There is no time like the present to get your garden in good shape. A beautiful backyard is a perfect place to entertain friends, to let your kids enjoy being outdoors, and if nothing else, it is an easy way to be the envy of your neighbors.

There are a few easy ways to fix up your garden. Some are simple, some require a bit of hard work and unfortunately will cost you a bit, but all have fantastic results.

Lovely Lawns

The easiest fix is to get your lawn in order. Plant seeds, or take a shortcut and install an instant lawn. It is vital that you identify whether the lawn is growing in full sun or in the shade, as this will guide you on which variety of grass to plant. Once the lawn is in, make sure to give it the correct fertilizer, and a lot of compost or manure is always a great idea. Most lawns love lots of water, so be sure to give the grass plenty of moisture, particularly just after it has been planted.

Plant with a Plan

You will be surprised at what a difference it can make to just spend a little bit of time to consciously plan what plants you are putting into the ground, and where you position them. Plant small plants close to the edge of the lawn, and then gradually let the plants get bigger as they move towards your boundaries. Pay attention to colour of leaves, and also to flowers and when in the year flowers will bloom. As you practice this more and more, you might even start to take notes of leaf textures, as well as sizes and shapes.

Purposeful Paving

Just about all gardens have a spot where nothing will grow. The lawn doesn’t thrive, plants seem to die, and it always looks like a mess. An easy solution to this is to pave the area. Paving looks good all year round and requires very little maintenance. It also provides a wonderful contrast to a garden; hard, clean edges against beautiful flowing leaves. In fact, often the gardens that are the most striking are the ones in which this type of contrast is the most evident. Don’t be afraid of experimenting.

Exciting Edges

The edges or boundaries between the lawn and your garden beds are of crucial importance. Untidy edges typically give the garden the appearance of being messy. Getting edges right can make a huge difference to any urban forest. The type of edge you use is often informed by the style of your garden. This might mean just neat edges cut with a spade. It could also be a concrete edge or a paved edge. Many gardens even suit tiny picket fences or small wooden edging. Look at your budget and your pokies online NZ winnings, and then decide what will look best as well as what you can afford at the time. This simple trick can have incredible results and will instantly improve just about any garden.