Now that December is firmly behind us and the New Year has begun, you might feel like giving your garden a makeover in time for the summer. Why not swap the usual New Year’s resolutions to get fit, lose weight and quit eating chocolate with a more enjoyable resolution by pledging to improve your garden.

Resolution one: spend more time in the garden
Commit to spend more time in the garden. The more time you commit to gardening, the more you will hone your skills and learn new things. During the winter your garden often gets neglected, so spending some more time each week will help you get that garden ready.

Resolution two: try new plants and colours
Changing a planting style or colour scheme can radically alter the appearance of a garden. We can all be guilty of becoming complacent and churning out the same plants year after year, simply because we know they’ll be successful. Variety is important to keep gardening interesting, and to grow and develop as a gardener.

Resolution three: compost
Composting is a fantastic way to get rid of all the rotten foliage and vegetable scraps you have around, and compost is so full of nutrition that when sprinkled into your soil, your plants will flourish. Invest in a good quality composting bin this year and your garden will never look better.

Resolution four: wildlife
Your garden can be more than just a sanctuary for you to relax in, it can be a habitat for all kinds of wildlife. Whether you want to provide shelter for hedgehogs, hang bird feeders for local birds, or even install a pond and add some aquatic life, you can make your garden more enjoyable for the local wildlife.

Whether your garden is new, different or long established as we enter 2020, make this the year that you make the most of your outdoor space. Knowing what you are aiming at is the first and key step to a happy new garden in 2020.

Hellebores (pictured above) flower in winter to early spring and are small plants, easily missed at this time of year. So, if you plan to grow some (they’re well worth it!), be sure to plant them somewhere where they will be appreciated. With many varieties they add a vibrant colourful addition to a new or established garden.

With Warm Wishes & A Happy New Year

The Hartwell Team