With temperatures soaring and BBQs being dusted-off across the nation, we have commissioned a survey to uncover how Brits really feel about our green spaces.
This research has shown that one in five (21%) feel embarrassed about the state of their gardens, and half (49%) are jealous of their neighbours perfectly-pruned outdoor space. Brits are positively green with envy! Gardens topped the lust list, being found to be more enviable than a pantry (26%) a sauna or hot tub (26%), or kitchen islands (33%).
To help Brits rid themselves of garden envy, award-winning horticulturist and presenter Michael Perry, AKA Mr Plant Geek, shares some of his top tips on how to achieve a gorgeous garden:
- A quick spritz of your frontage can work wonders. Grab a pressure washer and get concrete, brickwork and tiles shining in next to no time. You’ll give everything a new lease of life and help it last longer too!
- Plant a ‘graffiti garden’ with evergreen shrubs. This isn’t quite how it first sounds; it’s the use of shrubs with colourful foliage which help to create real impact in your garden. They are also evergreen, so won’t lose their leaves in the winter so will keep the garden looking smart whilst being low maintenance through every season.
- Get a helping hand. If, like many people, you find the task of tidying your outdoor space a little overwhelming, it’s no bad thing to get someone else involved. Hiring a Tasker from Taskrabbit means they’ll be able to help you get on top of things and use any tools that you may not be sure about. Taskrabbit can assist with all garden tidying needs, so you can remain accident-free and the envy of the town.
- Sow hardy annual flowers. It’s as easy as scattering a few seedballs onto the surface of the soil. Nasturtiums, cornflowers, and Californian poppies are all easy to grow from seeds and they’ll flower quickly for any impatient gardeners who can’t wait to see the results. These flowers can be sown as late as mid-June for flowers the same summer!
- Driveways don’t have to be bare. How about planting between the cracks of your paving slabs, or interplanting gravelled areas with some fragrant thyme. Thyme is durable and will give you a feel-good waft every time you step on it! Delicious.
We know it’s all too easy for tasks in the garden to drop to the bottom of the to-do list. These are the garden jobs that Brits are most likely to put off:
- Weeding (43%)
- Raking leaves (31%)
- Cleaning garden furniture (30%)
- Cutting back trees and bushes (28%)
- Making general repairs (28%)
- Strimming the grass (25%)
- Painting a fence (24%)
- Deadheading (23%)
- Mowing the lawn (21%)
- Pressure washing the patio (16%)
Need a hand with these to-dos in your garden? Find Gardening Help near you today.
