Top 10 Tips to Get Your Garden Ready for Summer Entertaining

LONDON, April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

We've had our first glimpse of warmer weather, so it won't be long before we're dining alfresco, holding family BBQs and having outdoor parties. If you're planning on entertaining in your garden this year, now's the time to get your gardening gloves on and start making your outdoor space the perfect spot for relaxing with friends. Online garden centre Plant Me Now has put together their top 10 tips to get your garden summer-ready:

Lawn gardens

1. Choose granular feed to slowly feed your lawn over the summer months, but if you have an important event, use a soluble feed a few days before for faster results.
2. Edge your lawn to give a nice, clean line between the lawn and the flowerbed - an easy way to make your garden look much tidier!
3. If moss has been a problem, use a moss killer then simply rake it out. You can then over-seed (or re-seed) to thicken the lawn and fill in any empty patches.
4. Large spaces are perfect for growing a wild flower meadow and various mixes are available to attract different kinds of wildlife (butterflies, ladybirds, bees, etc.) To ensure fresh growth next year, simply mow at the end of the season.
5. Plant perennials in your flowerbeds for beautiful colours that come back year after year; then fill in any gaps with summer bedding plants.

Patio gardens

1. If you don't have flowerbeds or a big space to work with, fill pots and containers with beautiful summer bedding plants in a variety of colours
2. Give dirty patios a good scrub or blast with a pressure washer to remove moss and dirt, ready for welcoming your alfresco dining guests
3. Make tired wooden garden furniture look as good as new by treating it with teak oil - there's no need to splash out on a new set of chairs and tables.
4. Place solar lights around your patio for a fantastic, eco-friendly way to light up your outdoor space when the sun goes down.
5. Plant some climbers - they're perfect for covering unsightly old fence panels or walls.

Plant Me Now is the UK's leading online gardening centre, specialising in perennial flowers, bedding plants, bulbs, garden accessories and tools for adults and children. A dedicated team of horticultural experts are the backbone of the business, producing nursery bedding plants on site and sending them directly to your garden to cut out the middle man. This method ensures quality and value is maintained, as well as minimising transportation to reduce their carbon footprint.