When you’re buying a new home, there are a lot of factors to consider, and aesthetics isn’t one of them. You can always change the way things look, but you can’t change where the property is located (unless you’re buying a houseboat), the age of the home or key structural features (at least, not without significant investment).
As a result, it’s easy for new homeowners to buy a property that needs significant work to get it up to their aesthetic standards and make it fit with their style. Many buyers immediately focus on the interior, but if you’re a gardening lover, you’ll probably be looking at your outdoor space.
Many homes come with gardens that aren’t to the standard we want them to be. That’s especially true if the property was unoccupied before you moved in: after all, buying a home can take 6 months or longer, so the garden may have become incredibly unruly during this time.
Thankfully, an untamed garden is a great opportunity for a fresh start, it just takes a bit more hard work. Let’s dive into what you need to do so you can make a start on transforming your new home’s garden into an outdoor space you can be proud of.
Make A Plan
The first step is always to make a plan. Rushing into your garden and making changes without any idea of what you’ll do with them later can be costly, time-consuming and, ultimately, incredibly wasteful. You may find yourself undoing all your hard work in the future.
To avoid this scenario, make a plan from the beginning, even if it’s only a rough one. Consider your budget, and then take each section of your garden and plan what you want to do. You can always make changes later, but having a rough idea will be useful.
Remove Any Debris And Unwanted Visitors
Initially, you need to make sure you remove all debris and clear the space so you have a blank canvas to start working on. If your garden is heavily overgrown or contains lots of rubbish, you may want to consider hiring a skip to remove it all.
Once the garden is cleared, you may notice signs of pests, such as rats or mice. These vermin tend to like overgrown gardens, but they can wreak havoc on your future plans. Also, they may destroy your hard work in the future, so it’s worth removing them as soon as possible. Work with the pest control experts at Integrum Services to remove unwanted guests before you start transforming your outdoor space.
Measure Everything Twice
When you come to install garden furniture, plant trees or buy compost for your garden, it’s vital that you have the correct measurements for your space. Knowing how much room you have, as well as understanding any access issues, will reduce future problems.
It’s easy to just grab a tape measure and take some quick measurements, but you need to be more careful if you want to ensure you don’t waste your time and money on items that don’t fit your space. Take multiple measurements and get a second opinion if needed. You could also consider using multiple measuring devices, such as a standard tape measure and a laser measure, to get the most accurate measurements possible.
Choose The Right Theme For Your Garden
Gardening trends come and go, so it can be tough to keep up. Still, finding the right style and theme for your garden is crucial to making design decisions. Take the time to explore the best garden design ideas for UK gardens, then find one that you love.
After you’ve found a garden style you want, you’ll be able to start purchasing plants and make alterations to your space so it fits with your theme. Having a style in mind can be an ideal way to create a cohesive garden space. Without a particular design idea, you may end up with a chaotic garden that doesn’t look great or feel welcoming, so choosing a rough design from the start is an important step.
Take Your Time
It can be easy to get impatient when designing a new garden and transforming a barren space into a functional one. However, that won’t solve anything, so try your best to take your time. Tackle one section at a time when installing new garden beds and landscaping, and don’t try to do it all at once, as that will only cause you more stress and issues in the long run.
As any seasoned gardener knows, it takes time for new plants to establish and fill in the blanks. Your garden will evolve over the coming seasons, so be patient and take your time. It will be worth the effort when you have your dream garden.