5 jobs to get done in the garden this autumn!

We hate to admit it, but the summer days are well and trying coming to a close. As we wave goodbye to the long evenings lounging in the garden, we must turn our attention to preparing and tending to our gardens for the cooler months.

So what can you do to keep your garden looking kempt this autumn? Here are our 5 essential garden jobs you should get done this autumn...

1 – Cut those hedges!

We recommend pruning your hedges for the last time in autumn to prevent decaying if damp should accumulate. Only cut deciduous hedges back as far as you can without creating any holes, as these will not grow back over the winter months, which will leave the hedge looking bare.

2 – Prep those Lawns!

During the winter the wet weather, low temperatures and feeble sunshine all affect your lawn – which is why they need some TLC before the cold spell begins! When the autumn leaves start to fall, they should be cleared from the lawn regularly so not to deprive your lawn of light. We recommend that you mow your lawn for the last time around the beginning of November, and be sure not to cut in shorter than 5cm, as longer grass can make better use of less sunlight.

3 - Protect those plants

Plants that are sensitive to frost, including beds and roses, should be covered with twigs, branches and leaves - or wrapped in bubble wrap. We recommend bringing any pot plants indoors or place them in a sheltered position to protect.

4 - Frost damage prevention

So that frozen water cannot cause any damage, it’s a good idea to switch off any water connections, empty taps and watering devices you have for the colder months. If you have any water features, dismantle any pumps and, if necessary, install an anti-ice pump.

5 - Lights

We could write a whole blog without mentioning garden lighting, could we? Now is the time to make your garden glow with beautiful outdoor lighting. Our range of garden lighting includes floodlights, security lighting, wall lights, garden lanterns as well as festoon lights and decking solutions! Having worked in commercial outdoor lighting for over 40 years, manufacturing and supplying exterior lighting and street furniture to councils, architects & designers, we really know the ins and outs of garden lighting!

We’re passionate about garden lights and landscape lighting and are more than happy to offer you some of the best inside tips and suggestions from our previous projects.

If you want to add a glow to your garden this autumn give us a call - 01773 541 003

Light up your summer garden with festoon lights

All thoughts turn to the outdoors at this time of year, as the weather improves and we can begin to daydream of sitting outside smelling the remnants of that delicious summer barbecue, with a glass of wine or bottle of beer in hand. But as the long and mild evenings draw closer, how do you plan to add that extra sparkle to those summer nights of respite?

Living and dining al fresco is one of the more pleasurable benefits of the summer, but what if you didn’t have to enjoy such magical moments during just one season of the year? Nothing signals summer evenings outdoors like ambient lighting while entertaining friends or family at those garden gatherings. Dim lights create a romantic, warm feel without attracting hundreds of flies!

With our unpredictable British weather it does prove difficult to find a functional and portable solution for such occasions. Although, why just opt for lighting in the summer months, and not all year round - something to make your garden glisten all year long.

Creating your own seasonal space doesn’t have to involve costly renovations or the re-thinking of your entire living environment, by purchasing the right outdoor lighting you can create the perfect ambience and settings with just a small investment.

Wedding and event planners have used outdoor festoon lighting so beautifully for years and now thanks to more affordable options provided by the Garden Lighting Shop you too can recreate that gorgeous elegance in your very own back garden.

As a quick and effective solution to your entertainment lighting, festoon lighting also has many diverse and varied applications offering the perfect solution when creating atmosphere at summer parties, weddings, garden displays or even just lighting up walkways and dining areas.

Why not cordon off a small corner of your garden to create a new and exciting environment to find respite and put your feet up or even spice up the space rerated by your decking?

With the addition of the right festoon lights you can turn an area of your garden into a brand new venue for relaxation and entertainment, after all , why have a garden if you can’t enjoy it during the day or at night?

How to Create an Eco Friendly Garden

In recent years people have become more and more concerned with the environment, both locally and globally, and this concern is something that is inevitably going to increase as time goes on.

There are of many ways for you to live in a way that is as environmentally friendly as possible in all aspects of life, for example taking the bus instead of driving, walking instead of taking the bus and recycling household waste wherever possible. Of course some things are much easier to do than others and sometimes it just isn't possible to do the most environmentally friendly option; however one way in which all of us can help out our planet a little bit is to create an eco friendly garden.

Whether you have a large garden out in the countryside or just a small space in the middle of a city there is always something that you can do, no matter how big or small that thing may be it will contribute towards helping the environment.

So if you want to completely turn your garden into an eco friendly haven or even if you just want a few tips on how to garden in an eco friendly way then hopefully this guide will help you!

