Garden notes:

This time of year is so busy, it’s easy to neglect your garden, but some simple solutions will keep your green space looking fabulous, writes

strategies for lazy gardeners

Gardens just don’t understand the term “holiday season”. It’s the busiest, hottest time of year and they insist on growing and needing tending to stay green – just when you want them to look their best.

Luckily, lazy gardeners have strategies to help you keep your cool, and keep your garden.

Lawns: Either water, allow them to turn brown until it rains, or install artificial grass. A better answer? Offer small children pocket money, a book or their choice of luxury fruit in return for watering every afternoon. Pruning and planting require skill. Watering can just be wet, messy fun.

Weeds: Mulch 60cm deep with fine bark mulch or pea straw, loose enough so that showers can penetrate. Scatter slow-release fertiliser on top and water well. Then forget it for the next month, apart from some water – see above.

Lots of flowers: Garden centres have this sorted for you – “self-watering” baskets brimming with easy-care flowers, as well as pots of bloomers, ready to be slipped into bare areas. An hour’s browsing, an hour’s planting and your garden will be stunning.

Plant sculpture: Many plants have evolved to grow in dry, hard, hot soil – just like the mixture in the tall pot on your patio or along a bare wall.

Buy matching pots and fill with sculptural beauties like agaves, cordylines and some of the smaller palms. All of them will grow vigorously if given food and water, but they won’t wither on you if you neglect them for the holidays. Potted tree ferns can look fabulous in quite deep shade. They are remarkably hardy once established, but look best when protected from sun and wind.

Fruiting trees: Hope the birds pick it for you, or, once again, ask the kids. As a last resort, place a cloth under the tree, shake well until all the fruit is down (and bruised), then throw the fruit whole into the freezer to make stewed fruit, jam or chutney in winter.

Hanging ferns: For a cool green look in mid-summer there is nothing more fabulous than a staggered line of hanging baskets filled with ferns. Try them to help screen the verandah, hang them over the front steps or from the railings of the patio. Choose self-watering pots to stop wilting. Also, they do not like too much wind.

Quick fix: Does your garden need brightening? Hire a high-pressure hose for the paving, driveway, walls and garden furniture. You may be astounded that the new coat of paint you thought was needed is unnecessary now the grime is gone. You can always hire someone to wield the hose, but they are easy – and fun – to use, and provide wonderful, cooling entertainment.