How do I get a garden ready for people?

Preparing a garden for people is mostly about tidiness and practicality rather than planting. Sharp edges, clear surfaces and somewhere comfortable to sit does more than any amount of last-minute gardening.

What you'll need

• Edging tool or shears
• Brush
• Outdoor lighting (optional)
• Cushions and throws (optional)

Step by step

1. Cut the lawn edges.It makes more visual difference than mowing. A crisp edge between lawn and border reads as a well-kept garden even if nothing else is.
2. Mow, but not too short.A day or two before rather than on the day, so it recovers and there are no clippings. Very short cutting looks stressed and browns quickly.
3. Clear and sweep the hard surfaces.Patios, paths, steps. Clearing and sweeping makes the whole space read as looked after and takes twenty minutes.
4. Deal with the seating.Clean it, check it is stable, and add cushions or throws. Uncomfortable or dirty seating is what stops people staying outside.
5. Sort out lighting.Solar lights, festoon lighting, candles or lanterns. It extends the evening substantially and is the single biggest change to how a garden feels after dark.
6. Deal with the obvious weeds and dead material.Not a full weeding — the visible ones in paths, edges and the front of borders. Ten minutes on the visible areas is enough.
7. Add something in flower near the seating.A couple of pots of something colourful placed where people will be. It draws the eye to the good part and away from anything unfinished.
8. Think about the practicalities.Somewhere to put drinks, somewhere for rubbish, shade or shelter, and something for insects in the evening.

Tips

• Focus effort on where people will actually be. The far end of the garden matters far less than the area around the seating.
• A few large pots near the seating make more impact than the same money spent across the whole garden.
• Solar festoon lighting is inexpensive and transforms a garden in the evening. It is the highest-impact thing on this list.

Common mistakes

• Mowing on the day itself — Fresh clippings get walked inside and the lawn looks stressed. A day or two before gives it time to recover.
• Spreading effort across the whole garden — People occupy a small area. Concentrating on the seating area and the route to it produces a far better result for the same time.
• Ignoring lighting — It is what determines whether people stay outside after dark, and it is quick and inexpensive to add.

Questions people ask