The big clean-up

What to do in the garden now.

1 DECLUTTER Think about what you like and want to hold on to. Replace anything that’s looking dated such as ornaments or furniture, and if plants are looking tired, get rid of them too. 2 WASH Paved areas will benefit from a good clean with a scrubbing brush dipped into a mix of warm water and washing-up liquid. Metal, resin and rattan furniture can be washed with warm soapy water too, as can your pots and planters. Remove moss or debris on slabs with a jet-wash cleaner on a low setting, avoiding the gaps in-between. The Karcher K4 Compact is lightweight and easy to use, £169.99, amazon.co.uk

3 PAINT If fences, sheds or garden furniture are looking jaded, now’s the time for a fresh coat. Treat softwood furniture with a stain, such as Cuprinol Clear Garden Furniture Stain, £14.63 for 0.75 litres, diy.com. Purple is the big colour trend this summer and the one to go for if you like the idea of adding pops of colour (try Purple Berry by Ronseal, ronseal. co.uk). Dove grey is a good choice if you prefer something more muted.

4 FEED Keep evergreens lush with a spring feed. Try Empathy AfterPlant Evergreen with Rootgrow, £6.99 for 1kg, gardensupplydirect.co.uk

5 MOW Set the blades high for the first cut of the season. However, if you want to wave goodbye to this task, robotic mowers are the next big thing. The Husqvarna Automower can be controlled by an app on your phone, £3,100, husqvarna.com >>