Summer, a time when everything is in full bloom and the days are not only warmer, but longer too. We love Summer. Not only because it makes us feel great, but because it means that we can get out in our gardens and enjoy flexing our green fingers.

Whilst there are plenty of gardening activities that you can do during Spring, that doesn’t mean that there is absolutely nothing to do in the Summer. In fact, to help inspire you to get outside in the sunshine, while it lasts, we have put together the top 5 gardening activities that you can do throughout Summer.

Get out in your polytunnel

If you have decided to invest in a polytunnel, then the Summer is the perfect excuse to get out in it. Not only are you going to have a whole lot of plants to harvest (if they are edible) or trim back and replant if they are not. But there is likely to be plenty of jobs that you can get done too.

The great thing with polytunnels is that it doesn’t matter what the weather is doing outside (let’s face it we are not always blessed with the best summers) you can still get to work. However, if the sun is shining and the days are long, then you are likely to feel much more inclined to get out in the garden.

Keep up with your lawn

Lawn maintenance is something that you need to do all year round, however, during the Summer months, there is a good chance that your lawn is going to need a spot of extra help. This is particularly true if there is likely to be a dry and warm spell. If we have had a few days without water, then it is a good idea to apply a generous amount of water to your lawn. You should only need to this once a week and once the rain hits, then you can stop watering it. It may sound strange but a heavier, infrequent watering is much better than light, frequenting watering, as it helps the roots to take hold.

Take care of your roses

One of the most popular flowers to grow in the UK has to be roses. Summer is a time when any roses that you have are going to be growing at their strongest. However, they still need a helping hand. One of your Summer tasks is to deadhead your roses and feed them. By removing the dead flowerheads, you will extend the life of the bush and make sure that you keep enjoying your roses for as much time as possible.

You also need to ensure that you feed your roses. Liquid tomato fertiliser is a good addition as this will really help your blooms.

Make sure potted plants are kept watered

When it comes to drying out, you are likely to find that potted plants are amongst the ones that drying out the fastest. This is because there is no natural moisture from surrounding soil getting to them. This is particularly true during the Summer, when there is much less likely to be rain around. You need to regularly keep on top of watering your potted plants, particularly those that are in the sunshine the most, otherwise, you are going to find that you have crusty, dried up potted plants, which isn’t exactly a look that many of us will be going for.

Think about what you want to do in the Spring

There is no point spending all that time out in your garden, working on it, if from time to time you don’t actually sit out there and enjoy it. Once your jobs are done and your plants are all looked after, then the time has come for you to kick back and relax. You can choose to spend your time with family, reading a good book, absorbing the natural world around you. You can also choose to think about what you want to do in the Spring and how you can then in turn, be sat there next Summer enjoying all your hard work.

As you can see, Summer is a great time to get in your garden. You might just find that you spend a lot of your time looking after the plants that you have, rather than worrying about what new things to plant.

The benefits of buying a used kitchen may not have crossed your mind before. I remember dreaming as a child that one day I would have the most amazing kitchen. I lived in small houses where sometimes the kitchen would also be part-lounge and part-dining room. I was sure I would have a luxury home one day and spent time looking at kitchen advertisements quite a lot.

Kitchens were and remain an expensive outlay for the home. There are the products themselves and fitting costs too. My cousin was a kitchen fitter and made a small fortune.

As I watch property shows, I notice how often the house viewers focus on the kitchen as the heart of the home. Many talk about changing the kitchen immediately they purchase the house. I imagine this is quite stressful when you have already paid a lot of money for a new home and the associated legal costs.

So the first obvious benefit of buying a used kitchen is that you will save money. With the money you have saved you can focus on making some magical memories for your family perhaps with a holiday. The good news is you don’t have to compromise on quality when you go for the used kitchen option. We buy used cars without a second thought so why not apply that same logic to our kitchens?

Private householders and showrooms are the sources for used kitchens. Imagine getting an ex-display model at a bargain price or benefitting from someone who likes to stay bang up to trend and changes their kitchen look often. Savvy landlords have made use of used kitchens for years.

My second big argument for considering a used kitchen is that you will be helping the environment. We have so much waste and you only need to visit a local tip to see so much good stuff going straight towards landfill. Be part of the eco-friendly movement and buy a used kitchen adding your own personal touches such as funky handles or a repainting job.

Finally, if you buy a used kitchen, you wait less months and years to ring the changes and to cook up a storm.