Top 11 Tips for Gardening in the Spring

The cold weather slowly begins to warm up, thoughts turn to sunshine and lazy days in the garden. Spring is on its way, so it’s time to get in the garden and vanquish the winter and get it ready for the year ahead. If you’re chomping at the bit to get outside, we’ve got 11 top tips for getting your outdoor spaces ready for spring. A garden designer would be a great place to start to get your garden in tip-top condition again. 

Tips for gardening in spring

Repaint

The winter weather can be harsh on the garden. Being outside in all weather is going to impact on painted surfaces. The shed, the fences, external doors and brickwork will undoubtedly show the realities of the winter weather. To bring them back to their best, sand them down or grab a steel-wool brush and prepare them for a makeover. Repainting is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to rejuvenate your garden, especially if you add a splash of vibrant colour.

Borderline Beauty

You’ll probably find the borders of your garden and paving won’t look as tidy as they did the last time you enjoyed the garden. Weeds and other vegetation will have grown over the winter months making your borders look very untidy. Grab your hoe and blitz your edgings to remove weeds and they’ll be back to their best in no time.

Back To Bed

One of the easiest ways to make your garden look great again is to tidy up the flowerbeds that you already have. Getting rid of weeds, debris, litter and fallen leaves are quick and simple to do but creates a fantastic impression without adding anything extra.

Greenhouse Glasses

If you’ve got a greenhouse, then chances are it is going to need a little love too. The harsh winter weather will have taken its toll on the glass, so washing the outside with disinfectant or detergent will remove any algae, grime and moss that has accumulated. Inside, it will probably need a little love to remove weeds that have overgrown and to get it ready for your new seedlings.

Pest-A-Side

Even if you haven’t been enjoying your garden over the winter, there will be bugs, insects and pests that have been. Getting rid of them early will mean a lot less work for you in the summer. Check for slugs, snails and aphids that have set up home and use the necessary chemicals to remove them. Look for larvae in and around any compost pots you have as they feed on plant roots.

Compost Yourself

If you don’t have a compost area in your garden, and the last section inspired you to start one, then it’s a great way to recycle your organic waste. Once it’s broken down, you’ll have a supply of high-quality compost soil to use as you plant new flowers, shrubs and trees to brighten your garden.

Take A Fence (or wall)

Another victim of the colder temperatures will be the garden fence (or wall). Check if any of the panels need replacing or refitting, or if it’s a wall, check for loose coping stones or brickwork. It’s also a great idea to give your fence or wall a lick of paint (or stain) to preserve it for the year.

 I Like Big (water) Butts

In the UK, we have more than our fair share of rainfall. Rather than simply flooding your garden, installing a water-butt allows you to have a steady supply of free water. Rather than connecting a hose to your mains water supply, harvesting in a specific container is not only environmentally friendly but gives you a supply in the summer when (hopefully) water is at a premium.

Lawn and Order

If you have a lawn, either in the front or back garden, then the spring is a crucial time for some groundwork. The work you do now will pay dividends later when it comes to the lawn. Once the grass is dry and thawed, rake it to remove thatch and dead blades of grass. Once done, any new seeds or fertiliser can penetrate the surface properly. Bear in mind, the type of grass seed you use can depend on how you use your lawn, so think about that when buying them.

Sowing the Seeds

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just have a wonderfully colourful garden instantly? Sadly, it’s not that easy. Plants need time to grow, but some flowers like geraniums and begonias need a longer germination period than others. If they are your flower of choice, it’s time to start potting those seeds now so you can enjoy them when the spring and summer come around.

The Sharpest Tool in the Shed

One aspect of your garden that is easy to overlook is probably locked away in your shed or garage (which is why it gets overlooked I guess). The tools you need to help you bring your garden back to life will need some TLC. If you don’t bother cleaning them after use, then it’s time to use some strong detergent, hot water, elbow grease and a scourer to bring them back to their best. For those that might need sharpening, applying some oil or WD40 afterwards will keep them in tiptop condition.

