Minimal measures outside the Home

If you long for a prettier garden, but can't devote as much time as you'd like, these quick tips will help you make a big difference in next to no time.

Terraces

A low-maintenance garden should also be one of high interest. A small paved area immediately outside the house can inspire, especially if gaps between the paving slabs are planted with useful herbs like oregano, lemon verbena or thyme.

Small lawns

The grass on a small lawn, even if surrounded by paving stones, needs cutting. But planting shrubs that provide colour and shade for the lawn will further reduce the amount of grass. Create interest with a herb garden or a flower bed.

Trees

Trees around the home can enhance the value as well as the view, although you should choose plants with care. Thirsty trees have been linked to subsidence and a useful rule is to keep the broad-leaved trees, such as oak, ash and horse chestnut, 30 metres away from the house.The yew, laurel, spruce, holly and pine are fine within 10 metres of the building, although you need to consider that when a pine reaches 30 metres high, it may cause an unwanted amount of shade. Existing trees cause more alarm than real danger. Subsidence can occur on pre-1980 properties built on clay soils which have undergone a long period of drought, but the risk is reassuringly low - fewer than 5% of us ever register a claim for subsidence and only 10% of those claims result in significant repair work. If you are worried about an existing tree, talk to your local council or a qualified tree surgeon.

Water features

A small water feature such as a sunken tub containing a couple of water lilies, or a pre-cast pond equipped with a pump and fountain, not only looks good but also attracts the birds and butterflies. Use equipment and wiring approved for outside use and, if in any doubt, have a qualified electrician install it.

Hanging baskets

Hanging baskets and window boxes can brighten up the front of any home. Both will need to be watered and fed regularly - plunge the hanging basket into a bucket of water once a week and leave it to soak for an hour. For maximum effect, buy ready-planted hanging baskets, but plant window boxes with cheerful pelargoniums or begonias bought as small plants from a nursery. Mulching the surface of the window boxes with a layer of bark or stones will help retain the moisture.

Garden Furniture

Garden furniture can help to make the most of any garden. Replica wrought-iron coffee table and chairs, or fold-up canvas director chairs, set in a private space which basks in the morning sun are easily moved to an evening suntrap later in the day. Create several small 'hard' areas with half a dozen paving slabs for the purpose. Ideally, choose a south-west facing area close to the house and kitchen for a barbecue area.

Climbing plants

Climbing plants act like trees and, in a garden too small for trees, add useful height and background colour. Once established, most climbers require little or no maintenance. Use climbing roses, clematis and Virginia creeper to soften the hard lines of a house wall, frame a view or to festoon a trellis or doorway.

Shrubs

Shrubs can bring colour and variety to a garden. Occasionally they can cause problems as they may block land drains with their roots or scale the walls. Care is needed with some of the rampant climbers such as Virginia creepers, honeysuckle or some varieties of Clematis, but annual pruning will keep shrubs within their proper bounds.A rough rule-of-thumb guide is to prune plants which flower before the summer solstice (21 June) straight after flowering, and tackle the others before new growth starts in late winter or spring.

Lighting gardens

Lighting up the garden extends its use long into the night. And nowadays it need not be expensive. From decorative lighting hung in the branches of an apple tree to 'foot' lights set low down to light up a path or drive, putting power into the garden gives it a new dimension in the evening. Consider using a safer 12-volt system than connecting the garden to the mains supply.

Plant buying tips

Buy plants with an eye on year-round colour. Don't plant frost-tender plants too early in the year. Try not to crowd plants - most plants double or treble their size in a growing season. Don't spend a lot of money on garden chemicals - feed the garden, not the plants

Notice

The advice given is for general guidance on matters of interest only and does not constitute professional advice. RSA Insurance Plc ("RSA"), its agents or representatives will not be responsible for any loss or damage on the part of users or for any consequential or special loss or damage arising from use of the information obtained here from and whether or not due to any negligence on the part of the RSA. The user is not authorised to copy , retransmit, distribute or commercially exploit in any form any of the content.