Care Advice
Looking After Your Garden
There is always a lot to do in the garden, and you will get more pleasure out of your garden the more effort you put in. Here are some of the basic gardening activities listed by season for easy reference, with handy links for more in-depth tips and guides.
Spring
Split and move herbaceous plants.
Treat and paint garden furniture - see Treating and Staining External Wood.
Clean algae off paving.
Sow and plant new beds and containers - see Planting Tips, Container Planting and Creating a Border.
Lay new lawns - see Creating a Lawn From Turf.
Summer
Maintain lawns - see Lawn Maintenance.
Trim hedges - see Caring For Your Hedge.
Top up water features and ponds - see Building a Pond, Pond Maintenance and Simple Water Features.
Dead head flowering plants to prolong flowering.
Plant spring bulbs for next year.
Propagate new plants - see Propagation.
Autumn
Paint and maintain fences.
Remove fallen leaves from lawns and ponds - see Lawn Maintenance and Pond Maintenance. Ensure sheds and greenhouses are in good repair - see Greenhouse Gardening.
Sow new lawns - see Creating a Lawn From Seed.
Winter
Read gardening books and seed catalogues for inspiration and plan the next garden year!
Try to seek ways of developing and renewing your garden to keep it fresh and interesting. Maybe think about adding or removing vegetable areas, growing alpines, installing a rock garden or slowly developing a herbaceous border. A garden is never truly 'finished' - and as your own requirements change over time there are always new gardening opportunities.
All seasons
Weed regularly - see Controlling Weeds.
Prune when necessary - see Pruning Tips.
Repair paving areas and fences.
Lay new paving - see Laying a Patio.
Improve drainage if necessary.
Use your greenhouse for protected crops and producing new plants - see Greenhouse Gardening.
For advice about looking after your garden equipment, see Looking After Your Garden Tools, The Perfect Toolshed and The Right Tool.
This article was brought to you by UKTV Style, in association with Spear and Jackson, manufacturer of quality hand and garden tools. Visit the Spear and Jackson website for more details.
Split and move herbaceous plants.
Treat and paint garden furniture - see Treating and Staining External Wood.
Clean algae off paving.
Sow and plant new beds and containers - see Planting Tips, Container Planting and Creating a Border.
Lay new lawns - see Creating a Lawn From Turf.
Summer
Maintain lawns - see Lawn Maintenance.
Trim hedges - see Caring For Your Hedge.
Top up water features and ponds - see Building a Pond, Pond Maintenance and Simple Water Features.
Dead head flowering plants to prolong flowering.
Plant spring bulbs for next year.
Propagate new plants - see Propagation.
Autumn
Paint and maintain fences.
Remove fallen leaves from lawns and ponds - see Lawn Maintenance and Pond Maintenance. Ensure sheds and greenhouses are in good repair - see Greenhouse Gardening.
Sow new lawns - see Creating a Lawn From Seed.
Winter
Read gardening books and seed catalogues for inspiration and plan the next garden year!
Try to seek ways of developing and renewing your garden to keep it fresh and interesting. Maybe think about adding or removing vegetable areas, growing alpines, installing a rock garden or slowly developing a herbaceous border. A garden is never truly 'finished' - and as your own requirements change over time there are always new gardening opportunities.
All seasons
Weed regularly - see Controlling Weeds.
Prune when necessary - see Pruning Tips.
Repair paving areas and fences.
Lay new paving - see Laying a Patio.
Improve drainage if necessary.
Use your greenhouse for protected crops and producing new plants - see Greenhouse Gardening.
For advice about looking after your garden equipment, see Looking After Your Garden Tools, The Perfect Toolshed and The Right Tool.
This article was brought to you by UKTV Style, in association with Spear and Jackson, manufacturer of quality hand and garden tools. Visit the Spear and Jackson website for more details.
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