No time like the present
We’re all guilty of it. Turning a blind eye to the peeling paint on the fence, the gutters sprouting sticks and leaves, or the hedge that is so unkempt and snaggly it’s starting to look rather sinister. After all, if it’s a sunny weekend, we have more enjoyable things to do than cleaning the gutters, and if it’s raining, well, best to stay inside all warm and snuggly.
Some outdoor chores are about aesthetics, some are about safety. Either way, they can’t be ignored forever because if you do, it could be at your own peril — and I can attest to that. Quite recently, ignoring an ever-growing mossy patch on the paving in my courtyard led to a rather ungainly slip and a hard, painful landing on the concrete. Once my full range of motion returned (and my dignity), cleaning the paving was first on my to-do list.
Deferring maintenance on anything outdoors may not always lead to danger, but once you do finally get around to doing what needs to be done, the tasks tend to be harder and take longer.
ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE
“It seems that the days when spending a couple of hours pottering about in the garden was considered relaxing are becoming a thing of the past,” says Georgia Harper, landscape designer and founder of Georgia Harper Landscape Design. “With all of the pressures and distractions of modern life, many people are finding they have less time to spend in the garden than ever before. This is not to say
