Show us your sensational garden spruce ups – for a chance to win £300 to spend at wilko
Promotional feature with wilko
What kind of space would make you Feel Garden Good? A low-maintenance entertaining paradise with a patio and sociable summerhouse? Or a long and luscious lawned affair with a play area for family fun? Maybe it's a neat balcony with a bistro table for dinner a deux? Or a cute and compact window box overflowing with herbs for cooking and cocktails... with a few bright blooms for added colour.
Whatever space you have to work with – and whatever your idea of an outdoor haven looks like – wilko is here to help you on your journey to a gorgeous garden. What's more, we want to see your amazing transformation, for a chance to win more to help your garden grow.
Perhaps you've crafted your own garden bar out of pallets, turned a tired shed into a trendy home office, or planted out a beautiful flowerbed that has bees and butterflies flocking to your plot.
The ten best examples – including gardens of all sizes, balconies and even window boxes – will win £300 each to spend in store on their next round of gardening jobs.
And if any of the above are on your to-do list, it's not too late to have a go and enter. Below, we've listed five easy garden transformations you can try your hand at, to be in with a chance of winning that fabulous prize! Just snap a 'before' photo and get to work!
A wilko store is a convenient place to pick up everything you need for a quick garden tidy-up right through to hosting a summer garden party. Whether its garden storage, weed killer and lawn seed, or garden furniture, tableware and lighting, there's everything you need to make your little bit of the great outdoors even greater.
1. Decorate your garden
This is a great start if you're not known for your green fingers... but love a bit of decorating! It’s easy to add your personal style to your outdoor spaces. Just consider the colours and textures you’d use inside the house and echo them in the garden.
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Animal prints, foliage motifs and strong pastels are just as much on trend outside as they are indoors, and can be introduced through tableware, scatter cushions and even outdoor rugs. It's an easy way to make outdoor furniture look up to date without having to invest in new pieces.
2. Get the lawn into shape
Lawn looking a bit patchy and lacklustre? Spring is the time to get your lawn in tip top condition and it’s simple to do with the help of some lawn seed, weed killer and watering equipment.
Just rake down any patches of bare lawn, sprinkle the seed and some fertiliser, and keep the ground moist for new green grass in weeks.
3. Feed the birds
Keep the wild birds well fed in your garden this spring and they’ll bring a natural energy to the space. It’s easy to attract a wide variety of birds to your garden, including blue tits, great tits and sparrows. All you'll need is a feeder full of fat balls, or a tray to sprinkle with seeds.
4. Pot your way to perfection
It’s amazing what a few brightly coloured plants and flowers can do to an outdoor space, whether that’s a small balcony or a large open garden. On a larger patio, group pots of different sizes in clusters. And remember, pots are just as effective as flowers at adding colour where space is tighter.
If you’re short on space, why not try hanging plant pots to sit on fences, or drainpipe potholders to brighten them up? Plant herbs that can be used for tasty family dinners – or consider growing mint and rosemary to add to cocktails. The latter works well with whiskey, we're told!
The clever team at wilko has designed a range of garden gadgets to help you bring life and vitality to your outdoor space. Find award-winning gardening gadgets that help make light work of your weeding, and reservoir pots that help retain water and plant food in your containers.
Plus you can pick up colourful pots that maximise your outdoor space. They'll provide the perfect place for you to plant our selections of seeds – from marigolds and mint to cosmos and cucumber.
5. Fix fences and spruce up the shed
The Great British weather has a habit of inflicting wear and tear on our sheds and fences. But it’s easy enough to bring them back to life with the right woodcare or a lick of exterior paint.
A wood stain will create a natural look that will enhance your planting, or you can add impact with colour. You could try painting stripes in different shades of blue for a coastal beach hut theme, or pick a dark grey for contemporary cool.
You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. So go on, give it a go and Feel Garden Good with a little help from wilko this spring.
And to enter the competition, please send your before and after images through to gardencomp@wearebrazenpr.com along with your full name, address, contact details, as well as confirmation that the images are your own.
For full details of the competition T&Cs, please visit https://life.wilko.com/garden-transformation-competition-terms-and-conditions/
Amy Cutmore is an experienced interiors editor and writer, who has worked on titles including Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, GardeningEtc, Top Ten Reviews and Country Life. And she's a winner of the PPA's Digital Content Leader of the Year. A homes journalist for two decades, she has a strong background in technology and appliances, and has a small portfolio of rental properties, so can offer advice to renters and rentees, alike.
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