If you’ve neglected your garden for a while or have just bought or inherited a house where the garden needs a lot of TLC then what lies in store is a project that will keep you occupied for many a week to come!

Your first reaction might be a fairly dramatic one i.e. get a skip and level the garden completely! Our advice is to take stock of the situation and take on the project in bite size chunks. There will probably be elements to the garden that are definitely worth saving and nurturing so read on for a bit of practical advice about how you can start the transformation:

1. Start with any fences or walls that you may have. If they are in need of repair or replacement then make that a priority. Brick walls in particular might need your attention, especially if they are worse for wear and on the verge of collapse. Get some professional advice to make sure your brick walls are safe and fit for purpose and repair or replace any wooden fences that you have.

2. Check out any hedges. If they’ve gone brown by the roots then the chances are they will never be revived so your best option is to remove them. If the hedge is still ok then prune it back.

3. Evaluate the quality of your patio or any paths and steps that you may have. The temptation might be to rip them out but if the condition is still OK then a good jet wash and scrub could make a huge difference and save you a lot of money.

4. What kind of trees have you got? If they are seriously overgrown then you might want to call in a tree surgeon to cut them back or remove them completely. If you live in a conservation area get some advice first because they may be covered by a tree preservation order. Remember trees are great for privacy and providing shade so don’t be too hasty to remove them. At the end of the day your trees might give your garden the kind of balance that it needs.

5. Remove weeds, prune back shrubs and check out the state of your perennials. If the latter is looking worse for wear then remove the dead centre and replant the healthy bits. This will breathe some new life into your perennials and should help revive them.

6. Check out the state of your lawn. The grass is no doubt overgrown so it makes sense to start with the trimmer first before you move onto the lawnmower. Set the blades on your lawnmower to the highest cut and then plough on. Usually the lawn mowing will uncover a multitude of sins such as moss, bald patches, holes, roots etc. You may decide that you want to re-turf at this stage!

All of the above will take tine, patience and not to mention quite a bit of hard graft. When you are faced with a project like this then you have to be realistic about the amount of time you can devote to it and your skills to do the job. This is where Gardenbusters come in! We have many years

experience in transforming neglected gardens so if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed then we would be happy to help. Please get in touch and discuss your requirements.

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