There is an intrinsic sense of pride that comes with owning a home. And, it’s appearance – both inside and out – is often seen as a reflection of the occupants. For some, that pride is reflected vividly in their lawn and garden. Maintaining your home’s green spaces does not solely impart a sense of satisfaction – it also helps maintain your home’s value. Now, with winter’s biting chill on the horizon, there is much work to be done to prepare your home’s green spaces.
To help prepare, follow these six pieces of advice:
1. Greenhouse maintenance: If you have a greenhouse, remove the shade paint to let in the maximum amount of light, and thoroughly clean the interior with a hot garden disinfectant.
2. Clean up the borders: Dig up any annuals you may have planted, such as pansies, bellis daisies and wallflowers, and replace them with winter bedding in order to ensure some colour come spring. Regardless of whether you choose to plant winter bedding, you should cover your borders with a thick layer of compost or mulch to preserve the soil’s health.
3. Groom the lawn: Comb your lawn with a spring-tined rake in order to collect any loose grass clippings, moss and leaves. Dispose of the refuse in your compost bin, and, by spring, the lawn waste should be ready to use.
4. Plant new evergreens: Hardy evergreens are able to withstand the cooler winter temperatures while still maintaining their lustrous deep green colour. Some evergreen plants that you may want to consider planting are Sarcococca, Daphne, Camellia or Fatsia.
5. Protect the more delicate flowers: Before the first frost, you may want to dig up the tubers of more fragile flowers, such as Begonias, Dahlias and Cannas. After you dig up the bulbs, trim off the stems and store them in dry compost or sand with just the top of the crown visible. Then, come spring, you can replant the bulbs.
6. Garden equipment maintenance: Before you lock up your shed for the winter, sharpen any shears and wash shovels, spades, rakes and any other garden tools. This will help preserve the quality of the tools. Additionally, if you have a lawn mower, thoroughly clean and sharpen the blades, and perform maintenance on the engine.
By taking the time to maintain your home’s green spaces this autumn, you will have not only ensured their health and beauty, but the value of your home as well.
