How To Get Into Gardening

New to gardening? While gardening is a therapeutic and mindful task which will leave your garden looking gorgeous, knowing exactly where to start can be daunting. To help you out, Angela Slater, gardening expert at Hayes Garden World, has shared 10 simple gardening tasks as a brilliant starting point, which will make a big difference to your garden.

1. If you do have a garden but no idea what to do with it, start by making it tidy

Mow the lawn and cut the edges then dig over the beds between the plants. Do some research on garden design ideas and collect a scrapbook of things you would like to add; do you want your outdoor space to be something gorgeous to look at? Do you want it to be an extension of your house where you can have a barbecue with family and friends? Do you just want it to be minimalist and easy maintenance? Or do you want a productive vegetable patch?

If you only have a backyard, clear away all the junk, scrub the floor and paint the walls; take a comfy chair outside along with a drink and your tablet then get planning.

2. Create somewhere to sit in the sunshine and chill

Identify a sunny sheltered corner of your garden or backyard and set about making it a comfortable and a welcoming place to sit and relax. Start by tidying the area and getting rid of all the junk, or weeding and digging over the garden. If you're making-over a corner of a backyard, start by painting the wall or fence. Plant some wall plants in containers or a border to soften the hard landscape and absorb the noise from the road or next door. Choose plants which are scented to give you a more relaxing atmosphere, such as roses, honeysuckle or sweet peas. If you want to start growing vegetables you can even plant tomatoes, cucumbers or peas against the wall if it gets a lot of sunshine. Plant up more containers to give you an enclosed lush feel.

Once you have the area tidy, all it needs now is a comfy seat, some cushions and a snuggly throw for when the temperature drops in the evening. If finances don't run to new furniture, opt for a thick rug, some throws and large cushions.

3. Plant a container with summer bedding plants

This is one of the easiest things to do to add instant colour to a doorway or a drab backyard. The best thing is that the plants don't have to be tasteful and colour coordinated, they can just be a riot of colour and still look fantastic. Summer bedding plants are not hugely expensive and you can pick up an inexpensive plastic container for just a couple of pounds. Use a container and basket compost which also contains some fertiliser and water retention gel, saving on having to feed them and meaning that they will also survive a dry period for longer.

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4. Plant up a herb container and learn some new recipes using them

There's no doubt that a handful of fresh herbs can liven up a simple dish. Plant several species in the same container avoiding common mint and horseradish which will soon swamp everything else. If you like Mediterranean food try thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary and basil.

Place a piece of broken crock over the hole in the bottom of the pot and fill with a free-draining loam-based compost such as John Innes No 1. You don't want a compost with a lot of food as they need to be grown hard for the best flavour; if they are too lush the flavour is not as intense. Keep them damp, not sodden, and place in a sunny position.

Potted herbs and cups filled with soil on windowsill

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5. Grow some salad leaves on a sunny windowsill

If you don't have any outdoor space you can still have some tasty homegrown salad leaves just from your sunny kitchen windowsill. All you need is a seed tray or a few plastic punnets (which you get fruit in), some seed compost, and a packet of mixed salad leaves. Place the compost in the seed tray and stand it in water until it is thoroughly damp, sprinkle a little seed thinly on the top then cover with a very thin layer of compost, about 1 millimetre. Keep it damp but not sodden, otherwise the seedlings will just go rotten. Sow a tray of seed every 3 weeks to ensure that you have a succession of leaves.

Lettuce grows on the window in a plastic container

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6. Plant some toning perennials in a container

If you have a bare garden that could do with a spot of colour or some plants to soften the harshness, go for some mixed evergreen perennials, shrubs or even a small tree.

Mediterranean plants are low maintenance and will survive without being watered for a few days. Succulents are another great group of plants which need hardly any maintenance and very little water. If you want a sculptural effect try a cloud pruned conifer or the tall thin Juniper 'Blue Arrow'. If you like to hear the rustle of leaves in the breeze try a bamboo.

YouGarden

Fargesia 'Blue Dragon' Umbrella Bamboo

7. Plant a container of sweet peas to grow up a wigwam of canes

There's nothing like the smell of sweet peas to signify summer and what's even better is the more you pick the more flowers they produce. Use a moisture retentive compost and keep it damp. Once they have grown and produced the first buds, feed every week with a tomato fertiliser to ensure they keep producing flowers for as long as possible. They like to grow with their heads in the sun but must have cool, damp roots so place some more containers of plants around the pot to ensure the sun doesn't hit the sides of the container. Mulch the top of the pot with a good layer of chipped bark. Avoid using stones as these trap the heat and conduct it down into the compost.

