*This is a collaborative post*
A huge bonus of the house we found ourselves in earlier this year is the massive garden that we have. There is so much space which is full of potential to turn it into something really lovely, but it’s going to take a lot of work. The first thing on the list is to return it to a blank canvas, and that means a full garden clearance including removing the weeds and unwanted plants as well as getting rid of rubbish like old fence posts and all the litter we found in the bushes. This bit is probably the hardest bit and I’m not looking forward to it, but if we want to make the garden a beautiful and safe space then it’s an important step.
Once the garden is clear we need a plan. I’ve been spending a lot of time on Pinterest looking at different ideas for family gardens. I want to make it a fun and functional space, that’s a safe place for Dil to play but also something that is pretty to be in. I’d like to start growing some fruit and veg so I need room for some raised planters. It’s important that we help support local wildlife too, so we’ll need plenty of plants to attract bees and a nice space for birds. We need to plan out where to put planters, if we need any extra fencing (the garden is a strange shape and is split into two parts), and decide if we want to add any decking or paths. All of this landscape gardening is a lot of work, so you could consider hiring a professional to help with certain parts.
Photo by Emiel Molenaar on Unsplash
The loose plan that we have already is to turn the back piece of the garden into the growing section, so we will build some raised planters and get some fruit and veg growing in there next year. The piece of garden next to the house will probably end up being more of a ‘play’ area, with neat grass and some pretty flower beds to add colour. There are some brilliant ideas on Pinterest for fun and unusual ways to bring colour into your garden, but this will all require a lot of maintenance. If you have a large garden you might want to consider finding a gardener who can come out occasionally and keep everything maintained.
I really want the garden to be a nice place to spend time in the warmer months, so I’m considering a decking area or large seating area – possibly something made from pallets. Long term I’d also love to create a bean pole teepee for Dil, what a perfect place to spend a summer and create some childhood memories. I think that the key with gardens, even more so than with interior decorating, is time and patience. It’s important to do the work at the right time of year, and you’ve got to be patient and give the plants time to grow and fill out the space. I want to be realistic with my plans, because this will all be a lot of hard work and will take more than a few days. We are preparing for a long summer of work out there, but next year when I’m relaxing in the garden on a warm evening it will all have been worth it.
