What is the Best Time of Year To Landscape a Garden?
Every season comes with it’s challenges when landscaping your garden. There are the challenges of the weather conditions and also the convenience or inconvenience to you.
This article discuses the challenges and convenience of each season.
The Winter Season
The weather can be challenging and cause delays but you won’t be using the garden so very convenient for you.
For the homeowner the winter season is the best time to landscaping your garden. The reason is you are not generally using your garden at this time of year and therefore there is less disruption to your home life. This is a big positive.
The challenges are obviously the weather. In my decade and half of working outdoor creating gardens during the winter months, it is either warm and wet or dry and cold.
How does the weather effect the build?
Wet conditions can make preparation of the ground for planting and laying turf difficult. Foundations can become waterlogged or soft. Excessive rain will stop the laying of paving as it will likely slip around. There is also the challenges of working in sticky muddy conditions.
Cold conditions can prevent any work involving cement as it won’t cure at temperature of 4oC or below. In the evenings, any work involving cement needs to be protected from freezing conditions.
In reality these weather conditions are an inconvenience, with good days and bad. They may slow the garden build down but will not stop it.
Whilst it maybe a slow build, a typical project would be completed in readiness for the summer months to enjoy.
The Spring Season
The weather is improving, its a good time for landscaping your garden; especially planting and laying lawns.
The spring season is also good time to landscaping your garden. You are still not generally using your garden at this time of year so there is less disruption to your home life. This is a big positive.
The challenges of the weather are similar to that of the winter months but temperatures are improving and there is often less wet days. I often joke our summer is in April and May; often our nicest months are in the Spring; March, April and May. The sun comes out and we are lured into the belief we are going to have a fabulous summer. by the media
How does the weather effect the build?
Cold and wet conditions can slow down the build on occasions but they are less frequent. This improving weather is a good for completing hard landscaping elements.
It is also an excellent time to turfing a lawn and planting the borders. The warm but mild conditions promote growth without the need for excessive watering to keep the planting alive.
Once again, a typical project would be completed in readiness for the summer months to enjoy.
The Summer Season
Great weather for landscaping, extra care is required to look after lawns and new planting in the dry and hot conditions. Can be inconvenient for the homeowner.
The summer season is a good time to landscaping your garden.
However, it can be inconvenient for the homeowner as it is likely the time of year you want to be outside enjoying your garden, opening your windows and patio doors to let the fresh air in without the nuisance construction dust and noise.
The main challenge is the dry hot weather.
How does the weather effect the build?
Excessive hot temperatures can exceed some material application specifications eg grout. Therefore these jobs may need to be delayed until the excessive temperatures reduce.
Newly laid lawns and soft landscaping planting are most at risk, they need to be watered daily to keep them healthy.
The Autumn Season
Great weather for landscaping and convenient for the homeowner.
The autumn season is a great time to landscaping your garden due to the often warm, dry and stable weather for the construction of your garden,
How does the weather effect the build?
The stable weather is good for building your garden.
Its a perfect time for newly laid lawns and soft landscaping planting due to the soil being warmed through the summer months, after initial watering to help the plant establish the watering can be reduced to a minimum.
For families, the autumn is often a busy time of year with new school term activities. For professionals, the autumn is often a chance to go on holiday avoiding the school holiday crush. Therefore, it isn’t too inconvenient to lose the use of your garden during this season.
