The combination of spring and the lockdown make this weekend a great time to tackle those big projects. By
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Raised beds give your garden structure, and as long as you have the right tools, are relatively straightforward to construct out of sleepers, sections of timber or, for the adventurous, masonry.
“Once filled with compost, they are perfect for growing tomatoes, salad crops or herbs,” says Helen Derrin, plant doctor at Crocus.
Start by measuring the bed using string, clearing the earth where you need to lay the sleepers (you don’t have to empty the whole bed) and levelling the ground, making sure it is straight with a spirit level. “Sleepers and logs can be laid directly on level, firm soil. Fix into place by hammering metal rods into the ground through holes drilled vertically in each corner.
“Alternatively, use heavy-duty staples and wire,” says Guy Barter, chief horticulturalist at the RHS, which has a useful how-to video on its website (rhs.org.uk).
If you want a smaller project, and have old pallets around, there’s a step-by-step guide (with pictures) for a DIY planter at manomano. co.uk.
“A DIY planter is a great way to inspire the children to develop little green fingers and create their own mini-garden, something to be proud of and nurture to occupy their time over the coming weeks,” Richard Turner, from ManoMano, says.
Never have I felt more grateful to have a garden. There is something instantly soothing about getting out of the house and absorbed in a physical task. “The one silver lining about all this is that the garden is waking up and there is plenty of therapy to be had outside,” agrees gardener and author Alex Mitchell.
Two summers ago, while I was on maternity leave, I put the baby in her bouncer outside and started digging the overgrown forest that we had inherited from the previous owners.
My husband and father joined in on weekends: we plotted out a lawn, built raised beds using heavy railway sleepers, laid gravel pathways and started planting. Last summer, we laid a patio and hosted countless barbecues. It will be a little quieter this year.
While growing flowers takes time and patience – something I’m working on – there is huge satisfaction in creating something almost instantly in a day or a week, especially for a novice gardener like myself. After a day of lifting, sawing and sweating, you can have a finished project, such as a raised bed; a week and a patio has taken shape. After a whole summer of work, you can sit back and admire all the little jobs you’ve worked hard on. For me, our second week of isolation was spent sitting outside eating lunches on our sunny patio, gazing at the opening tulips in the back bed, with the promise of irises not far behind.
There are huge benefits to working hard on your garden. “Visually, when you’ve created a space that looks good, it can distract you from your worries and relax you,” award-winning garden designer Matt Keightley says. “Plus, it keeps you fit.” Although a word of caution here – do watch your back and remember to lift by squatting rather than bending at the waist. And do be careful – the Government recently advised against ambitious DIY projects, as A&E wards don’t have as many resources to tend to everyday injuries.
A bonus, if your children are around, is that it’s a fun – and time-consuming – outdoor activity for the holidays. “My boys love getting hands-on in the garden with me, it’s a great way for us to not only spend time together but pass the time, too, particularly important right now,” award-winning landscape designer Joe Perkins says.
But the thing about big garden projects is that they are never quite finished; there’s always something else to make – especially if you find yourself with a bit of extra time. I’m currently coveting a home-made pergola on the other side of my fence that now has a pretty clematis draped around it, about to bloom, and wondering if another raised bed for all the veg I plan to grow this year might be rather sensible.
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If you’re not quite up to the challenge of a greenhouse, cold frames are useful for sowing and germinating seeds. While they are often quite expensive to buy, they are relatively easy to make from recycled materials.
“Essentially, they are frames with a clear top to them, such as plastic or glass: we’ve had success by repurposing old drawers and glass doors,” says Nick Moyle, one half of the blogging duo Two Thirsty Gardeners.
If you’re up for slightly more of a challenge, the frame can be made from a pallet. “Simply saw four pieces to the same length and screw them together at the ends into a square structure, before stapling a sheet of plastic over the top,” Moyle says.
For a more advanced version, build a base that slopes down, to allow the water to run off, with hinges for ventilation during warmer days.
“Cold frames can be placed on any surface, so long as it’s as flat as possible, and make sure you put it in the sunniest spot you can find. If you put it next to a wall of your house, then you might even benefit from an extra boost of warmth from your home,” Moyle adds. Visit twothirsty gardeners.co.uk.
LAYING A PATIO OR PATH
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Patios provide a focal point for the garden, as well as an area to congregate, but they need not be right outside the back door.
“What we think about is the view that people will see, where the sun is at certain times of the day and how to break up the garden,” says Steve Porter, head of gardens and landscape at Chatsworth.
“Think of a path as a way to access different parts of your garden and break it down into sections.”
He says: “Mark it out first and live with it for a few days to see if it works at different times of day. Then you dig away the top layers of turf, top soil and loose material.”
A hardcore base is laid and “we use a roller, but in a domestic garden you can just jump up and down with a shovel.” Then it’s the top layer – perhaps gravel for a path or stones for