Sweet Peas on a garden frame

Ken Leslie Getty Images

8. Try growing some easy fruit and vegetables

A lot of fruit and vegetables can easily be grown in containers. Strawberries, blueberries, dwarf beans, peas, radish, lettuce or potatoes are all easy to start off with if you don't have any experience.

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9. Grow a blueberry in a container

Blueberries are easy to grow and are also a superfood, so are a brilliant project to work on in your garden. You will achieve a bigger crop of fruit if you have two bushes, and don't forget that you need an ericaceous compost, not just a general compost for growing them.

Planting blueberry plant in a garden planting pot

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10. Sow a patch of annuals

If you have tidied your garden and find you have a bare patch, simply sow a patch of annuals. Most seed companies do a mixture, and you'll soon have blooms to bring into the house. Rake the surface of the soil until it is stone-free and the soil is a fine structure. Scatter the seed thinly over the surface, give it a light rake again and water with a fine rose on your watering can. Annuals do need as much sun as possible so this is not a suitable solution for a shady patch.

• Shop a range of annual seeds at Seeds4garden.com

YouGarden

Mixed Wildlife Attracting Annuals Seed Mix

wildlife yougarden.com

£2.99

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15 deck chairs to buy for your garden and outdoor space

Deck chair with steel frame - best deck chairs

Fiam Dondolina Steel Frame Deckchair, Blue

john johnlewis.com

£62.50

With a weather-resistant fabric, this classic blue deck chair from John Lewis is just what every garden needs for summer. Make sure not to miss out...

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Wimborne Rocking Deck Chair

gardentrading.co.uk

£90.00

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Aurette Eucalyptus & Fabric Sun Lounger (FSC)

Product Description laredoute.co.uk

£170.00

On the hunt for a comfortable contemporary deck chair you can enjoy in the sunshine? Easy to move about thanks to small wheels, its adjustable back lets you find the perfect position to relax in.

Yellow deck chair - best deck chairs

Premium Beach Chair - Vintage Yellow Stripe

Transport yourself to the seaside with this fun striped deck chair. Stylish and comfortable, it has a padded headrest and tassel detailing underneath.

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Beach Wooden Deck Chair - Black Stripe

Harbour Housewares rinkit.com

£42.99

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Lyon Hammock & Lyon Stool

We love this wooden deck chair, which even comes with a sweet little foot stool! Perfect to relax fully in the sunshine with your feet up.

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Traditional Adjustable Beach Garden Folding Deck Chairs - Red / Pink

Harbour Housewares onbuy.com

£72.99

Made with a FSC certified beech frame, these colourful set of two deck chairs can be adjusted to your choice of three reclining positions. It folds flat for convenient, space-saving storage.

Fabric deck chair - best deck chairs

Traditional Adjustable Garden/Beach-style Deck Chair

Harbour Housewares amazon.co.uk

£49.99

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Mini Fringed Deck Chair - Blush Stripe

Here's something for the kids. In a soft blush, this mini deckchair (also available in blue) has a little cushion plus a scalloped edge at the bottom. Perfect to help your little ones to relax in the sunshine.

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Wooden Deck Chair in Light Pink

Harbour Housewares rinkit.com

£39.49

This classic wooden deck chair is great for any garden space, pool area or even to take to the beach. With a three-step adjustable positioning, you can alter the height just as you wish.

Double deck chair - best deck chairs

Double Deckchair

thewhitecompany.com

£295.00

This timeless double deck chair is the perfect place for one or two people to unwind in the afternoon sun. Made from quality beech-wood, it also has two matching cushions for ultimate comfort.

Fringe chair - best deck chairs

Fringed Deck Chair - Blue Stripe

Add a festival feel to your garden with this unique fringed deck chair. The added cushion provides comfort, while the stripe adds a stylish touch. Full marks from us.

Green chair - best deck chairs

Harbour Housewares Folding Wooden Deck Chair - Green

Harbour Housewares rinkit.com

£53.99

Go green this summer with this must-have folding deck chair. Described as a 'classic Brighton beach wooden deck chair', it has a lightweight wooden frame and a three-step adjustable positioning for added comfort.

Best cheap deck chair - best deck chairs

Wooden Deck Chair - Terrazzo

Argos Home argos.co.uk

£40.00

Create a statement in your garden with Argos' chic terrazzo-printed deck chair. It's easy to store away and lightweight enough to transport, too. Bring on those summer evenings...

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Habitat Wooden Deck Chair

Habitat argos.co.uk

£40.00

Add a pop of colour to your garden or balcony with this style from Habitat. Even if you can't get to a beach, this style will bring the seaside to you.

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