5 ways to improve your garden during the lockdown period

Now that we’ve been advised to stay at home by the UK government in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many of us are finding ourselves with more time on our hands than usual. 

There’s no reason why you can’t become a skilled gardener and completely transform your garden during isolation - without having to hire in the professionals. 

Here are 5 quick and easy ways to improve your garden while the world works to keep the worst of the outbreak at bay. 

1. Start with a quick tidy-up

While it might not immediately impact the overall aesthetic of your garden, getting rid of unnecessary junk and freeing up space would be a good starting point. The cold winter weather is bound to have taken its toll on your garden, so you’ll likely need to carry out a few essential jobs first of all. 

Take time to de-weed the patio, fix and paint fence panels, hack away at overgrown bushes and clean down your decking to give your outdoor space a whole new lease of life.

2. Create different zones

If your garden is a little on the small side, you could create a new design that incorporates different zones, so that you’re making the most of the space. This can be easily achieved by sectioning off specific areas for a patio or decking area which could be used for either lounging or dining. 

This simple but effective tactic ensures that all family members can have some much-needed time to themselves and enjoy a multi-functional garden. Paving and decking can often be installed on a DIY basis, and a lot of landscaping work can be carried out by you and your loved ones, too. What’s more, many of the materials you’ll need can be delivered to your door from Milestone, without the need to visit a hardware store.

3. Add some exterior lighting

Now that the warmer months are on the horizon, it’s likely that you’ll be spending longer in your garden, so why not incorporate various elements of lighting into your landscape to illuminate those hot summer nights? 

You could place solar powered lights around your flower beds and battery-powered fairy lights around fencing and decking to ensure your garden is just as cosy and inviting when the sun goes down.

4. Grow your own vegetables 

If you’re a newbie gardener, it can be difficult to know which plants are attractive and easy to maintain. With many people worried about going to the supermarkets for supplies due to the outbreak of the virus, now would be the perfect time to start growing your own vegetables. This will also make a great activity for the children to get involved with and can be achieved in even the smallest of gardens, dependant on which plants you’re planning on growing.

5. Upcycle your garden pots

You could spend a day giving plant pots a lick of paint to add a pop of colour to your garden. If you’re running low on plant pots and unable to get to the store, get your creative juices flowing by upcycling old watering cans and using them to house bright flowers. These beautiful little creations will be sure to lift your mood.