Make the most of your garden this summer
We are well into summer and, given that we’re home a lot more often than usual, we’re spending plenty of time in our gardens. With that in mind, now is the perfect opportunity to make the most of our green space by creating an area that can be used to its full potential.
Eat al fresco
With sunny days at home, we can mix up our mealtimes by dining al fresco – whether it is a quiet coffee outside, a picnic lunch or a barbeque in the evening.
If you’re looking for new furniture for outdoor dining, take a look at local company Rustic Look Aberdeen, which specialises in the sale and hire of handmade furniture made out of reclaimed materials, or Parkhill Garden Centre which offers an abundance of garden supplies
Grow your own
Al fresco dining can be made even better if you’re eating your own homegrown fruit and vegetables. By sowing vegetables in July, you can allow the warm weather to work its magic on your crops, making them ready to enjoy in the autumn. Lettuce, carrots and radishes are all quick and easy vegetables to grow and look after during the summer months. Courgettes and runner beans are the perfect vegetables to grow if space is limited – when you pick one, another then grows in its place without you having to plant any more seeds.
To help add flavour to your dishes, many common herbs take very little time to grow, such as chives, dill, rosemary, mint and parsley.
Sunny spots are the ideal places to grow your crops, or at least somewhere with a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day.
Creating a safe haven for wildlife
Who better to share your garden with than some local wildlife?
To protect and look after the bees, butterflies and other insects that depend on pollen and nectar, try to choose plants that provide pollen for an extended period, like ivy or a patch of wildflowers and lawn weeds such as daisies, dandelions, clover, bluebells and foxglove.
A small patch of wildflowers is a great way to attract and look after hedgehogs as this provides a great place for them to nest, and is usually popular with insects too. Another way that many people have been taking care of hedgehogs is by creating ‘hedgehog highways’ in their neighbourhoods. Tiny holes in fences or walls are big enough for hedgehogs to travel through to avoid roads, but are small enough that other pets and animals can’t get through.
Attract some insects to your garden and keep the family entertained by creating a Bug Hotel. All you need is some wood, twigs, straw, bark and pine cones – all can be found on a daily walk around local woodland areas like Scotstown Moor.
While you keep an eye out for local wildlife, be sure to take a look at the SSPCA’s website for tips on caring for wildlife and reporting any concerns.
Get green-fingered
Gardening is proven to be good for our physical and mental health, and so while spending more time outdoors and in the garden during the summer months, why not plant some new varieties of plants to make your garden seem even more appealing?
Parkhill Garden Centre has all you need for getting your garden ready, offering both collection and deliver. Another local business, Rooted in Scotland, has a range of plants on offer that are available for collection and delivery – with many indoor plants perfect for those who don’t have an outdoor space. Head over to their Facebook page to get some tips on how to care for your plants.
We love seeing photographs of your gardens – please tag us on the Grandhome Facebook page to let us see your lockdown projects.