Six budget hacks to get your garden growing as Chelsea Flower Show opens
IT’S time to get blooming busy, everyone.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show opens tomorrow, so be inspired and get your own garden growing with these budget tricks . . .
BORDER CONTROL: Nice clean edges are very important for a show-stopping garden.
Mark out lawn borders before going to work on them. For really professional-looking curved borders, unravel a garden hose along the edge then dig with a flat-backed spade.
SPEEDY SEEDS: Instead of buying expensive plants, opt for quick-flowering seeds.
Try speedy annuals such as cornflowers or night-scented stocks for flowerbeds or hanging baskets and they should flower within six weeks. Get the Speedy Seed 6-in-1 collection, which includes pot marigolds and cornflowers, for £2.99 at amazon.co.uk.
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GO DIY: Create your own compost to fertilise your soil, but also cut back on waste. Coffee grounds, plastic-free teabags and scraps of fruit and veg will all work well.
MULCH BETTER: Mulching is when you add a protective layer over the soil to keep it moist and suppress weeds, plus it can help beds look tidy. Instead of buying it from a garden centre, reuse grass clippings or shredded leaves to coat your soil.
ADD COLOUR: Take inspiration from the colourful displays of the Chelsea Flower Show and look around your home for items that can be repurposed for your garden. Old containers, crates and even bright bowls can make great planters.
Get creative and paint rocks as garden markers, or your fences for a bolder look.
You can make wind chimes by hanging old utensils on string then fixing to posts.
If you already have colourful plants in your beds, double the number by carefully dividing each one then replanting them around the garden.
CUT THE WORK: Keep your garden tidy with regular weeding, pruning and deadheading of flowers — simple tasks that can prevent larger and pricier jobs later.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability
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