We hope that our blog has been informative and helpful if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01344 886 331 or alternatively drop us an email and one of our friendly members of staff will get back to you as soon as possible. 

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/top-11-tips-for-gardening-in-the-spring/

Can You Hoover Artificial Grass?

More and more people are having artificial grass laid in their gardens. There are plenty of great reasons for this! One reason is an artificial garden won’t need nearly as much looking after as a full grass lawn. There’s no need for you to cut or trim an artificial lawn. This means that the grass fibres you install will last years and years without you ever having to bring out a mower or a pair of clippers.

 

A roll of grass is not only easy to set up – it’s very easy to maintain!

 

That being said, there are also plenty of questions people ask when it comes to artificial grass.  For example, how do you actually look after a faux lawn? Do you need to keep it clean and tidy? Do you need to give it a wipe down?  Above all – and this might sound a bit strange – can you hoover artificial grass, or vacuum it regularly?

Artificial Grass Maintenance

Yes – as you can imagine, artificial grass can build up a lot of dirt and debris. Just the same as any natural lawn might, in fact! Therefore, it’s probably really tempting to take your household hoover to it to keep it looking great. However, you should never take a hoover to your artificial grass or grass fibres. 

 

Vacuums that you can use inside the home are often very intense in terms of suction. They are probably more powerful than you give them credit for! Imagine what could happen to your lawn if you take a hoover to it. You could start sucking grass fibres out of the ground or potentially ruin the strands of grass. To avoid damaging your artificial grass, you should always make sure to take an alternative approach to keeping your artificial grass clean:

Brush Instead

If you want to keep your artificial grass looking spectacular, you’re going to need to start cleaning it up by hand. This means investing in a tough brush, for example. You can easily brush dirt, debris, and leaves clean and clear of your lawn without it causing any damage. This is great news for anyone who might otherwise struggle to keep their grass looking clean.

 

What you can also use, of course, is a leaf blower. Leaf blowers and garden vacuums are built for this purpose. That means you can use them to clear away leaves and dirt as you wish, without fear of anything getting damaged along the way. It might be well worth the investment!

artificial rolled green grass; closeup

Get specialist equipment

So – can you hoover artificial grass? Only with a specialist vacuum! If you use a household vacuum cleaner, you are going to risk doing some serious damage to the artificial grass.  Instead, get some garden kit in the form of a leaf blower or garden vacuum. 

 

We hope that our blog has helped you to keep your artificial grass clean and looking brand new. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call us on 01344 886 331 or alternatively head over to our contact page to fill in the online enquiry form and one of our friendly team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/can-you-hoover-artificial-grass/

Garden Maintenance in Winter

Winter, to most people, means the end of the gardening season. It’s a time to shut the garden gate and let nature take its course. Besides, you’ve already reaped summer’s benefits and done quite a lot of work to keep your garden looking clean and healthy.

However, this should not be what you want to do as winter approaches. You should do your best to prepare your garden for spring and summer by maintaining it during winter. If you have been wondering what you should be doing to show love to your garden this winter, read on.

1. Continue Watering

This is essentially the simplest and cheapest way to protect your garden during winter. While most people think that watering plants during winter can result in freezing of water in the soil, this is far from the truth. It has been discovered that water does a lot in helping to generate heat in the soil. As such, regular watering of plants throughout the cold and dry season helps your plants to remain healthy.

2. Clear out the Garden

Your garden should be clear of dead foliage as well as dead stems. This should be done for many reasons, one being that untidy, old looking plants can be a source of pests, disease, and even funguses. If insects were feeding on you crops in the summer, they might have laid eggs on the plants’ stalks and leaves.

For this reason, you should remove all spent plants from the garden surface. You can bury such waste in garden trenches if they are disease-free. Doing so can add organic matter to the soil while also keeping away pests that could have hatched from the eggs left behind.

