Little Lucy Blog

Spring is here, and this is the season to get out into the garden. The buds are blooming and the ground is thawing out. Here are 10 things to do in the garden for spring.

1-Make a list

Make a list of flowers and vegetables you would love to see in summer and start planting seeds now. Be creative and think about what would make your summer happy.

2-Fertilize

Get into the habit of fertilizing the plants and lawn regularly until they start growing again. Yes, I know this isn’t the most interesting task but it needs to be done. Here are some tips.

3-Prune

Prune all those plants that flowered in winter and early spring. Pruning can be quite therapeutic. Just try it and you’ll see why. If you don’t have a good pruner then it’s time to invest in one, along with other garden tools.

4-Plant herbs

Herbs are rather trendy these days and they offer lots of health benefits too.

5-Weed

Weed your garden and mulch those garden beds. Weeding and mulching are better than going to the gym! Great exercise.

6-Repot

Repot flowering plants, such as orchids and other summer flowering species.

7-Eradicate pests

Keep an eye out for pests on new growth, such as snails. Squash aphids and trap snails and slugs.

8-Potted plants

Check your pots and repot potted plants that are growing out of their pots or are root bound.

9-Divide and conquer

Split up clumping plants as they begin to grow,. Take a good look at the different areas in your garden, such as the front lawn, pool area and back yard.

10-Give love

Love and care for your spring annuals and bulbs. Your garden is an investment that will give you many happy hours if you put in the time, love and effort.

What are you waiting for? Get out and give your garden some love.

The landscaping around your swimming pool can make a massive difference to the look and feel of your outdoor pool. The types of plants you choose can make your pool look like an inviting oasis. As you’ve spent thousands of dollars on your pool, it makes sense to plan out the landscape around it too.

Things to keep in mind are if you have a heated pool, this can raise the humidity levels, and depending on where you are the sun can burn the plants. Also, plants around the pool are likely to be splashed with salt water or chlorine. So, choose plants that will thrive under these conditions and are easy to maintain.

Here are some suggestions:

1-Grasses

Spruce up your pool with clumps of ornamental grasses. The benefits of choosing grasses are that they are really easy to maintain and they usually blend in with the other plants. Zebra grass or porcupine grass works well, and their horizontal stripes will draw the eye in a tropical setting.

2-Bird of Paradise

Tropical oasis pools look great and are a stunning feature in the garden. A lovely plant to give your pool the tropical look is the giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia Nicolai). Of course, it depends on how much space you have around your pool. They look like banana plants, and the leaves can grow up to 10-foot.

Another plus for this type of plant is they can tolerate splashing, and they are really hardy.

3-Hibiscus

Thinking of creating a piece of Hawaii in your backyard? If you’re able to grow Hawaii’s state flower where you live, then you’ll be spoilt for choice as there are many different kinds of Hibiscus. Examples are ‘White Wings’ and ‘Flamenco Flame.’

Another benefit of Hibiscus is when they are in full bloom, you’ll have lots of flowers to brighten up your home. You can pick them and arrange them in a case.

Get out in the garden and make your space look beautiful like one of these luxury resort pools!  Here are some garden tools to get.

Springtime is the time when most people look forward to getting out in the garden. The flowers start blooming and the earth feels renewed. If you have a pool in your backyard, even better, as it’s a great time to enjoy a dip. Here are some tips to make your pool sparkle for spring.

1-Redesign your  landscaping

If you live in a place where a tropical pool landscape can be maintained, this is a good option to make your yard and pool sparkle for spring. The landscape around a tropical themed pool is usually filled with rocks, lush greenery and flowering plants. For something extra special, you could build a waterfall or install a slide (which will enthrall the kids!)

Other landscaping ideas are to build a bridge or a walkway and a grotto that can also be used as an outdoor bar is another impressive option.

2-Check your equipment

Make sure the pool pump is working and the pool is clean. At the start of the season, it makes sense to hire a professional to clean up your pool of debris and to check that all the equipment, including the pump, filter and cleaner are working well. If you don’t want to go to this expense then at least make sure the leaves that have fallen to the bottom of the pool are cleaned out with a pool net.

Check that your pool vacuum suction is working. If you have a saltwater pool, make sure the salt and chlorine levels are right. Take a tip, if you don’t intend on spending some time cleaning your pool then invest in the best pool robot you can afford.

3-Freshen up your furniture

Fresh looking garden furniture can make your garden an enticing place to be but old furniture can make your garden look untidy and drab. Unfortunately, as garden furniture is outdoors, it tends to wear quickly. Make sure you oil or repaint wooden furniture. It’s amazing what a couple of coats of paint can do to lift the look of your garden nooks. If some of your furniture has seen better days then maybe it’s time to invest in some new furniture. After all, if you’re likely to spend time in your garden or around the pool this is a good investment.

4- Oil your decks and clean your tiles

If you have wooden decks, now’s the time to oil them to bring them up to shiny and new. Oiling a deck can be a little tiresome but the time spent doing it is well worthwhile. If you have outdoor tiles, keeping them clean is even easier. Just head to your local hardware store and pick up a strong outdoor tile cleaner.

Gardening can be an enjoyable hobby but, like anything, having the right tools makes all the difference. Here are 6 gardening tools you will need for your home garden.

1- Fork and Spade

There are different types of forks and spades to choose from and they come in varying lengths. Some have metal shafts while others are made from wood covered with plastic. It’s a good idea to purchase a good quality set, as sturdy forks and spades will make your job so much easier.

2- Garden hose

Picking the right garden hose is one of the most important decisions you can make as a new gardener.  This is one item you shouldn’t skimp on as a cheap hose will end up costing you a lot more in the long term.  Check out this list of garden hoses here.

3- Rake

A garden rake is a tool that may not be used all that often, depending on what kind of garden you have. But sooner or later, you’ll need to level our soil or clear leaves from the ground.

4- Hand Trowel

When you need to do some quick weeding or planting, a good hand trowel will always come in handy. There’s always something to dig in the garden and hand forks are great to use on heavy clay soils. Take a tip and buy one with a bright handle as small hand tools are easily mislaid in the garden. A colorful handle will make it much easier to spot among the foliage.

5- Pruners

Choose a pair of pruners with a safety catch. This is one item that needs a bit more thinking about. Check if it has crossover blades and make sure that the pruner you choose is right for you.  A good pair will come in handy no matter which part of your garden you might be working on.

6- Pruning Saw

If you have the kind of garden with lots of tree branches or shrubs, then a pruning saw is a tool you should have in your arsenal. Some saws have foldaway blades but if you have lots of heavy pruning to do it’s better to get one with a fixed blade.

How to garden all year

If you want to be able to garden all year round, consider starting an indoor garden in a grow tent under LED grow lights.  As space is becoming more limited, indoor gardens are a growing trend and if you set your indoor garden up the right way,  it can be a satisfying hobby.

Inspired to get out in the garden? Here are more tools to check out.