Plan a weekend garden makeover
GIVING YOUR garden a makeover may seem like an overwhelming job, but knowing where to put your time and energy can give you great results in just one weekend. So set a weekend aside and get planning, digging, and planting and you’ll get to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
One important key to this process is to start with planning out the work ahead of you.You want to make sure you have your design laid out, a list of the materials you need, and getting all the mater ials ready to go before you begin. First put your existing garden layout on paper, to help as you make your choices. Decide what kind of style you want. Put down which areas of the garden get the most sun and shade. Then consider soil type and which plants should go in which location. Also choose what existing plants you’d like to keep and which ones you plan to remove. Take out plants that are dead, damaged, diseased and have outgrown their space.
Once the new garden is well planned out and you go venture out to get all of your garden mater ials be sure to select healthy plants free of insect and disease problems. Keep in mind that bigger is not always better. Select compact plants with sturdy stems and the leaves should be deep green or the proper colour for that variety. Avoid plants that have spots, brown leaf edges, and holes.
Now you have all of your materials and you are ready to get out into your garden and get started. Try to tackle the tough or messy jobs first. Prepare the soil before planting. It is important to build a good foundation for your garden. Dig one or two inches of compost, peat moss or other organic matter and a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer into the top 12 inches of the soil. Adding a top layer of mulch/wood chips also keeps the garden beds very neat and tidy looking.
You may want to incorporate a new path or patio in your garden space or fix up an existing one. Gravel, for example, can be an easy and good cover-up for an aging patio.
To make it unique, add some personal items you may already have around your house that will add character and char m to your garden. Like old wicker baskets, colourful rubber boots, or painted metal trash cans to use as cute planters. Or hang colourful glass bottles, and any other antique or funky items that might look great in the mix.
Your new garden will be a thing of beauty to enjoy and you can do all of this in only one weekend. Having some extra hands to help is also a bonus! (RMM)