Introduction: This blog post summarises my key go to garden maintenance tips and tricks to keep a newly built Hortus Pink hard landscaping looking at its best. Aftercare of a new garden, especially for the novice gardener, can be daunting, but with a few pointers followed, it really isn't' rocket science. All my clients quickly get to grips with their new garden and build fresh confidence that they are doing the right things to help keep their new garden structures looking at their best.
Key facts: I have some key principals to help new hard landscaping stay as solid as the day it was built. These cover patio and driveway sealing, patio cleaning, driveway cleaning, painted fences and pergola's, loose aggregate driveways and pathways, guttering and water butts, property drainage, water feature care, furniture storage, and cleaning and treating wood.
KEY TIPS AND TRICKS:
Patio and driveway sealing - Some patio surfaces, like sandstone, need sealing to help with greening and protect against spillages, like oil or red wine. This can also be the case for new driveway blocks. Sealing should not be conducted until the first 4-6 months has elapsed whereby allowing effervescence (salts leaching from within the new surface) to show itself. If effervescence emerges the surface must be professionally cleaned and another 4-6 months waited to be sure its all leached out. Once you are sure the effervescence is no longer coming out, you should clean and then seal the surface. Each surface supplier will have a recommended sealant and it is important to follow their instructions.
Patio cleaning - Ensure the correct cleaning method is followed for all materials. Greening is usual with any patio, especially after a wet winter. Check with your patio surface supplier as to the correct cleaning product to use - there are many anti-greening sprays to apply via hosepipe which are not as abrasive or time consuming as jet washing. Keep on top of weeds that pop up in any tiny cracks with a weedkiller throughout the year.
Driveway cleaning - As with patios, driveways can be cleaned as frequently as needed with weeds receiving regular control via scraping, weed killer or butane gas burning to remove them. Remember that blocks must be re-sanded with kiln dried silicone sand after jet washing.
Painted fences and pergola’s - Painted fencing and pergola’s may need a bi or tri-annual touch up to remain perfectly coloured.
Loose aggregate pathways and drives - An annual check over your loose aggregate for areas of movement or thinning and add fresh where needed. If you strive for perfection a regular light tidy on pathways with a broom or using a wide rake on driveways (only if the surface is loose - floated self-binding gravel should not be swept or raked).
Guttering and water butts - Keep an eye on the ability for guttering and water butts to cope with wet weather to avoid congested areas resulting in constant water flooding across new hard landscaping - this will undermine a sub-base and turn surfaces into green slip hazards. Check gutters for holes and leaks, and remove leaves and moss deposits. Ensure water butts are leak free and have an appropriate overflow mechanism.
Property drainage - Ensure drains and soak-aways are coping with extreme weather situations (which seem to be on the increase as a result of global warming) and can remove surface water effectively. Your drainage must remove water from your property in a SuDS compliant way (Sustainable Drainage Systems) and the pipes themselves able to flow freely with root growth into drainage pipes, cracks or blockages receiving immediate attention. Brown water (foul) flooding a garden will kill plants and cause serious health concerns - so carefully remove solid waste, disinfect hard landscaping surfaces, try to dig over borders to break down sewage residue naturally an d do not eat home grown veggies for a month with thorough washing and cooking - sunlight and soil helps destroy harmful bacteria.
Water feature care - Water features with pumps will last longer with special winter care. Removing a pump and storing in a shed or garage is ideal if submerged in a bucket of distilled water and not allowed to freeze over. Cleaning the water reservoir of silt and sludge should be done fairly regularly, not just in spring. Keeping the pump out of sediment and dirt at the bottom of the reservoir is especially crucial, along with keeping the filters clean and fully operational. Pumps are relatively inexpensive if you are unable to do this or consider bringing in a professional company to maintain it for you.
Furniture storage - Garden furniture should ideally be stored inside throughout the winter to help it last longer. If this is not feasible, keeping it under a well secured cover and stored out of standing water is ideal.
Cleaning and treating wood - Hardwood benefits from a bi-annual scrub with a brush and soapy water to remove lichen, followed by a treatment protection of wood preservative.
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