Can you feel the approach of summer yet? Everything has greened up, the blossom is out and looking beautiful and we’ve had a few days when coats haven’t been needed. Summer is certainly on it’s way, or some warmer weather at least.

With the summer months approaching, along with the Bank Holiday and Jubilee weekends too, many of us will be focussing on our gardens and outdoor living to mark these occasions and make the most of the better weather ahead. Are you one of them?

How to prepare your garden for summer

There are so many things you can do in your garden to prepare it for summer. One of the first things is to get our there and mow that grass! The smell of this alone should get your summer senses tingling – cut grass reminds me of sports day at school and playing rounders, what memories does it conjure up for you?

Next up is to have a good tidy up. Get a brush or rake and collect up any remaining fallen leaves from the autumn, twigs and branches and general debris from the winter storms. Either dispose of it in your brown bin if you have one, take it to your local recycling centre, or, if you have a safe space you can have a bonfire and once cooled use the ashes as compost. This is a natural source of potassium and trace elements.

If your children have garden toys you could get them involved in giving them all a good scrub, ready to be used again when summer hits and they want to be outside more often. An old toothbrush and a spot of washing up liquid can work wonders on outdoor toys. Just fill a bucket with warm water and set your little ones to work.

Whilst they are occupied, that will free you up to give the garden furniture a bit of TLC. If you have a jet washer, now might be the time to get that hooked up, but if not a sponge and some warm water will also do the trick. A top tip if you have plastic garden furniture is to use Elbow Grease spray. You can get this in supermarkets and discount stores like Home Bargains and B & M and I’ve never paid over £1 per bottle. This stuff is genius on outdoor furniture and conservatories.

Perhaps you are thinking of adding a few new bits and bobs to your garden this year. There are so many possibilities. You could perhaps add some of those big outdoor cushions and put up a screen for outdoor movie nights, or you could add an outdoor heater or some bug repellent candles even. Perhaps you want to consider some outdoor lighting for when the sun goes down but you want to stay outside? You might even be thinking about upgrading to some luxury rattan furniture, in which case there are some amazing designs around. Have you seen those cute little snuggle pods? I’m obsessed with those.

As a finishing touch you could add a couple of hanging baskets with some lovely summer flowers. I always think these look so pretty during the summer months.

Checklist for buying Garden Furniture

You don’t want any issues with your garden furniture, so if you are buying new items this year, think about the following:

• Check the product descriptions and ensure it is fit for your needs.
• Examine the assembly and storage instructions and make sure you can and do comply with them.
• Take photographs and notify the retailer of issues as soon as they arise.

What will your first jobs be this year to get your garden or outdoor space ready for the warmer weather?