Turn that unsightly garden backdrop from drab to fab with these EASY UPGRADES
Extend your summer SPECIAL
SOFTEN WITH TUMBLING FOLIAGE
The lush leaves of a climbing star jasmine steals the show in this garden as it’s been trained to grow sideways so the stems can trail down and rise up to help conceal the wall. You can do this with your climber by screwing vine eyes (£1.95/10, theessentialscompany.co.uk) into the wall and running wire horizontally between them to support it.
The summer is meant for sitting back, relaxing and enjoying all the work you’ve put into your garden – but September is a brilliant month to take stock and sort out any niggling issues. The weather is (hopefully!) dry and borders aren’t so abundant, so a weekend upgrade is easy to achieve. And we’re betting that you have a boring wall somewhere in your garden! Perhaps it’s an expanse of bland render or bricks that could be working harder to pretty up your outside space, or maybe there’s a wall that’s seen better days and needs a fast facelift to disguise its weatherworn state.
There are plenty of doable affordable ways to turn that wall into a stunning frame that will show-off and highlight the best bits of your garden. From cladding and simple wall decorations to a bit of clever planting and painting, these ideas will speed you straight to in-the-know, so give one a go this weekend.
APPRAISE YOUR WALL
Before you start the transformation, you should check a few things. First and most important is whether the wall is sound. All walls deteriorate over time and the UK’s somewhat harsh weather including strong winds, frost and driving rain will have an effect.
Its aspect (which way it faces) also plays a part too as south-facing walls will dry out quicker, while north-facing ones tend to be in shade and prone to damp. If there’s any major crumbling on the surface of bricks and the pointing in-between, cracks larger than 2mm in concrete blocks or render, or if the wall is leaning or bulging, then it’s advisable to get in a professional to survey the wall before going ahead. Search ‘structural inspections garden walls uk’ online for ones in your area.
GIVE IT A GOOD CLEAN
Once you’re happy that the wall is sound, it needs a bit of prep. A bucket of water and a broom works but for an easy life, a Telescopic Water Brush (£39.95, outspot.co.uk) will remove any loose or flaking paintwork or surface dust while cleaning it. Just fill the reservoir with soap, connect to your hose tap and clean away.
Let the wall dry out and then fill any cracks or replace mortar with an exterior-grade filler such as Sandtex Ready Mixed Masonry Filler (£10.04/500g, wood-finishes-direct.com). If there are any signs of algae, treat them with a
