Beginner-friendly gardening jobs to do in an hour

As our gardens welcome the vibrancy of spring, so begins the busiest season in a gardener’s calendar with searches for ‘gardening jobs for April’ seeing a staggering 250% increase in the past seven days¹ and the hashtag #springgardenclean having 164.4 million views on TikTok².

So, whether you’re a gardening pro, or just starting your planting journey, Express Bi-Folding Doors has teamed up with Nigel Lawton, gardening expert at Dobbie Garden Centre³ to reveal six gardening jobs you can do to transform your garden in under an hour, especially if you are a beginner and don’t know where to start.

See the jobs below, which include refreshing your pots, welcoming wildlife, lawncare, and more. 

1. Tidying up your garden 

With searches for ‘garden cleaning’ seeing a 60% increase in the past three months⁴, spring cleaning your garden is an essential first step when it comes to preparing for the summer, and if you have been maintaining your garden throughout the winter months, this will be an easy job.

Nigel notes that one of the quickest and simplest ways to tidy up your garden is by removing dead leaves, neatening your beds and borders for the growing season, removing weeds, and applying a good layer of mulch over the surface with organic compost. He explains that not only will mulching help tidy up the appearance of your garden, but it will break down into the soil and give your plants a nutrient boost for spring.

Time: 60 mins (if your garden has been maintained in winter, however this could take longer if you need a complete refresh)

2. Design your beds and borders

Once you have tidied up the garden and removed weeds, the next step is to trim back any winter flowering plants where blooms have started to fade. Start by removing any dead, diseased or damaged branches, and get rid of any branches that cross over or adding pressure against each other, says Nigel.  

You can then prune summer flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuschias to allow room for new growth. As well as encouraging new growth in the plant by removing dead material, pruning will also allow you to control the height and shape of your plants.

Time: 50-60 minutes

3. Create a cosy patio area

If you have a patio, transform it into a cosy socialising spot. Start by giving that a good clean with a jet wash to quickly complete the job in under an hour. You can further liven up the area by adding some garden furniture paired with some cushions, some throws, and an outdoor rug.

If you’re looking to blend indoors with outdoors, Express Bi-Folding Doors recommends getting sliding doors or bi-folding doors, so you can create a seamless indoor and outdoor flow, which will also allow your space to look bigger.

Time: 30 – 60 minutes

4. Refresh your pots 

To enjoy instant colour in your garden this spring, Nigel recommends refreshing your pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes with early season flowers for a country garden effect. One of his favourite ways to make an impact with your containers plants is to focus on colour themes in concentrated groupings.

Hot colours and shades of red, orange, and pink are favoured in the warmer months but displays of yellow Daffodils and blue Primroses, Pansies, or Violas can be effective in spring to welcome the new season.

To give your pots a makeover for spring, Nigel suggests taking stock of what you already have and reorganising them for a fresh look. Sets of three works well and will allow you to create an impactful display with small, medium, and large plants of different heights beside your door.

Time: 15-30 minutes

5. Lawncare 

Another beginner-friendly task you can do to spruce up your garden is taking care of the lawn, with searches for ‘lawncare’ already seeing a 238% increase in the past three months alone⁴.

Depending on the weather, early spring is the time to get your lawn ready for sowing by cultivating soil and making sure the area is level and firm. Before you do anything, make sure to clear out any debris from your lawn.

Nigel adds that as we get into spring and the weather heats up, you can begin to rake out moss and dead grass. Other lawn treatments should only be used in late spring once temperatures rise, as during the colder months, the grass is still quite tender, and this can damage it.

Time: 15-30 minutes for small gardens and up to 60 minutes for large gardens

6. Welcome wildlife 

With the hashtag #gardenwildlife accumulating 2.9 million views on TikTok, spring is the perfect time to welcome wildlife into your garden as small animals come out of hibernation and new birds hatch into life.

To ensure your garden is a safe space for wildlife, Nigel suggests dedicating a small section of your garden to creating a wildlife-friendly habitat with pollinating plants and places for small animals and insects to shelter. You can create a safe space for them by stacking branches in a shaded spot to help protect them from the elements. All of this can be done in under an hour.

Time: 40-60 minutes

Steve Bromberg, Managing Director at Express Bi-Folding Doors says: “We hope these beginner-friendly gardening tasks help you ease into gardening and quickly allow you to transform your garden into a peaceful heaven.”

“If you’re looking to open up your space, consider investing in sliding or bi-folding doors as they will easily allow you to blend the indoors with the outdoors while also giving the illusion of expanding your space.”

For more information on enjoying your garden, please visit: https://www.expressbifolds.co.uk/news/how-to-enjoy-your-garden-all-year-round/