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Though summer is on its way out, there’s still plenty of time for green fingered readers to spend some quality time in their gardens. Both the act of gardening and the humble pleasure of spending time in our own little square footage of nature’s bounty can be extremely therapeutic and help the stresses of work and family life simply melt away as you breathe in fresh air and enjoy the subtle perfumes of the plants, trees and flowers all around you. If, however, your garden is starting to look dull and dreary, you don’t have to wait until next spring to take steps to remedy the matter.
Indeed, as summer edges into fall, depending on where you live, now may well be the perfect time to instigate some changes to your garden that will really come into their own when the new year rolls around as well as helping you to really get the most out of the sunnier months of the year. Here we’ll look at some ways in which even the dullest, dreariest and most dismal garden can be revivified to bring months of joy to you and your family…
Tidying up your trees
There’s nothing that lends a sense of grandeur to a garden like a sturdy old tree. These beautiful ancient monoliths have withstood the ravages of time and weather and now stand as proud sentinels looking over your garden. But, without the proper tender loving care they can, over time, consume your garden. They can grow out of control and cast long shadows across your lawn, resulting in dead space around the base where nothing will grow for lack of sunlight. A good arborist, however, can breathe new life into these old friends; tidying them up and opening your garden up to more sunlight and greater growing potential.
Now’s the perfect time to revitalize your ailing lawn
Is your lawn starting to look a little worse for wear? Are you experiencing bare patches or patches of moss where grass should be growing? Is your lawn a hotbed of weeds and unwanted plants that make the simple pleasure of laying down on your lawn a scratchy, itchy and unpleasant experience? The great news is that September is the perfect time to start planting new grass seed. Cooler soil temperatures are conducive to healthy growth and there’ still plenty of time before winter settles in for your lawn to establish healthy roots for robust growth in spring. Now’s also a great time to use one of these wonderfully effective weed killers to rid your lawn of unwanted guests.
If, however, large patches of your lawn are given over to moss rather than grass, this is usually a symptom of compacted soil. This means that the proper oxygen, moisture and nutrients can’t get through to the grass’ roots to facilitate growth. This means that you must first take steps to aerate your lawn. This is easy enough to do yourself and can ensure that you enjoy robust growth and a healthy and verdant lawn right through till winter..
Plants that bring explosions of color and cheer
Even the best maintained gardens can harbor spots that feel dull and lifeless. Nonetheless, these can always be remedied with the judicious application of the right plants. To bring a sense of life and vibrancy to your garden you’ll want to add colorful and cheerful plants which look great but will also weather the changing of the seasons with ease. It’s simply a matter of choosing the right perennials which will fill your dull and dreary areas with life and good cheer even if you live in a state where the skies begin to turn gray and gloomy when September rolls into October. Here are some affordable and readily available favorites that will keep your garden gorgeous even when December rolls around;
- Geraniums- Bold, bright, colourful and delightfully low maintenance.
- Petunias- Subtly scented and available in a huge range of colors to suit all tastes and aesthetics.
- Heliotropes- Their pinkish purple flowers can lighten up even the gloomiest of gardens.
- Lobelias- Beautiful and virtually zero maintenance herbs that will find a happy home in just about any garden.
- Japanese anemones- If you’re looking for something to brighten up a potentially dark and gloomy corner of your garden, these long flowering plants bloom into long, elegant purple petals. These will not only lend your garden a sense of warmth but an air of class and sophistication, too!
- Goldenrod- These commonly found roadside flowers have been hybridized to yield more, bolder colored flowers that will lend a burst of golden glow to persistently drab patches.
- Asters- The flowers of Asters look a lot like daisies and as such they can keep your garden looking like its in the throes of spring long into December. They’re hardy little fellas too. Just make sure that they’re staked down in a sheltered corner and they’ll bloom all year round.
- Sempervivum- There’s nothing more dispiriting than watching the greens in your garden turn to browns, but these babies will give you a splash of green all year round. They’re as resilient as they are beautiful.
Give your garden a centerpiece
There are still a good few barbecues left in the old girl yet. So, while you’re planning your next garden based soiree to wave adieu to the summer and embrace the coming of fall, why not consider adding a centerpiece that will give your garden a real talking point. A custom made fire pit, for example, is a great way for friends and family to gather together, trade stories and watch nightfall bloom across the sky as you sip and nibble the hours away.
If you live in a rainy state like Mississippi or Louisiana you may want to invest in a centerpiece that will afford you a little shelter so that you can continue to enjoy your garden even when the heavens open. Sipping your morning coffee in a log cabin while the rain hydrates your budding plants is a beautiful way to spend a September morning.
Whatever option you choose and whatever your budget, there’s no excuse to spend your fall in a dull and dreary garden.
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