3. Take Some Plants Inside

There are some plants that won’t survive winter, no matter how hard you try. In such a situation, you can keep the outdoor container plants in your house to shield them from the freezing temperatures. However, you will have to place such plants where they can get the unique needs for warmth, light, and humidity.

As you transfer such plants, be sure to prioritise the ones that are healthy. By doing so, you will increase the chances of survival. Plants that are not healthy should not be brought into the house to prevent them from contaminating the healthy ones.

4. Build a Greenhouse if you can

One of the best ways to upgrade your garden and ensure that everything in it remains healthy all year round is to add a greenhouse to your property. You can decide to make things a little bit more interesting by building a smart greenhouse as this will make it easier to automate factors such as water, temperature, and others that enhance growing conditions.

5. Replenish Mulch

Your garden requires mulch in the winter just like it does during summer. Adding a thick layer of mulch in the winter has quite a number of benefits such as regulating soil moisture and temperature, as well as easing the transition into winter. Remember that as the mulch breaks down, it adds fresh organic material into the soil, allowing it to become richer in nutrients.

6. Leave Nature to Take its Course

You should not worry so much about the soil as it continues to snow. In fact, the snow can protect it through insulation and keeping the temperature more consistent. If, however, the snow is too much and it lands on the branches of your trees or other plants, be sure to clear it. You should knock it off from the lower branches as you go upwards so that it won’t damage the lower branches with its weight.

Conclusion

Keeping your garden healthy even during winter is possible with a few adjustments in the way you do your gardening. Remember that maintaining your garden during the cold season prepares it for the next season. If you feel like the work is too much for you, there’s always an option to hire a gardener.

So, if you are looking to hire the professionals to maintain and improve your garden, Kite Landscapes are on hand to help. Call us today on 01344 886 331 or visit our contact page. 

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/garden-maintenance-in-winter/

Beautiful Winter Water Feature Ideas

There is no doubt that summer has passed, and that the cold, dark winter is approaching… fast. However, there is no reason not to invest in a water feature this winter! Today, we will be discussing some fun winter water feature ideas for your garden. 

Internal Water Features

The interior features are naturally protected from the elements and will work well regardless of the season. However, this all depends on the amount of space you have available in your home, there are many smaller features or even water features on the table that you can choose from, and they take up very little space.

Primary Power Function Instead of Solar Energy.

Although the characteristics of solar energy are excellent for the environment and you can place them anywhere in your garden with access to sunlight, their performance will gradually decrease as the year comes to an end. This is due to a limited hours of daylight during the season of winter. 

For this reason, if you’re planning to use your water feature all year round and not just in the summer, we’d suggest using a main power source. However, keep in mind that you will need an external weatherproof plug for the main external features that work with water. Otherwise, the operation may not be safe, however, if you employee professional garden landscapers, they have all the necessary qualifications and tools to do a safe and secure job. 

Birdbath

One type of feature that is also useful during the winter months, in addition to being attractive, is a birdbath. There is a large selection of bird baths available, including some with integrated water features. Although, it is useful for wildlife throughout the year, it provides an easily accessible feature of freshwater at a time when it is difficult for birds and other wildlife to find it during the harsh winter. 

The benefits of a birdbath include; fresh water for creatures which may have limited supplies in the winter months, bringing wildlife to your garden, the beautiful singing of birds and scenes of water flow.

Water Lights

You may want to consider the characteristics of water with particular lights. That will give you long periods of fun, both indoors and outdoors, allowing you to see them even when the day is dark. Some features have multicoloured lights, while others have only white LEDs: they illuminate your home or garden and can add to the general atmosphere of winter festivals.

Water Fountains

Water fountains can look pretty all year round, in the summer they flow with fresh water, creating those perfect summer day vibes, and in the winter (dependent on temperatures) you could have your very on ice sculpture. 

