*Collaborative post

It is no secret that Daddy Long Legs is the green-fingered one in our family. He is devoted to the garden and is doing a wonderful job keeping up with everything out there all year around. He’s now got a little helper in Caspian, though I’m not sure how much of a help he really is. I don’t mind lending a hand if I’m given a specific task, like raking leaves but besides that, I’m much fonder of relaxing in our hammock with a glass of wine admiring the boys’ hard work. I’m actually quite skilled at that!

If I’m not in the hammock and let’s be honest with a toddler around you are lucky to get five minute’s peace, you’ll find me behind the lens. I  love taking photos and with so many different plants and trees, there’s something to explore all year around. The changing seasons is one of my favourite things about living in this part of the world.

With the house still undergoing work, we tend to spend a lot of time in the garden. The garden is primarily spring focused with the camellias already in bloom. The azaleas are soon to follow. This summer I’d love for us to get a BBQ and enjoy more evenings, as well as days, in there. When the weather is warm, Northen Europe is the best for outdoor living as it’s never too hot and the evenings are light. The perfect setting to enjoy life outdoors.

TOP TIPS FOR PREPARING THE GARDEN FOR SPRING

As I’m not the gardener I asked Daddy Long Legs’ what is on his to-do-list for spring. First and foremost he wants to give the patio a good clean. Investing in a top of the range pressure washer is a bit like buying a good vacuum cleaner. It will make your patio come to live after a long winter. Second, on his list is to trim the roses. He always says that you can be quite aggressive when you cut them back, as they will come out in force still.

Then, of course, there is planting to be done and you can start mowing the lawn once the frost is over. How do you prepare your garden for spring?

MAKE YOUR GARDEN CHILD-FRIENDLY

The year before last we invested in some good garden furniture, including the abovementioned hammock. Though there are still items we could add to create the perfect outdoor living space.

Naturally, we focus on Caspian a lot and he already has some toys in there including his favourite Cozy Coupe car from Little Tikes.  We’ve also bought him a slide as he adores these when we visit various playgrounds. Next is a climbing frame or little wooden house, I think. Although it can be hard to find things that fit in with the garden as most are made from colourful plastic and stick out like a sore thumb. A playhouse made from hazel would be the perfect addition to the bottom of the garden and give Caspian his own little space to host afternoon tea, though we should expect it to include mud!

I think it’s very important to include children and they so enjoy helping out in a garden. We are planning on creating a little herb garden and growing our own vegetables, too, this year.

OUTDOOR LIVING IN THE EVENING, TOO

I’d love some lighting for the patio area for those summer nights along with an iron brazier. It would definitely help create hygge and allow us to stay out later during the warmer months of the year. I’m sure Caspian would also enjoy roasting marshmallows over an open fire.

There’s an area at the end of the garden which would be the perfect place for a bench. Somewhere to sit with a drink and a book and enjoy the last of the day’s sunshine. We’re fortunate with the amount of light we get in the garden and having a seated area at the end would mean we could take full advantage throughout the day.  I’d also love a proper dining table and chairs as we went for a rattan style sofa arrangement last year. It’s comfortable, but not ideal for meals.

Do you spend a lot of time outdoors? What do you think is essential for a great outdoor living space?