The long warm Summer nights are on their way. Are you going to be using decorative gravel, bark chippings or simple top soil in your garden this year?
Christmas is well and truly over, we’re all back at work and thankfully, the shortest day is long gone. Longing for the warm Summer nights, now’s the time to start planning what you’re going to do with your garden this year.
Perhaps you’re after a complete revamp, perhaps you’re looking to update a single corner, or perhaps it’s time to simply renew. With so many choices on the market these days, here we focus on the top layer aesthetics. From colourful decorative gravel, chippings and mulch of various material, to simple flower or shrub cover along with nutritious top soil. How do you know where to start?
The most important thing to consider is how much time you are willing to spend maintaining your garden once the initial look has been achieved. Having hundreds of flowers and plants in the borders of course looks absolutely stunning – but does require time and attention.
Dead heading and checking plants have enough water should be a daily activity, whilst tedious weeding is perhaps more a weekly task. This is all providing you know what flowers you would like in your garden in the first place and know the heights they will become and their sun/shade requirements.
However, it has to be said that as a gardener, there’s nothing more pleasing and rewarding than sitting in your garden in the evening admiring your hard work, watching as the bees and butterflies visit with birds chirping in the background.
Alternatively, you may go for an easier approach by opting for filling borders, pathways and other areas with aggregates. Once laid, they require minimal maintenance yet look great. You could even add plants and still attract wildlife through the use of pots and baskets strategically placed throughout the garden.
There are many colourful options these days in numerous materials when it comes to decorative gravels, chippings and such like. Aggregates have come a long way since the early days due to the market ever expanding as a consequence of the increase of the need for ease.