 

However, when the water freezes it could cause damage to the pipelines. You must ensure that preventive maintenance is performed on all of your outdoor taps to avoid a very cold, wet, and expensive problem. Paying for a plumber who replaces a defective valve will cost you much less than having to pay for emergency plumbing services when your pipe is frozen and broken in the middle of the night.

 

Another option to help prevent the outside tap from freezing is to add a section of thermal strip to the tube. The thermal tape is a wire that is wrapped around the formed tube to help prevent it from freezing. It comes in different lengths, and you can connect and disconnect it when necessary. It is an affordable option that works. Wrap the thermal tape around the pipe, cover it by insulating the fibreglass tubes, and connect it. It may be used to help melt already frozen pipes, although they work best as a precaution.

Top Tip

If you decide to select an outside water feature and intend to turn it on and off during winter, be careful not to allow water to freeze, as this may damage the function and the pump. Most sellers of these features also offer products to protect them and prevent water from freezing, which is a good investment because it will extend the life of its function and give you peace of mind!

 

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you create the garden of your dreams through our garden design service, then get in touch today on 07860 231389 or pop us an email at kitelandscapes@btinternet.com. 

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/beautiful-winter-water-feature-ideas/

Benefits of having decking in your garden

Decking can be a really good alternative to grass in your garden. Timber decking has become increasingly popular and is a really great addition to your home. Decking isn’t just a place for relaxation and to entertain guests it can also add value to your home. Below we have compiled some reasons why so many homeowners opt for decking.

Advantages of having decking   

Aesthetics

Wood gives a rustic and naturally attractive appearance that enables it to give your home some aesthetic value. This can also make the space family-friendly so may be more appealing for families if you decide on selling the home.

Ideal space for entertaining guests

Decking is a great outdoor space for entertaining, it can be a fantastic space for a summer evening and you’re hosting a family party or BBQ. Decking also makes it easier to have garden furniture as it is a sturdy surface.

Low maintenance

One of the many advantages of having decking is that it requires very little maintenance, over the course of a lifetime. You just need to mop, or jet wash it occasionally as when the winter months past it can become slippery due to algae and go slightly green.

Flexibility

Decking doesn’t have to just be around by the backdoor where most people tend to have it, timber decking is very versatile and it can be used around ponds, water features or just placed where you get the most amount of sun in your garden.

 

Decking can be built quickly

If you are looking to add space to your home a deck is a really good idea. Decking can be completed in a matter of weeks depending on how big space is. They are a great long-term investment. Some home improvements can be intrusive on everyday living but having a decking added to your garden won’t intrude into your life or home.

Gives you extra space

You can always use your deck as a storage place too. Decking can add a dimension to your back garden and transform the garden and the way you use it. We don’t get too much sun here in the UK in summer but when we do, why not make the most of it by creating a place to relax and enjoy it.  

We hope that our blog has been informative, and you can enjoy your decking. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01344 886 331 or head over to our contact page to fill in the online enquiry form. 

 

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/benefits-of-having-decking-in-your-garden/

The Benefits of using a Garden Planner

Are you looking for some inspiration for your garden design? Would you like to see or visualise the design of your garden so that you can have a better idea of how your garden will look like, even before starting any of your garden landscaping work? Most garden planners can help you to do this by using some advanced garden planning tools. 

A garden planner can help you to plan and design the garden layout and content of your front or back garden, this is a great way to stay organised and get control of your landscaping project. A professional garden planner will assist you with everything you need, from calculating the size available, designing the shapes, adding walls and boundaries like fences, bushes, a water feature all the way to an outdoor garden building within your back garden. So, let’s explore the benefits of using a professional garden planner. 

 

Why use a Garden Planner?

Garden planning should never be underestimated, especially because gardens take various forms. Using a garden planner that can readily generate different garden designs is a key driver in the eventual outcome of a well-planned garden. These are some benefits of using garden planners:

Collaboration 

It is easy to get carried away when looking to design your garden by yourself, and especially if you have no prior knowledge as to how. You may have a garden idea in mind and not know how to actualise it. Two heads are always better, so by employing the services of a planner, you can bounce ideas off of each other, giving you the advantage of collaborating with someone that knows what they’re doing and can help you unravel your dream garden.

