It is not always possible with the UK weather conditions as they are to successfully grow certain plants in your garden.  This is the excellent excuse to get a greenhouse.

The methods for greenhouse gardening are not drastically different from caring for plants in your own garden, however, there are a few differences.

The general rule is that plants in a greenhouse will need the right temperature conditions, greenhouse plants tend to prefer temperatures just below normal room temperature and more of a humid condition than your own house or garden could offer.

Before constructing your greenhouse watch for the main sun spots in your garden, greenhouse plants need light and sun.

Space your plants out evenly to ensure ventilation between each plant flows evenly.  Open your greenhouse door in the morning to keep best ventilation and close it again in late afternoon.

Some kind of irrigation system should be considered to keep your plants regularly watered because they will not be receiving regular rainfall.

Growing plants in pots within a greenhouse means that their roots will not be attacked in the winter by ground frost.

1.

Ke  Keep your lawn mower blades sharp. Sharpen them every spring. Blunt blades leave jagged grass tips which will turn brown. To sharpen blades disconnect the spark plug and tip the mower to the side. Use work gloves, using a wrench remove the blade itself, using a mill file sharpen, replace.

2. Remove around one third of the grass blades which probably means you will need to mow the lawn every 5-6 days. Don’t trim more of the grass blades than a third off the top or it will hinder grass growth leaving your lawn weak and sickly. Leaving a small amount of grass clippings on the lawn can be good for it, when it decomposes it will put nutrients back into the soil underneath.

3. Check your soil for acidity with a soil kit. If the soil is acidic use a drop spreader to add more lime into the lawn. If the PH is low add peat moss, if the soil has a high PH add iron sulphate or sulphur.

4. Fertilise your grass with organic products. The best time to do this is normally early spring and mid autumn. Don’t over apply.

5. Water your grass regularly, particularly if there has been no rain fall for a while. Grass turf needs watering once a week in 2 water sessions to ensure the soil gains water penetration properly. Sprinklers are great to use although measure the water output and use sparingly. Don’t over water your garden in summer and be aware of any water conservation rules in your area.

6. Rake your lawn of twigs and leaves, debris does bloke sunlight and can make your lawn mower blades blunt.

Adding accessories to your garden is pretty much like adding accessories to an oufit, in that less is actually more!

One single, stunning ornament in your garden can make a really big statement and quite literally can transform your whole space.

Themes

Grecian themed statues and roman style sculptures can immediately provide your garden with a hint of history. If you have a water feature or a pond, a piece such as a neptune or mermaid statue would work well with the water / sea theme.

Adding characters e.g. fairies, unicorns etc. can give your garden an interesting and mystical feel.

Contemporary gardens should follow the theme in the ornaments it heralds. Contemporary garden pieces come in the widest range of materials than any other themed ornament; fibreglass, bronze, steel and synthetics through to wood.

Sometimes it takes a bit of confidence to purchase non-representational pieces of art for your garden but these types of sculptures can give you the absolute “WOW” factor when placed with proper thought for the space you are filling and are often conversational pieces.

Placement

When adding ornaments to your garden there are a few important tips that will ensure you add a feature that compliments your existing theme and also compliments the space and shape of your garden.

Focal Point

Placing an ornament at certain places in your garden can move a persons eye directly to the piece giving the illusion of a longer or wider space e.g. if you have a narrow garden, using a statue or ornament to compliment the back of your garden will automatically ensure onlookers see the back of your space making your whole garden or yard look larger and longer.

Dimension

Placing bookend sculptures either side of your garden space maybe between a shed or your favourite flowering bush will give your garden a symmetrical look.

Depth /Character

Particuarly good for cottage gardens.  If you hide smaller statues/sculptures inside curtains of green bushes and plants the discovery of this ornament tucked inside your lush green garden is a pleasant surprise that gives your garden added character.

Strictly speaking, your garden is an extension of your own home and it is good advice to consider your garden as another room of your home.

If your house is decorated in a modern, contemporary way then your garden should reflect this as it should if you own a Victorian property which would be more befitting to a Victorian cottage garden.  Steel, modern structures look great in a contemporary garden whilst using cobbles for pathways and chimney pots as planters fit perfectly with a Victorian theme.

The best way to begin designing your new garden is to put all your ideas on paper, marking the scale of your proposed ideas clearly e.g. measure the size of the path you want and draw it to scale.  Mark clearly on your drawing where the soil varies and where you know that your garden falls mostly into shade for realistic planting ideas.

Train fast growing ivy with wire to grow in interesting patterns on unsightly walls.

For pot plant ideas floating hyacinths look fabulous in waterproof containers.

Use a square of wooden timber and 4 castors to create a movable plant stand allowing you to move larger plants to different positions in your garden.

Hang fairy lights or wind chimes on over stretched tree branches.

Solar powered lights are very popular now in the summer.  Light pathways with solar upward lights and for cottage gardens shepherd crooks holding solar lanterns can look fabulous.  Another favourite that fits with most garden designs are the flat solar powered pathway lights.