Seddons guide to… Smartening up your garden on a tiny budget.

The spring is arguably the best time to show off your garden to its best advantage as we start to contemplate, and look forward to, the longer days and warmth (hopefully!) of summer.

Following a spell of unseasonably warm weather, many of us have been reminded of what it’s like to spend time outdoors and have ventured out into the garden for the first time in a few months. The winter months can often leave things looking a bit sad and neglected outside. If you are currently marketing your house for sale, or thinking of putting it on the market shortly, a well tended garden, which people will want to spend time in, is a fantastic asset.

There are some easy and cost effective steps you can take to smarten up your garden, without breaking the bank – here are some of our recommendations.

Make way for the new

The wet and windy weather of winter is not very kind to gardens, gardening in winter weather is not a very rewarding experience either. Once spring is underway, it is good time to get rid of all the dead leaves and old plant growth which is likely to be cluttering up your borders and making them look drab and messy. Trim back dead perennial growth to reveal what is probably already growing and get rid of any dead annuals or plants which have not survived the winter. Look at the shape and structure of woody shrubs to see if they would benefit from some pruning. This is also a good time of year to lift and divide clump forming plants which you can use elsewhere to fill in gaps in your planting.

Remove the weeds

Winter does not seem to stop the weeds growing and it is surprising just how many you will find once you get out and start clearing away the old growth and leaves. Getting in early with the weeding is always the best plan as this can help to stop them from taking hold. It is usually easier to get at weeds at this time of year as well. Once things start to dry out and plants start growing, removing weeds becomes much more difficult.

Neaten up the edges

A neat edge to a lawn can make a huge difference to how a garden looks. It is also a really quick fix and, best of all, does not need to cost anything, apart from a bit of time and effort. A defined edge always makes a lawn look better. If you don’t have any physical barrier separating grass from flower beds, over time they start to merge together. Use a lawn edging tool to sharpen things up.

Fix up, look sharp

Peeling paint or varnish to external surfaces makes outside areas look uncared for. Areas of outside space which don’t get much sun over winter can be left looking a bit damp and mouldy over winter. Make sure doors, windows, fences and wall surfaces are looking tidy. Wash down and repaint if necessary. This will instantly improve the look of outside spaces. Make any repairs to gates or fences to enhance kerb appeal from outside of your property. First impressions really matter.

Inject some colour

At this time of year, it can take a couple more months for gardens to really come into their own. Inject a bit of early colour with some hardy bedding plants or spring flowering plants which will instantly improve the look of bare flower borders. Invest in some pots and plant them up with handsome evergreen shrubs or colourful seasonal plants like daffodils and tulips to create a welcoming impression outside.

Revive garden furniture

Gardens are a real selling point, in particular, gardens which function well as outdoor entertaining and relaxing spaces. If you have packed away your garden furniture for the winter, now is the time to get it out again so you can present your garden as a viable outdoor space. If furniture needs oiling or maintaining, get this done now for the season. It is always better to present any areas of your house and garden how they are going to be used, as you cannot always rely on buyers to use their imagination.

Spending a weekend on your garden at this time of year can really make a huge difference to how it looks, and improve your prospects of securing a speedy sale. For more information and advice on selling, or to arrange a valuation, get in touch with your local Seddons branch.