Foresight 

As with many things in life, foresight enables you to get a clear picture of what it is you’re trying to do and the outcome you want to achieve. Garden planners provide a vivid picture of the final look and aesthetics of a garden by equipping you with the most suitable sketches, planting plans, colour coordinations and shape concepts. If you’re looking to accessorise your garden with water features such as ponds, streams, bird-baths or fountains, using a garden designer will give you a heads up on placements that could serve to provide water for your garden and for birds, bees and butterflies while conserving water at the same time.

Direction

Garden planners direct the tone of your garden by providing the right plant lists for your garden. If an area of proposed garden space receives more sunlight than the rest, planning helps you figure out the best location for planting flowers and/or crops so that you don’t find yourself in a situation where vegetables that require lots of sunlight die because they were planted in shady areas. A planner also directs you on how to keep your plants and crops in good condition.

Functionality 

Good soil, sunlight, space, and water are some of the elements that make up the foundation of any successful garden ground. Meaning the outcome of a garden is dependent on the functionality of these elements. Garden planners will not only point out the need to use fertile soil that is moisture-retentive yet well-drained, but they’d also push for a central watering system that regularly water’s your garden and leaves you rest assured when you’re away and unable to water it daily.

 

Thank you for reading this blog post. If you have any gardening related queries, visit our contact page or call us on 07860 231 389.

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/the-benefits-of-using-a-garden-planner/

Benefits of a Tiered Garden Design

 

Garden design, when broken down to basics, is how you would like to arrange your plants, decking and all other garden ornaments within your garden. When landscapes are tiered, patterns and designs are achieved where the outcome often reflects the gardener’s organisational design and pattern dexterity. The benefits of tiered garden designs are not only limited to beauty as presented through art and design, but also have scientific benefits to humans, insects and soil.

Attracting Visitors

 

Naturally, beauty exposes itself, and the first thing to strike the mind when you approach a well-manicured landscape is the mixture of floral displays that captures various flowery shades set within the garden. This allows someone to stand a better chance at attracting visitors as the plant life incorporated within the landscape design offers refreshing air and beautiful views.

Tiered home gardening is more personalised than just mixing a bunch of flowers together. It allows room for someone to display their creativity and presentational skills in the form of garden design. With a wide range of patterns, styles and designs; creators can pull from a range of different sources to create the unique garden that they desire. 

Other benefits of tiered garden design are due to the amount of greenery implemented within the premises, allowing for the feeling of fresh air which creates a stress-free zone. The different scents from plants implemented can help anyone unwind.

Terraces

 

Some tiered garden designs take advantage of terraces in a step like display. With terraces built and flowers planted into the landscape, the effect of soil erosion is reduced tremendously. Besides increased plant coverage, whether flowers or vegetables are planted within a garden, the tiered garden design presents your creative vision in an interesting way. With regard to benefits to the soil, landscape gardening enhances soil quality by improving its structure.

For All Garden Sizes

 

A keen gardener set on transforming any space within a homestead into useful application looks no further than tiered gardening. 

Regardless of the size of the garden or topological challenge, landscape gardening can find a way in which to incorporate this style of landscape design. This argument stems from the fact that tiered gardening can be done in containers, in layered compartments or it may just take a special arrangement of stones in areas where plants cannot grow. Ideally, with landscaping, no piece of land within a homestead can be rendered useless.

All in all, tiered gardening is an existential culture that projects human creativity as it depicts beauty through landscaping. In the process, scientific benefits that border on soil structure, mind development as well as a refreshed environment stand to be reaped.

We hope that you find the information presented useful. If you would like to contact us about any of our services then feel free to use our online form.

source http://www.kitelandscapes.co.uk/benefits-of-a-tiered-garden-design/