The first thing to keep in mind is natural; avoiding synthetic and chemical products is one of the best things you can do for your garden and the flora and fauna in it:

• It is no secret that chemical fertilizers are not particularly favoured by lovers of nature; plants managed to grow before it was invented so surely they don’t need it now?! That’s not to say you can’t use fertilizers to help give your plants a boost, but use natural alternatives. There are many natural products which you can add to your garden to boost plant growth such as bone meal, cottonseed meal, fish emulsions and composted manure; most of which can be bought from your local garden centre or gardening shop.

• We all know that weeds are a nuisance and can make your garden space look unsightly, so it is no wonder that we all want to get rid of them. Just like with fertilizers, the majority of products that you can buy are synthetic and the chemicals in them are not only unhealthy but they can harm plants that you do not want to kill and reduce the nutrients in the soil. There are several natural products that can act as herbicides including boiling water, rock salt and vinegar, all of which will kill the unwanted weeds in a matter of days. Another option is smothering, it’s simple; if you cover the weeds and prevent them from getting any sunlight then they can’t grow!

• Creating your own compost heap is a fantastic way of tackling two problems, you are able to recycle waste as well as add nutrients to your soil. Recycling is an obvious way of being environmentally friendly and by creating a compost heap with your food and other organic waste you can recycle these products into your own garden, to benefit you. Compost is (organic) waste that has decomposed, when this is mixed into soil it adds nutrients which encourages and improves plant growth. Similar to this is mulch, mulch is materials such as decaying leaves, peat and compost that is used to cover the ground around plants to enrich the soil and insulate it.

It is important to think about wildlife in your garden, both the wildlife that you do want in it and the wildlife that you don’t; firstly let’s think about those creatures that aren't welcome in our gardens.

• Pests are called pests for a reason, some can seem impossible to get rid of and some can keep returning so it is no wonder that the majority of us resort to using pesticides. If you do opt for these then there is one thing that you must take into consideration, many pesticides don’t just kill the pests that you are trying to kill so make sure that you are using a pesticide that specifically targets the pest you want to kill and no others.

• There are natural alternatives that can be used for some pests which are more environmentally friendly. For example you can set up sticky yellow sheets to catch flying insects or you can lay beer or fruit traps for slugs. 

• Birds can be a fantastic way of catching pests as they eat many of them such as slugs and caterpillars. Adding a bird feeder or a bird box to your garden will welcome birds, therefore encouraging them to spend more time in your garden and as a result eat more pests!

Although we work hard to prevent and get rid of a lot of unwanted weeds and wildlife, in order to create an eco friendly garden, flora and fauna are absolutely vital.

• Foreign plants and flowers may be beautiful but they aren't necessarily best for the ecosystem. Not only can they introduce pests and diseases but they aren't naturally suited to the environment and therefore are likely to need more water, more fertilizer and all in all more care. By planting native plants and flowers that are perfectly suited to the natural environment they will require less care and more importantly will improve the local ecosystem as they will create habitats for wildlife.

• Planting trees is extremely eco friendly and beneficial for the local environment for two reasons; they improve air quality and they provide a natural habitat for local wildlife.

• Depending on the size of your garden, having a vegetable patch can be beneficial for your garden and for you. Growing your own vegetables can save you money, make you more self sufficient and maybe encourage you to eat more greens! Even better certain plants grow well together as they help each other in different ways, for example parsley repels asparagus beetles so is perfect for planting next to asparagus.

Water plays a critical role in any garden so if you want to be as eco friendly as possible then you should be as careful as you can be with it.

• Conserving water is easy and practically free, simply set up a water butt that will collect rain water; you can then use this water for watering your garden instead of using water from a hose. This will save you money as it means that you are using less water from your house and therefore paying for less!

• Installing drainpipes that transport water from your home’s downspouts down to your garden is another excellent way of reusing rainwater and reducing the need for using water from your home.

• There are also several types of watering solutions that are more efficient than a regular hose for example a drip line or a soaker hose, these target the roots of plants and therefore there is less wastage. Again this means that less water is needed and you will therefore save money.

To keep your garden neat and tidy you will need different tools and equipment, most of these will just be hand tools that don’t require power, however some gardening equipment such as lawn mowers and hedge trimmers will need a power supply; if you can’t avoid using powered tools then it is important that you stay away from gas powered tools and only use electric.

Of course gardens don’t just have plants in them, we all like to decorate our gardens and make them suitable for us to spend time in. One thing that many of us like to add to our gardens is lighting, this makes the garden look more attractive in the evenings and allows us to spend more time outside during the warm summer nights. If you want to add lighting to your garden but want to keep with the eco friendly theme then solar powered garden lights are the way to do it, these are extremely energy efficient as they require no power source other than sunlight, so they are not harmful to the environment and they save you money.

In conclusion, there are many things you can do to ensure that your garden is eco friendly as well as a place that you can enjoy. Whether you are starting from scratch or just want to make a few changes, we hope that this guide will help you to create an eco friendly haven that will benefit both you and the environment!