Take for example a hedge, now you might intend for your sprigs to morph into a tremendous barrier, but those can be slow to mature. So what do you do for that privacy you are seeking in the meantime? Create a focal point of green with the help of plants in large containers. Line them up to make a temporary screen, and then move them to another location in your garden once the hedge is doing its job.

If you are concerned that by the time the hedge reaches its desired height you will have the rest of the garden in concise order, and there will be no space for the plants in the containers, don’t be. They are always a lovely addition along paths and walkways, a place often void of too much permanent foliage.

Also, depending on what it is you are hoping to cover, or decorate you will want to know if you require a self clinging twinning, scrambling or trailing type. Note too that wisteria and evergreen will give you something nice to look at all year round, without the big fanfare of blooms or fruits in the warm months, and deciduous climbers (like clematis or jasmine) will be eye-catching till autumn, but then loose their up and at ‘em appeal. And if you are lucky enough to be planting the climbers for the sole purpose of wanting to admire their beauty, then they are very well featured when growing up a circular article like a column as this will show it off from all angles.

You will undoubtedly be thrilled to learn that you can raise a sprinkler to a new height with items that you probably already have in your garden supplies. You will need an oscillating ground sprinkler, a bamboo pole and some zip ties. While it is self-explanatory as to what you should do to attach the sprinkler, we do advise that you sink the bamboo pole into the ground quite deep to support the mechanism on top.

Obviously, differing heights will shoot the water out at different distances. You may want to play with a couple of these to get it just right for the garden plants you wish to keep from getting parched. Don’t be surprised if you are quite impressed with this gadget and its effectiveness. Sometimes things do not need to be complicated to work just right.

Sinking my fingers into the earth and getting my hands dirty is fun to me, and making something grow from seed is an accomplishment I never tire of doing. Arranging plants to grow in harmony both literally and visually is often a challenge, and making things thrive year after year is too. But, it fills me up inside, while simultaneously beautifying my environment. With that said, those little plaques make me grin every time I see them, and to place one in your own garden is amusing to me. So there, I’ve said it, but whether I actually get one and place it amongst my lavender, or roses we shall see. The point is, there is room for humour in the garden, just as there is for whimsy and light hearted elements, and I never want to forget that fact.

Instead, create a modified version with a wide mouth pot, or even a galvanized bucket. Just make it something that is appealing visually, otherwise you will basically just have a container full of water with stuff floating around in it. It is also preferable that it be either something lying quite low to the ground, or quite elevated so that it stands apart from the other articles that surround it.

Once you have filled the decorative container up introduce things like aquatic plants or floating candles. These will bring in a source of movement and life. And if you go with the candles, these will glisten on the water at night when they are lit. Thus bringing another element to your area.

For those new to the terrarium please note that there are also other types, such as the Wardian which consists of a glass panelled case with a hinged top, but my personal preference has always been the more basic, less frilly styles.

That said, any of them are a wonderful to create a micro garden, and why they seem to have fallen out of vogue is a mystery to me. Some are completely closed in, while others have a hole on top. Those without an opening will create a humid habitat for the plants, so you must select your plants accordingly.

Some plants known to do well in these habitats are echeverias, tillandsias, aloe, bromeliad, and jade. Should you opt for the closed terrariums, succulents will be a good choice to fill it with.

Those areas that are looking void can be filled in temporarily with potted plants I strongly recommend you use the hanging basket version, so that once the area you are hiding comes back to full strength you can make use of these plants by hanging them up. Now, please note there is no shame in this, it is completely normal for you to have periods when flowers are simply not in bloom, and a zone in your garden could use a little unplanted boost. Consider this the non-traditional method of gardening, but also as a smart way. The only downside is that it might leave you wanting to snoop around other people’s gardens to see if they have resorted to the same thing.

The point here is that though different age groups might not agree over what defines an ideal garden, they can both get a great deal of enjoyment from the space. Thus, instead of concluding that the garden is a place for adults to tend to pruning and propagating, contemplate a compromise on some level to get the younger generation of your family involved in the out of doors area of your home.

Now, if your mind just filled with visions of you attempting a backflip on a trampoline in order to spend more quality time with your teen, you might want to take it down a notch to just plain old jumping. Or, if you have started to panic over the idea of having the equivalent of an ant colony of tents filling the garden let that go completely. After all, we are looking for a meeting of the minds if you will, or a pursuit of a common interest as opposed to an establishment of a tent city within the confines of your otherwise perfectly delightful property.

So where does one find that balance of interests you might be asking. First off mull over the obvious, list the fruits and vegetables that your teenager enjoys. Maybe planting a few rows of potatoes in the veg patch to make chips would be applicable, or watermelon for those fruit smoothies your son or daughter is always whipping up in the kitchen. If this is still not setting of bells for you or them, ponder other favourites like berries for their morning cereal, or breakfast muffins.

Or, if you have a youngster that truly covets his or her time alone, the addition of a secluded hammock could get them out of doors. And, when they are not hogging this delightful garden seat, it can be yours to watch them from as they perform tricks on that trampoline. The point is any of these ideas could prompt an enjoyable result for young and older alike. It could draw your teen outside into the garden, and into another part of your world. Now that does sound like a favourable garden.

Some will require that they be sanded down, a few might need to be taken apart, treated and reassembled, and others may just need a quick fresh coat of paint. In the case of plastic articles, you may need to use a primer on it, but it is not always a requirement. Give the piece a good wiping down, and assess whether or not it is smooth, as it needs to be either cleaned further and, or sanded if it is not smooth. Then, use a spray paint to coat the item. Make sure it is a spray paint made of the more current formulas, otherwise you may get beads, or other unsightly imperfections. The new paints have been formulated to stick to plastic consistently. Once completely dry you should get another couple of maintenance free use out of them.

That was until we purchased our current holiday home and roles seemed to reverse between us. A family holiday home has been on our horizon for several years, but one thing or another has held us back from making the leap. But, as of last June we officially became the owners of a lovely little place, neatly tucked into the hillside, and only fifteen minutes from the Jurassic Coastline.

The former owners were very apt when it came to designing the garden, and maintained it in the same manner as I do my own gardens. Thus, instead of the usual overhaul that I find necessary to conduct in a newly obtained garden, there was only minimal work to be completes. However, the house itself, was another matter altogether because the sellers decided to put it on the market as soon as the house was done. It seems they never had intentions to live in the home, and thus never did anything to the inside.

You see it was a barn conversion with cathedral style windows. The sellers did a top-notch job of finishing the exterior, but left a great deal unfinished on the inside so that the buyers could put in exactly what was preferential. The indoor space is light and airy, and most importantly a blank canvas. As such it is a perfect accommodation for bringing the outside in through the right colour palette and décor, and I decided that I wanted to help make that happen.

This of course came as a great surprise to those around me, but it was agreed that I would spearhead the project. I must admit that I did not know exactly what I was in for, but enjoyed the whole experience. For once, instead of getting my hands dirty in the garden, I made an entirely different mess inside. But, in the end it was all worth it.