When looking for a new property, one of the most important features for most purchasers, along with a decent kitchen and bathroom, is to have a pleasant garden. It is also important that this garden is low maintenance, especially for busy professionals and the elderly. This is why a well planned and landscaped garden can often be the deciding factor when making a final decision on which property to choose.

This is not just the case in the UK, as an easily maintained and cleverly designed garden is especially important for those looking for a holiday home overseas.

For instance, villas with landscaped gardens in Puerto Banus are mush more sought after than those situated on unfinished plots. In sunnier climes paved and gravelled areas may be a more prudent and choice to the traditional lawn, as a lot of time and effort would be sent watering it. It is also worth considering that the last thing most people wish to be doing when they are on their hard earned vacation is to be spending hours mowing lawns, weeding borders and trimming hedges. (more...)

Growing a flower garden of your own can be a challenging and rewarding experience. Unlike fruits or vegetables, flowers cannot be consumed. They are purely decorative, which means that an appealing flower garden often requires quite a bit of planning. In this brief article we will explain how to plant a small flower garden.

Whether we are talking about fruit, flowers or vegetables, the first step to planting anything is finding a suitable patch of land. This land must be in a sunny spot that receives at least six hours of light per day. It must also receive ample rainfall and it should not be too close to shrubs or trees. Their roots will rob your garden of groundwater.

While most gardeners prefer flat ground, it is not necessary. If you have a lawn that has a slight slope, simply choose a sunny section that is relatively flat. Of course, you never want to select a plot of land that is shady simply because it is flat. Gardening might be a bit more difficult on a steeper terrain, but the flowers will still grow. But in a shady region, their growth may be affected. (more...)

There is nothing like a tad of vegetable gardening, but choose carefully what types of veg you are going to grow. Before you sit on your Rattan sofa with a glass of wine, leafing through the catalogue of veg seeds, consider the practicalities first or you could end up wasting time and money.

Consider firstly what types of veg will be suitable for your soil and for the weather. Many veg that are grown in sunnier climates just don't do very well here, whatever effort is put into them.

Also very important is how much time you have to spend on your veg gardening. We all start off with the best intentions and carefully tend the first months of the plant but more often than not we lapse and start to neglect them. Decide on a set amount of time per week and stick to it. (more...)

Often, once you've moved house, you'll find that the garden needs some serious attention. This is especially likely if you've bought what is known as a 'fixer-upper'. Sometimes this can simply be too much for you to manage alone, and you will need to hire a gardener.

Whether you simply need a Man with a van Brighton or you're looking for something more permanent, finding effective garden help is not a difficult task if you know where to look and what to ask for. To begin with, ask for recommendations amongst family and friends. It is very likely the people close to you will be able to point you in the right direction.

Next, decide whether you're looking for a regular gardener, or if you just need help with this one big project. You will probably find that you will need to take on a gardener for a couple of months after the original clearing and organising has been done – especially if the garden is a real mess when you arrive. (more...)