Give your garden an instant boost with these 5 simple tricks.

Is your garden giving you glum vibes?

The winter washout is real and for many of us this is the “ugliest” season of the year. Dried grass, dead plants and general dustiness doesn’t do much for any garden.

On the other hand, many of us were lashed with some pretty intense rain recently, and drowned plants, mud patches and debris drifts is just as unsightly as a bone dry highveld winter garden.

The five step facelift

Here are 5 basic tips for giving your garden an instant facelift, that won’t cost a fortune and might just uplift your mood as well.

1. Check the lawn.

Most inland winter lawns don’t really need mowing during winter, but maybe the edges could do with some cleaning up. While you are at it, look for dead patches that could do with overseeding and weeding. If you live in one of the places that received flood levels of rain, it’s been a couple of weeks and we think you should probably start up the lawnmower by now…good luck!

2. Do a chicken parade

You might think your garden is clean and free from rubbish just because you yourself don’t litter, but just to be sure, do a quick chicken parade. Check for windblown wrappers, dropped toys, chewed up dog treasures and broken branches or collapsed plants. Its amazing the junk that a garden can accumulate over a winter.

3. Clear the way

The same goes for pavements, paths and patios. As much as we dislike raking up leaves on lawns and in garden beds, giving your paved or tiled spaces a quick sweep and clean up will do wonders for the garden’s look.

4. Give it colour with quick plantings.

Most garden centres have those little six-pack flower seedings all year round. If your garden is looking particularly dreary, why not buy a couple of those and just plant some in planter boxes or along the edges of bigger garden beds. Alternatively, you can invest in some wall mounted planters or even just big individual pots, and you can add any plant of your choosing.

5. Add some comfort.

Even the dreariest garden can seem lovely if you have a cosy seat to watch it from, bring some of your inside comforts outside and add pillows and throws to your existing patio seating. Clever lighting and other eye catchers like water features, living walls and things like a fire pit or brazier can do a lot to give your garden a quick makeover.

If only it was this easy to give ourselves a fresh face before spring!

Need some gardening inspo – read our article on Greatest Gardens from the World.