We all make sure our homes are ready to host friends and family around the Christmas period, but what about outside? If you’re hosting a barbeque or plan to have an outdoor entertaining area it’s important your garden is also in good shape. We’ve compiled a few easy ways to get your garden Christmas ready this holiday season.
Start with a clean out. Toss out those pots, wooden stakes and old buckets you’re keeping just in case. Throw out all the bits and pieces in the garden shed you haven’t used in the past year and don’t intend on using in the next month. If you have anything of reasonable value – old kid’s bikes for example – you can put them out the front of your house with a sign offering them to anyone who might want them.
Next up give your lawn a good mow and tidy up all the edges. This is a job for the early morning or late afternoon, so you’re not outside in the heat and humidity in the middle of the day. If it’s looking a bit sad and brown use a hose-on fertiliser for a quick boost and green up. Continue giving the grass a good watering as often as you can over the Christmas season. And if your lawn has disappeared past the point of salvation, cover the area with some form of mulch, such as bark or gravel.
Give paved or tiled areas a good clean. Do a walk around the garden with a garbage bin and a pair of secateurs. Remove any dead, diseased or damaged foliage and dead flowers. Remove weeds from cracks and give your furniture a once over with some soapy water. You can also give furniture an instant lift by throwing some Christmas-themed pillows and tablecloths over them.
A few days before your party do a last-minute clean-up and sweep everything including all paths and paving. Tip out any containers where water can collect and mozzies can breed. Look up, too, and get rid of all the spider webs. Clean the barbecue and, most importantly, check how much gas is in your bottle – you don’t want to run out mid-barbeque!
Do you have any tips for keeping your garden party ready? Head to our Facebook page and let us know!