Garden Tidy Up.
After the long winter, your lawn and gardens need a little TLC. Pick up any garbage or debris, rake the grass and remove last year’s dead plants and branches. This is also a good time to fertilize your lawn and prune any branches or overgrown shrubs. To give your flow-er beds a “clean and new look” add some mulch.
This will instantly improve the look of your garden while helping to conserve water and deter weeds later in the season.
Paint it.
If time and budget allow, give your front doors, garage door and any painted window trim a fresh coat of paint. You can also paint the patio furniture, planters and window boxes. Painting or re-staining a front porch or deck can add value to your home.
Add Some Colour.
You can buy annual plants in an array of colours at local garden or home renovation centres. You might even find some at a farmer’s market or a local shop. To make the most impact, plant them in groups of 3 or 5 plants. Don’t space them out too much with single flowers here and there. You can also plant them in containers or pots and set them where they will be noticed such as along a walkway or by the front door. If you don’t feel like you’re up to the challenge of choosing and planting the flowers yourself, buy a ready-made planter from a local nursery or garden centre. It is sure to make your home feel welcoming.
Walkways and Driveways.
We often forget about these elements when we think of the lawn and flower beds. Walkways and driveways are the “hardscape” of our property. If possible find and repair any winter damage that might have occurred. Fix loose stones, add some more gravel, or patch holes that might have developed. These measures also make your walkways and driveways safer for everyone to walk on. Use a power washer to clean these up. At the very least get out the broom and be sure to sweep up all the dirt, gravel, leaves and debris left over from the winter. To remove weeds that have grown in the cracks use a power washer or dig them out with a flat screwdriver.
Dress it Up.
Think about adding some fixtures that add interest to your front yard. Add a new mail box or new numbers to your house. You can also add lighting to walkways or as accents to your flower beds. Solar lighting can be installed easily without the need for cords or proximity to an electrical out-let.
Did you Know? You can paint plastic garden furniture!
Do you have a plastic patio table or lawn chairs? Are they looking a little tired, worn or discoloured? Instead of throwing them out and replacing them you can give them a fresh look by applying a new coat of paint. Make sure you use a spray paint that will adhere to plastic such as Krylon. Here are the step-by-step instructions from Krylon.com
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Using an all purpose cleaner/degreaser, wipe down chairs to remove all dirt and grime. (If the plastic is new, wipe down with paint thinner for best results.) Rinse thor-oughly with water and allow to dry.
2. We painted one chair in Gloss Mandarin and the other in Gloss True Blue. If you would prefer to create a pattern using both colors on a chair, use painters tape to mask off your design.
3. Turn chairs upside down and begin painting the bottoms first.
4. Applying in a well-ventilated area, hold can 6-8 inches from the surface and paint using a sweeping side-to-side motion with slight overlap.
5. Allow paint to dry for 30-60 seconds.
6. Continue to apply light, multiple coats, waiting 30-60 seconds between each, until you are satisfied with the ap-pearance.
7. Krylon® Dual® Superbond® dries in 25 minutes or less, and can be handled in about one hour.
8. Once dried, turn the chairs right side up and finish painting them.
