Walking out into a back garden left to nature can feel overwhelming.
Lawn covered in weeds up to your knees, patio lost somewhere underneath, all buried under brambles. However, there is good news…
Possibly the easiest area of your home to rehab is your unkempt garden. With some planning, tools and elbow grease you can transform your outdoor space from wild to tranquil in just a couple weekends.
Better still:
Did you know that a maintained garden can add up to 20% value to your home. Now that’s bang for your buck if you spend a few weekends in the garden.
Here’s how to do it…
What you’ll discover:
- Why A Reclaimed Garden Matters
- Planning Your Garden Reclaim
- Clearing The Overgrowth Step By Step
- Designing A Tranquil Space
- Protecting Your New Investment
Why A Reclaimed Garden Matters
An unkempt garden doesn’t just make your home look sloppy. It silently erodes your property value and your enjoyment of your house.
The numbers are pretty clear:
- An overgrown garden can knock thousands off a home’s sale price
- Well-kept outdoor space adds appeal during a sale
- Time outside boosts day-to-day wellbeing
Consider your yard as an extension of your house. By taking the time to revive it, you’re guarding one of your largest investments.
And speaking of protecting big assets…
For many people, sorting out their mortgage and managing home improvements take years. However, thinking about Personal protection insurance can easily be overlooked. This is the type of insurance that will provide your loved ones with financial security should you become ill, injured or worse still pass away and aren’t able to work. Any reputable South West London mortgage brokers will offer protection insurance guidance alongside arranging your mortgage. Helping you ensure the home you are working so hard on improving will remain in your family whatever life may throw at you.
Now… back to the garden.
Planning Your Garden Reclaim
Before you grab the shears, take a breath.
The number one error people make is diving right in with no strategy. Two days of chopping, digging, ripping out… then you run out of steam and the garden looks worse than when you started.
Here’s what to do first.
Walk The Space
Spend 30 minutes just walking and looking. Note:
- What’s growing where
- Which areas get sun and shade
- Any structures hiding under the growth
- Boundaries, fences, and old paths
This will give you a baseline. You can not plan your garden until you know what you’ve got.
Set A Realistic Budget
Garden reclaim costs vary a lot.
A light tidy will cost less than £200. Complete transformations with new lawn, patio and planting will cost several thousand pounds. Overall annual spend in the UK landscaping market is now estimated at £7.7 billion.
Decide what you can afford before starting.
Set A Clear Goal
What do you want the finished garden to feel like? Common goals include:
- A tranquil retreat for relaxing
- A safe space for kids to play
- A spot for entertaining friends
- A small grow-your-own veg patch
Pick one main focus. You can always add the others later.
Clearing The Overgrowth Step By Step
Now to the fun part… clearing.
Garden injuries are serious. There are approximately 300,000 garden injuries each year in the UK. Over a third of these occur to children. Be safe.
Gear Up
Before you touch a single weed, make sure you have:
- Sturdy gloves
- Long trousers and closed shoes
- Eye protection
- A first aid kit nearby
Start From The Top
Always work top-down. That means:
- Cut back tall growth first (brambles and overgrown shrubs)
- Then trim hedges and small trees
- Then tackle the lawn
- Finally, clear weeds from beds and paths
This stops you from clearing the lawn just to dump cuttings back on it.
Sort Your Waste
Most overgrown gardens produce a lot of green waste. You have a few options:
- Hire a skip
- Use your council’s garden waste bin
- Take it to a local recycling centre
- Compost what you can on-site
Tip: Don’t burn trash near your home. It stinks up the neighbourhood and is usually illegal.
Watch For Invasive Plants
Japanese knotweed and some other invasive plants require special disposal. If you notice bamboo-like stalks with heart-shaped leaves, contact a professional. Digging it up will only spread it more.
Designing A Tranquil Space
The clearing is done. Now you get to build the garden you actually want.
A tranquil garden is all about calm. That means:
- Soft, layered planting
- Comfortable seating
- Water features (where suitable)
- Plenty of green and muted colours
Avoid going overboard. The best tranquil gardens are simple.
Pick A Focal Point
Every great garden has one main thing your eye lands on. It could be:
- A small tree
- A water bowl or pond
- A bench under a pergola
- A planted feature wall
Build the rest of the garden around it.
Choose Easy Plants
If you are new to gardening, stick with low-maintenance plants:
- Lavender
- Hostas
- Hardy geraniums
- Box hedging
- Ornamental grasses
These look great year-round and don’t need constant care.
Add Soft Seating
A peaceful garden is worthless if you never relax in it. Put some comfy seating out in the sunshine. A bench, hammock or weatherproof chairs will all work.
Protecting Your New Investment
Once your garden looks great, the work isn’t quite over.
- Mow the lawn every 1-2 weeks in growing season
- Weed monthly
- Prune in late autumn or early spring
- Top up mulch every year
Once a garden has been reclaimed, it will not stay pristine without work. Maintenance is much simpler than clearing out though.
And keep the big picture in mind. Your home is your biggest asset and your yard contributes to that value. Ensuring your mortgage, home and family are adequately protected is as important as any plant you dig in the ground.
The Final Word
A neglected garden can feel like a lost cause. But it really isn’t.
With proper planning, safety equipment, and the baby-step method, even the foulest of backyards can be turned into serene, functional usable space within one season. To recap:
- Walk the space and plan before cutting
- Clear from the top down, safely
- Pick one focal point and simple planting
- Keep on top of light maintenance
- Protect the home that holds your new garden
Get your sleeves rolled up. Come summer’s end you could have the calmest spot in your house right in your back yard.
