What have you bought / done that has instantly enhanced your garden?

[onedayatatime73]

We have a small garden. Bit of patio and a bit of lawn.

Dp and I have been useless at making it look nice but given the glorious summer I’ve made an effort. So looking for some inspiration.

So far I have done a bit of general tidying.
Repainted the fence which was simply embarrassing.
Put up some pretty garden solar lights.
Bought a decent storage box / bench to hide all the balls and toys strewn around the garden.
Bought some decent / pretty stones for part of the patio border that was just dirt.
Only bought a couple of plants. Two hanging baskets.
Far and away the best thing is a new outdoor mirror that sits at the end of the garden.

I am pretty clueless so any suggestion or pics of things you have done. I’m happy to copy people!

And we clearly have a mole or vole problem!

edge the lawn - just with hand held shears / clippers

mulch the beds

suddenly the garden looks bigger and more professional

Also, go for green foliage plants.

Lots of people start with little flowers and so one and it looks empty. Fill the space with green and add the occasional flowering accent.

I get my plants from here:
www.secretgardeningclub.co.uk/collections/plant-pass-voucher
(On phone so can’t do clicky link)

Not only are they way cheaper than most places but I’ve never had a bad plant from them. Depending on the season, they might cut off the top growth before transportation but the rootstocks have always been super healthy.

I put grasses in pots, blues, greens and yellows. They look really striking and have transformed the patio.
I'm thinking of putting an arbour at the end of the garden as a big statement piece but I keep faffing about which one.

How kind of you to say that peridito. I have no idea what I am doing, honestly. I just plant and keep watering and hope for the best! I am at a complete loss when something looks poorly, and can't do cuttings or separate plants or grow from seed or anything that people who know what they're doing can do.

My garden is fairly well established now (mainly flowering shrubs and climbers), but I am not a finicky gardener. So every year in Feb time I go out and basically hack everything right back. Talking like 6-12" from the ground.

Anything that makes it stays. So far I have only lost a few things. Clearing it out like that also pushes the plants to put strong bushy growth not spindly leggy growth.

Instant lift, painting the fence a pretty colour.

Chicken wire for climbers.

Strategically placed larger shrubs and a focal plant of some kind. Especially, not placing all your borders, plants and features round the edges.

Canvas gazebo. Lovely

Hello! First time garden owner here too! These are great tips. Has anyone planted a mature hedge? Our wall at the front is low and we have a dog so I'd like to add some height by planting a box (?) hedge around the border. Where can you buy a pre-grown / mature hedge?

Do buy from Homebase.

It has just narrowly avoided going into administration: www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45119606

A gardener

Sorry. Had far too much sugar today...

Oneday This is a super time to visit garden centres and look for what I call "hospital" plants. The ones that are pushed to one side because of new stock coming in. I bought a hydrangea (half price) and a wisteria (also greatly reduced). They wont make much of a difference until next year but you will find some pants which will make a great deal of difference given a little time. I have only a courtyard and a small border and ne ver have to bother with bedding plants. I always think they are so expensive. I shall be taking cuttings from my hydrangea also ready for next year. Hope this helps.

Plants not pants!!

Sleight of hand. Have just gone to this website. Thank you so much. I have already placed a small order!

A wildlife pond, meadow area and lots of bird feeders, bath etc.
Lots of architectural plants in huge pots around the patio.
Had proper lights installed around the outside of the conservatory, so lovely to sit in there at night with the garden lit up.
Lots of climbing plants so that something is flowering almost all year round.

Just a thought everyone. I mentioned that I had a courtyard and small border - has anyone any ideas as to how I could have a small wildlife/fish pond, please?

I hired a gardener and my garden was transformed.

The weather has been rubbish so I briefly transferred my energy to indoors. And as an aside can I just say - that the sugar soap that now comes in a spray has transformed our house. The walls are gleaming and for once - smudge free. Well worth it.

Thank you for recommending jet washing the patio. Firstly I loved every minute (so satisfying) and secondly - didn’t occur to me it was dirty. What a difference.

So I’ve done quite a bit to the back garden and now I need to do the front. Not much there really. A fence that needs replacing. And on border / bed of soil for plants. (No bed in the back garden hence bought pots). Would prefer flowers but is that mad? Will they just die?

Would like to go and buy some hardy flowers today. Even if they only last to November I can deal with that. But if only a month just pointless.

No herb suggestions please. Just prepared two external window boxes already!

What about some eriseyum (sp?) bowles mauve (wallflowers)? They flower pretty much all year round, are hardy, and would still be going in November. I know that you can have orange and red varieties too.

Artificial grass is the one thing we've bought that immediately enhanced our garden! It made it look so much brighter, cleaner and tidier! Now we never have to worry about mowing the lawn, putting chemicals down or tidying up our edges! Highly recommend using Maze Grass UK if you're interested!