobs are out the way and you have space to work in, you should now easily be able to cut your lawn, get any vegetable plots dug up ready for planting and save your flower beds from any weeds or unwanted visitors. It’s time to remember how to love your garden again!

2. Add Some Colour

Being surrounded by bright colours is an instant mood-booster, so adding colour to your garden is a great way to breath summer back into your weathered yard.

Start by getting some colourful plug plants, but do remember to keep them inside until the nighttime frosts are over, once they are you can literally ‘plug’ your new plants into your flower beds for an enviable charade of colours.

You can also incorporate some brightly coloured throws or cushions into your outdoor space, which will look fantastic with your garden furniture.

3. Repurpose Your Household Objects

Upcycled and repurposed objects are in fashion for a reason. They can look fantastic! If you have some unwanted large ornaments in your home, before you throw them away,  take them outside and see if they look good in your garden.

You’ll be surprised how they can take on a whole new life as they become weathered and distressed from the ever-changing outdoor conditions. But it’s not just ornaments that look good outdoors, even an old pair of wellies can be repurposed. Just throw some paint over them and fill them with compost, and voilà!, you have a brand new, quirky planter.

You can do the same with that old, leaky watering can too. Once they’ve been upcycled, you can tuck them into those empty spaces and make your guests smile when they spot your cute little planters. 

4. Replace any old or broken Garden Furniture

As much as we do love to upcycle, sometimes we have to admit that some things are no longer worth saving. If your old garden furniture hasn’t survived winter well, then don’t be afraid to replace it. There’s nothing like some dreary old table and chairs to dampen the mood in your otherwise fabulous summer garden.

Then comes the exciting part, treating yourself to some brand new stylish garden furniture! Good quality is key to make sure that you won’t be going through the same process all over again next year.

If you have a big family, or you’re planning on having lots of outdoor dinner parties or BBQs, then we would recommend the Jasmina Corner Sofa. This sofa comes with an outdoor coffee table which cleverly rises into a dining table for the ultimate all-purpose piece of garden furniture, and it even has a rain cover to ensure that it survives the winter!

This modern comfortable seating immediately makes an inviting extension of your home and is great for those long summer evenings with your friends or family. Or, if you want something for just you or your partner, then these two matching Grey Bistro Chairs and side table would be perfect for you.

5. Zone Your Garden

Creating different zones in your garden is a clever decorating trick that will help make the most of your space. For example, you can have a ‘gardener’s corner’ for all your beautiful flowers and vegetable plot, then a ‘kid’s space’ where your little ones can keep all their toys and outdoor games, a ‘laid back luncheon’ zone for outdoor cooking and eating and finally, a ‘zen area’, which will be a peaceful space made specifically for you to relax in.

To make it especially secluded and even a little swanky, you could use different lengths of bamboo and some string to create a privacy screen and invest in a super comfy sun lounger so you can spend those summer evenings immersing yourself in a great book, or (most likely) snoozing away after a busy week at work.

6. Keep it Cool

It’s easy to get carried away when you can see those first glimpses of summer. You want that blue sky and you want to be able to see all of it, all the time! But it is important to prepare for those days when you’ll need some respite from the relentless sun – yes, it’s hard to remember what that’s like!

To do this, you’ll need to create some shady areas. If it didn’t blow away in last year’s storms then dig out your garden parasol and get it ready for when spring arrives. Or, if you want something a little more sturdy, you could invest in an arbour or build your own pergola. You can paint these in any colour you like and use soft furnishings to brighten up the area and bring it to life. 

7. Jazz Up Your Evenings

So we all know that even in the peak of summer in Britain, the evenings can still get a little chilly. To make your summer evenings really special (and nice and cosy too) you could build your own fire pit using bricks and stone.

If you’re not a handy person, or simply don’t have the time, then there are a vast array of fire pits out there, from the ultra-modern to the timeless classics. This will be a sure way to create some summer memories with your friends and family that you’ll never forget.

If a fire pit won’t work in your garden, another great way to jazz your evenings up in the outdoors is to plant some night-scented flowers such as Phlox, Honeysuckle or Jasmine, which will add wonderful aromatic fragrances to your gatherings.

8. Then There Was Light

You can brighten up even the darkest corner of your garden with some artificial lights, and since solar-technology is ever-improving, you won’t even have to worry about your electricity bill. From the practical motion sensor security lights and fence lights to the beautifully decorative Morrocan lamps, fairy lights and festoon lights – you’ll never have to end your party early due to the dark!

So now, after all your hard work, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the outdoors in your summer-ready garden.

Find all of our garden furniture here including our new, exclusive ranges.