Each year, the spring bank holiday weekends give British households precious time to spruce up the garden, give the barbecue a scrub and generally get your outside space ready for the summer months ahead.
Thanks to the Platinum Jubilee, we’ve been blessed with an extra four-day weekend at the start of June in 2022, to follow the four-day Easter weekend we had in mid-April and the three-day May Day weekend.
In this guide we’ve put together an easy three-day checklist of gardening ‘quick wins’ to work through. It’s a pick ‘n’ mix list – you can skip the steps that don’t matter to you – and one you can keep for any of the spring bank holidays in future years too.
Day One
A normal bank holiday weekend starts on a Saturday, Easter starts on a Friday and the Platinum Jubilee starts on Thursday, June 2nd – so to avoid confusion, we’ll just call it Day One!
This is your day to get everything ready. If your garden still has fallen leaves and branches from winter, rake them up. Pull up any weeds that are easy to remove. If the weather is fine and you have time, give the grass a cut.
You can also check the condition of your shed, barbecue, outdoor furniture and so on. Decide what needs to be cleaned, what needs fresh paint, and what needs to be repaired or replaced.
Finally, head to your local garden centre to get any supplies you might need for the rest of the weekend, including weedkillers, pots and planters, and barbecue accessories such as cleaning fluids and scrubbing pads.
Day Two
This is when you get stuck in. Your garden should be clean and clear from the previous day’s efforts, allowing you to carry out any of the following tasks of your choice:
- Tidy the edges of your lawn and around any flowerbeds for a neat finish
- Apply weedkiller to your grass, patio or driveway and along the base of fences
- Paint your shed and any wooden patio furniture that needs a fresh coat
- Complete any after-winter pruning and trim hedges (check for nests first!)
- Repair or replace any broken fence posts and panels damaged by winter storms
Day one was cleaning and clearing. Day two is ‘making good’ what you already have in your outside space. If you notice anything extra you need, head back to your local garden centre, there’s no law that says you can only go once!
Day Three
On a normal bank holiday weekend this is the Monday and it’s a day to enjoy being off work, so try to have the most strenuous tasks out of the way already.
With the repairs and repainting hopefully done by now, you’re in good shape to add the finishing touches to your garden that will allow you to enjoy it through the coming summer months.
Hang outdoor LED lights in amongst trees and shrubs, along fences and along the garage roof, put LED stake lights in flowerbeds and along path edges, and get them charging up as early in the day as possible ready to enjoy this evening.
If you haven’t had chance to clean the barbecue yet, give it a good scrub and dry it off with plenty of time before trying to light it.
Gardens vary a lot, from flower-filled meadows to paved patios for entertaining, so have a good look around your outside space and spot any other tasks you need to get done over the long weekend – and if you need any more inspiration, pop back to your local garden centre once again!