Spruce up your garden for spring

Freshen your garden for spring by cleaning, treating, and fixing key features in a sensible order, weather permitting.

Guides in this project

01Tidy an overgrown garden 02Treat or paint a fence 03Clean a patio 04Clean and treat decking 05Fix a sagging garden gate 06Clear a blocked gutter 07Trim a hedge with hand shears

GP-01Plan the weekend and buy your materialsCheck a 3-4 day dry weather window, since fence and decking treatments need drying time before rain or foot traffic. Budget roughly £150-£350 for materials depending on garden size, and allow 2-3 weekends (around 5-7 working days spread out) for the whole project. Before drilling or fixing anything into a wall, fence post or decking, use a cable and pipe detector first and still expect something to be there. If you plan to cut back any tree or a tall overgrown hedge, check now whether a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area applies, and note that nesting season runs roughly March to August.

RULES

5 each · Garden waste bags

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2 each · Dust sheets

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1 pair · Work gloves

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KNOW THE RULES

Tree Preservation Orders and conservation area rules can apply to trees and some hedges. Check with your local council before cutting. Bird nesting season is roughly March to August; avoid disturbing active nests.

GP-02Treat or paint the fenceFollow the guide Treat or paint a fence. Do this early in the project so it has 24-48 hours to dry before you're working nearby with hoses or scrubbing brushes. If fence posts are set in a wall or near a path, check for cables and pipes before any drilling for repairs.

5 litre · Fence treatment or paint

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1 pack · Sandpaper

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GP-03Clean the patioFollow the guide Clean a patio. Do this once the fence is dry, since overspray or dust can mark freshly cleaned slabs. Leave the patio to dry fully before you move heavy kit like a pressure washer or ladder across it for later phases.

2 litre · Patio cleaner

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1 day · Pressure washer hire (day)

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1 each · Stiff outdoor broom

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GP-04Clean and treat the deckingFollow the guide Clean and treat decking. This often goes wrong when people walk on treated boards too soon; check the product tin for drying time, usually 24-48 hours, before anyone uses the deck again. If you hired a pressure washer for the patio, do this phase before returning it to save on hire costs.

2 litre · Decking cleaner

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4 litre · Decking oil or stain

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1 each · Stiff scrubbing brush

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GP-05Fix the sagging garden gateFollow the guide Fix a sagging garden gate. If any new fixing goes into a brick or block wall, use a cable and pipe detector first, even though cables are less likely outdoors than indoors. Get a second person to help hold the gate level while you fit new hinges or screws; if the gate post itself is rotten or the wall fixing has crumbled brickwork behind it, that's a job for a fencing contractor or builder rather than a DIY repair.

RULES

1 pair · Gate hinges

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1 pack · Screws or coach bolts

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1 pack · Rawlplugs (if fixing to a wall)

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1 tub · Wood filler

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KNOW THE RULES

Always check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling into any wall or post, even outdoors.

GP-06Clear the guttersFollow the guide Clear a blocked gutter. Use a stable ladder on firm, level ground and have someone footing it; never overreach to the side. This is a good point to check for loose or damaged brackets; if the gutter itself needs replacing or you're not confident on a ladder at height, get a roofer or gutter specialist in instead.

1 each · Gutter scoop

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1 each · Garden hose attachment

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1 day · Ladder hire (if needed)

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GP-07Trim the hedge and do a final tidy-upFollow the guide Trim a hedge with hand shears. Spring is nesting season (roughly March to August), so check the hedge carefully for active nests before you start and leave any section with a nest until the young have flown. If the hedge includes trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order or in a conservation area, get a tree surgeon who can handle any permission or notice needed. Finish by sweeping leaves and trimmings off the patio and decking you cleaned earlier.

RULES

1 each · Hand shears

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1 each · Loppers

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1 each · Tarpaulin for catching trimmings

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4 each · Garden waste collection bags

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KNOW THE RULES

During the main bird nesting season (roughly March to August), check for active nests before cutting and leave them alone - damaging or destroying a nest in use is an offence. Check for Tree Preservation Orders or conservation area status before cutting; if either applies, use a qualified tree surgeon.

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