5 ways to make more of your lawn

Now’s the time to jazz up your lawn so you can make the most of it this summer

1 Make your own pattern

If you like the job of mowing the lawn, why not experiment and make shapes using the lawnmower? Just mow your lawn a usual, then drop the blades slightly lower and mow a pattern. If you can, go upstairs to look down on the lawn and view your progress.

2 Add a feature

Lawns without a centrepiece or focal point can end up looking a little dull. Place a sundial, bird bath or even a small tree in the centre of the lawn to give it a finishing touch. Choose a feature that is in proportion to the size of the lawn.

3 Create a new bed

Adding a new planting area to a lawn is a great way to reduce mowing time. It can also conceal parts of the garden beyond the lawn, and make the area seem bigger. Try adding a woodland area with a small tree, such as Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’, or a small magnolia such as M.stellata, underplanted with a succession of early-flowering woodland plants such as snowdrops followed by erythroniums.

4 Leave it unmown

Not mowing is an easy way to encourage more wildlife into the garden. Simply leave the grass to grow to its full height and mow some paths through it. To guarantee desirable wildflowers in the lawn, lay some wildflower turf in some areas; it looks like ordinary turf but has small wildflower plants in it. Visit wildflowerturf.co.uk or call 01256 771222.

5 Give it a better shape

Lawns look more attractive if they’re cut into a deliberate shape. If your lawn is square, try shaping it into a circle instead. That way you will have some new curvy border gaps to plant. Drape a hosepipe over your lawn to work out the shape you want and use it as a cutting guide.

Jazz up your green sward with a flowing pattern, a bird bath feature or an interesting new shape

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