Gardening was once seen as a hobby that only the rich and elderly would do. But nowadays, it’s further from the case, especially since the push for gardening and houseplants from the COVID-19 pandemic. Gardening is one of the best ways to stay grounded and get in touch with mother nature while all at the same time getting the opportunity to just relax. Even though nobody starts out with a green thumb, one thing that even sometimes the pros struggle with is keeping a garden happy.
It’s not just that, but keeping a garden happy for a long period of time, but it’s also trying to make the garden happy and thriving even in the harshest of conditions. You may have the prettiest garden in the spring and in the summer months, but does it tend to look dead once the cold kicks in? Gardens can look gorgeous all year round; just take a look at botanical gardens. They’re the perfect proof to show that the weather can’t get in the way! So, here is everything you need to know to get that pretty garden, no matter what season it is!
Start By Looking into What Works Best Each Season
The UK isn’t particularly known for having temperate climate or weather conditions, for that matter. Flowers that thrive in the spring are not going to make it if it drops to a certain temperature. The same can be said if it’s too hot. There are so many plants, vegetation included, that work well during certain times of the year. So if you want your garden to thrive and bring a lot of life into your garden and turn it into something special all year round rather than bare for certain months, then you need to be well-versed in what zone you’re in and what plants work best for which seasons. Let’s take a close look at each season.
Spring
Spring is the perfect month for sowing, but it’s also one of the best months for plants too. If you have trees or bushes, this is the time when flowers pop out, but this is also when the beloved tulips come out too. Even though your garden may look like a pastel paradise in spring, all of these flowers tend to fade by late April to mid-May. So, if you’re wanting flowers to pop up in the summer months, particularly late summer to early Autumn, then you need to get to sowing. But some plants (such as dahlias) can only be planted after the final frost, which is approximately the second week of May.
Summer
You can say that summer is meant to be the height of any garden. This is when all the flowers are out and when foliage is completely out for plants. Wildlife is thriving during this period, and whether you sowed seeds or you have starters, there are next to no restrictions when planting- as long as warm temperatures and sun are needed. Plus, the summer months give you a chance to get started on your Autumn garden.
Autumn
Depending on what you have in your garden, the first month or so of Autumn will still have colour. You can expect to see vibrant colours from the summer flowers, berries are finishing up their cycles, it’s time to harvest most vegetables, and the leaves are ready to change colours and fall. You can say that this season is right in between thriving and dying.
It fits nicely as Autumn tends to have two temperatures: pretty hot and very cold. Plus, it’s usually raining nonstop during this time too. Autumn is the perfect time to prepare your garden for winter flowers, but this is especially the time to get around to planting spring bulbs.
Winter
When it comes to winter, this is probably the season when gardens are the saddest. Sure, late Autumn tends to bring bland gardens, but the winter sure does kick it right into full-throttle. Most trees lack leaves, shrubs tend to be shedding easily, and there aren’t that many flowers out in December, either. Even though this is the less ideal season for gardening, you can make your garden just as pretty and thriving as any other season with some planning.
How Can You Keep Your Garden Thriving Every Season?
Is it easy to keep your gardening thriving every season? The answer is a resounding yes. While it’s true that you can count on some challenges here and there, one thing you cannot have any control over would be the weather and climate change. Unfortunately, even the best gardeners around may not be able to bounce back quickly from unexpected drops in temperature, flooding, or long heat waves.
But by taking these things that you can’t control out of consideration, you can at least think of everything that you do have control over. So let’s take a look at what you can do to keep your garden vibrant and lively throughout the year.
Do You Know What’s in Your Garden?
It’s simple: do you know what you currently have in your garden, and do you know the seasons and length of time that everything is “alive”? So first off, start by getting to know your garden and its existing plants. Every garden needs to get the chance to truly know what it currently offers, whether it’s bushes, flowers, trees, or even the present grass. It doesn’t sound like much, but all of this can add up. When you do this, you’ll be able to plan around them, and you’ll be able to add additional plants (without duplicates) to fill your garden.
Focus on Maintenance Every Month
Gardens require a lot of work, sometimes a little too much work than we’d like. As nice as it would be to just plant a few things and call it a day, that’s just not how it goes. Even some of the most lavish botanical gardens in the world need an entire team to do maintenance daily. In general, gardens need maintenance, and there’s a chance yours is going to need it monthly, biweekly, or even weekly. In general, it’s going to require a lot of thought and effort.
It’s needed to maintain its aesthetic appeal, and it’s going to be the best way to keep it tidy. So, what will need to be involved? Well, this can include weeding, pruning, and deadheading spent blooms, as this is going to be the way to keep your flower beds looking fresh. But this isn’t all; you’re probably going to need to mulch the garden, fertilise it, use pesticides, rake it, mow it, and so on. As you can see, it’s quite the list! You can’t forget about your shed either, as this is also going to make an impact on how your garden looks. But if there are ever any issues, you could always look into Bitumen roof sheets for sheds
to avoid potential leaks.
Cover the Empty Spots
Are there any bare spots in your garden? You’re going to want to think about how you can use the bare spaces of your garden to frame views. Tall trees that will create structure in your landscape are a great way to do this, and sculptural features like water bowls can add a touch of personality. You can fill them however you want, with more plants or accessories. But if you want to bring more life into your outdoor space, then the best way to go about it would certainly be to fill up those sad and boring areas.
What Thrives in Your Soil Conditions?
It’s not only the soil conditions but your climate and zone too. There are a lot of plants that need a certain pH in the soil in order for them to do well. Plus, the weather conditions and the type of soil are going to play a major impact that you shouldn’t underestimate. Knowing all of this will help give you a clear picture of what needs to be done, how, when, and the conditions too. You’ll be able to specifically select plants that will work with your given conditions. This way, you won’t have any garden disasters, and you can enjoy the fruits of your labor- literally!
Understand that Gardening is a Constant Project
This basically goes hand in hand with knowing the correct conditions in your garden. Gardening isn’t something you do once and never again. In order for a garden to thrive, there needs to be constant attention. In fact, very rarely are you going to be able to throw a plant into the ground or toss some seeds, and mother nature takes control of the rest.
While it does happen in the wild, it’s still not nearly as easy as you might think. Make sure to be very patient with all of this; gardening is a waiting game. It’s something you need to be calm and patient with. Think of it like a pet, you need to nurture a pet in order for it to stay healthy and grow, and plants need that too.
Create a Sun Log
Do you know where the sun hits in your garden? Do you know how long it hits and which areas it misses? While it may sound tedious, giving yourself a chance to observe the sun and all the areas it hits (and when) can help you indicate what plants should do where. This will help you understand which parts of your garden receive more or less sunlight and when they need extra watering.
It can also help you decide which types of plants are suitable for your garden’s location. Take note of where the sun rises and sets in different areas and how long it lingers at various times of the year. You may need to do this four times in total, so once every season.