The Garden Edit

With the UK basking in the hottest May in 100 years, we’ve all had the chance to re-discover that part of our homes that has been left lonely and neglected for the past 6 months- our gardens. And with the RHS Royal Chelsea Flower Show returning once more, we’re also feeling inspired to make the most of our outdoor spaces. But with June already here, what can we do to beautify our borders, especially in smaller gardens? We asked some gardening experts for their advice.

1. Brighten up your balcony

For most of us living in urban spaces, gardens tend to be on the small side, but that’s not a barrier to having a stunning outdoor space. Even a balcony space can be maximised says Nikki Hollier, creator of Border In A Box who suggests using the Urbaboxx Grey Grid Mesh Storage Kit on your balcony, adding pots of colourful plants in the wire basket at the bottom of the unit so that they can grow up the mesh. Nikki adds: “Alternatively you could use more edibles such as types of lettuce, herbs and fruit and have a colourful ‘living wall’ as seen in a show garden at RHS Malvern.”

2. Matching furniture and plants

A standout from the Chelsea Flower Show was the LG Eco-City Garden representing the green space of one housing unit, giving each household its own terrace. And there are quick tips that you can take from this garden to update your own says Nikki Hollier. “A top tip is to coordinate your garden furniture with your plants, the bright cushions really accentuated the gorgeous yellow lupins in the LG Eco-City Show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last week.  It’s another simple but effective idea.”

3. Vertical planting

For most of us living in urban spaces, gardens tend to be on the small side, but that’s not a barrier to having a stunning outdoor space. A new category at Chelsea this year was the Space to Grow Gardens, ideal for smaller, urban gardens. Nicky Roeber, Online Horticultural Expert at Wyevale Garden Centres said: “If your garden is too small for beds or borders, then you can still create a flourishing green space using some clever vertical planting solutions. You can grow plants in almost any container that can be mounted to a wall.” Try attaching some pots to the Urbaboxx 5ft Wall Mounted Grid Mesh Panel With Hooks which can also double up as a storage unit for your gardening tools.

4. No wall, no problem

If you don’t have a wall to attach a mesh panel to, then Andy Baxter, MD of Internet Gardener suggests making use of the air around you by getting creative with geo terrariums, saying: “Perfect for inside the home as well as the garden, these glass bowls hold your new plants and with a little bit of crafty rope, they can happily swing from a tree or terrace. Just be wary that if they aren’t tied up correctly a strong wind is going to ruin your new favourite garden addition.”

5. Bright and shade

Of course, one of the quickest and most appealing ways to update your garden is with colour but what do you do if your garden is more shady than sunny? Nicky Roeber from Wyevale Garden Centre suggests planting evergreen and shade loving plants and shrubs: “Varieties like ferns, fatsia japonica, and acer palmatums will add lush foliage to a shady spot, and they’re all perfectly easy to grow. Shade-loving flowers, such as fairy bellflowers, hardy cyclamens, and welsh poppies, will add a pop of pretty colour to borders and containers, even if they don’t get much direct sunlight. Whilst Border In A Box’s Nikki Hollier urges us to try 2018’s pantone colour of the year- ultra violet- in our gardens, saying: “A big pot of violas by your front door are so cheerful and the flowers are edible, so they can be used to brighten up your dinner plate and summer drinks too.”

For more inspirational and clever ideas to help spruce up your restricted outdoors space, balcony or small garden, take a look at Urbaboxx and their range of versatile shelving and storage.