Open the doorways to summer season

Today is officially the first day of summer but, after a funny old spring, our gardens need some extra attention. 

Whether you want to entertain friends and family, or simply have space to sit with a drink and a book, with a few simple steps you can achieve the outdoor space of your dreams to enjoy over the next few months.

Bring the indoors outside by thinking about the places where you want to sit in your garden, then treating these with the same care you would an inside living area. 

Sweep patios with a stiff brush. Weed between paving stones, leaving a few self-sown wildflowers. 

A FRESH LICK OF PAINT 

Wipe down garden furniture with soap and water, and consider repainting pieces, making sure to choose paint suitable for exteriors. 

New broom: Borders, paths and summerhouses will benefit from a makeover

There are now lots of outdoor rugs and cushions on the market to soften the feel of garden furniture. Add a touch of sparkle with a mirror attached to a wall or fence or hang pretty plates — if they are dishwasher-proof they should be fine in the rain.

Create a relaxation area by placing an old lounger covered in a washable throw beneath a tree to give you a different perspective. Hang fairy lights from trees for soothing evenings. Approach borders as if they were flower arrangements. 

The late plantswoman Beth Chatto took inspiration from the Japanese art of Ikebana when it came to her garden in Essex, with something tall to draw up the eye, contrasting with lower mounds. 

Plant flowers such as geraniums and asters alongside spires of foxgloves or Gladiolus byzantinus, as well as balls of evergreen Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ for structure. 

You can use the same method when it comes to containers, combining tall grasses such as Stipa tenuissima with bushy purple Salvia ‘Caradonna’ and trailing white Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum).

Rather than rewilding your garden, go half-wild. Leave patches of grass and wildflowers to grow long, but mow around the edges for an effective contrast. 

If a plant threatens to take over — in our garden this applies to green alkanet and red valerian — leave some for the bees, but don’t be afraid to pull out others and put them on the compost heap. 

Many summer-flowering perennials need light and air to grow. Climbing plants such as clematis and jasmine have put on plenty of growth thanks to the recent mix of sunshine with copious showers. Make sure these are tied up. 

This is not the time to cut anything radically, but you might want to trim climbers, making sure not to disturb nesting birds. 

NEW PURPOSE 

Take inspiration from the shed featured in Tom Stuart-Smith’s gold medal-winning garden for the National Garden Scheme at this year’s RHS Chelsea, complete with hooks for tools. 

Repurpose old furniture as storage and decorate inside walls with spent seed packets – which has the added benefit of reminding you what you planted.