‘Tis the season to be spending more time outdoors and make the most of your space – be it a tiny balcony or lush landscape. These are tips which everyone can make use of to improve and make the most of their space this summer.
Match your indoors to your outdoors
Think of your house and garden as one continuous space. It wouldn’t make sense to have a beautiful space indoors and neglect the outdoors. Equally, it wouldn’t look right to have a luscious garden paired with an empty home filled with attractive furniture.
The two areas should complement each other and even match in the feeling they evoke within you. A calm and muted interior wouldn’t look right next to a wild and out of control jungle just as colourful decor wouldn’t pair well with a barren sand pit.
Create different areas
Use treated poles to contain certain areas of your garden. These poles are weather resistant and won’t impact the surrounding vegetation.
Create a vegetable patch, composting section, rose garden or cactus space by separating them from other areas. This will allow you to spend time in the different areas and travel from one to another while feeling as if you’re in a completely new space.
Sustainable
The need to be mindful of water usage is at the forefront of all gardeners’ minds. Plant a waterwise garden by using hardy plants which can survive South Africa’s long, hot summers with minimal watering.
Indigenous plants tend to cope best with the unique South African environment. Most nurseries and garden centres will have a specific waterwise section where you can easily find the plants you’ll need.
Growing your own vegetables will save you money and contribute in many ways to the health of your garden. Begin small by growing a few vegetable which you eat often. Make sure to check with vegetables should be grown together to cause the least amount of damage to the surrounding soil.
Create your own compost at home by adding potting soil to kitchen scraps, including vegetable peels, eggshells and coffee grounds.
Bring the garden inside
After doing all this work in your garden, you’ll have to bring some greenery indoors. Plants do so much to lighten and brighten your home’s interior. Some even have the added benefit of filtering and cleaning the air, making your home safer for your family and friends.
These tips will have you looking forward to long summer days outdoors in no time.
