Be inspired all year round – with these 18 gardening tips

Like organic produce? Want to shop “plastic free”? By growing your own fruit and veg, you can do something good for yourself and the environment. Throw in a few domestic and exotic herbs and, hey presto, your garden will become a self-catering oasis.

Enough of the green stuff – how about some purple potatoes or carrots instead? Vitelotte is one of the most well-known types of colourful potatoes. It tastes a little nuttier than traditional potato and may even remind you of chestnuts. If carrots are more your thing, a combination of orange and purple ones will definitely brighten up your plate.

To reap the benefits of your harvest in winter too, preservation is key. Cook or roast vegetables such as garlic and herbs and pour them into a thick jar for antipasti, and turn your fruit into jams, compotes or sauces. Use a special canner/cooker or the oven to make conserves: with the latter, simply place the full jars in a drip pan filled with water, heat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius and leave the jars in there for half an hour. Your preserves should last for some time.

Allow us to introduce: day lilies. Their shimmering flowers come in a variety of colours – and the plant is also extremely easy to care for. Each flower only blooms for one day, but new ones come in on a daily basis.

Oh, and did we mention you can even eat the flowers?!

No garden is complete without bees, right? But as you may have heard, our little yellow-and-black-striped friends are in danger. That’s why everyone should commit to turning their garden into a paradise for bees this year. Plants such as purple tansy, yarrow, lavender and marigolds are just a few of their favourites.

If you want your garden to stand out from the crowd, cacti and succulents are the way forward. They come in lots of different varieties and require very little care or attention. You can even create your own terrarium to bring your cacti and succulents indoors.

To create your own terrarium check out our simple how to guide here.

Want to make the most of your garden in the summer, but still spend quality time with friends? If a barbecue isn’t up your street, why not build your own open-air cinema? All you need is a projector, a screen (you could even use a large piece of white cloth) and plenty of comfy cushions to sit on.

Do you find your herbs grow really well – but sometimes you aren’t 100% sure which one is which? Simply label the pots with chalk or write the names on a small piece of slate. Too easy? Then consider making your own signs: just saw up thin strips of wood and paint them with blackboard paint.

Spring cleaning isn’t just for indoors – it’s good to get everything in order outside, too, as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear. That’s why spring is the perfect time to create your own vertical garden ; when it’s in full bloom, it’ll really make an impression.

Supermarket herbs are always the same: basil, thyme, parsley – there’s just no variety. So there’s only one thing to do: make your own herb garden . Here we give you a few tips to help you along – so you can’t make any more excuses!

What trendy furniture designers can do, you can do it better – right?! Make your own garden table from old fruit crates and you’ll have your neighbours turning green with envy.

Don’t let another summer pass by where you stand in the garden holding your hammock, wondering how to properly hang it up.

With this home-made bird feeder, you get a chance to hone your DIY skills and the local birds can enjoy some extra food – it’s a win-win situation. You can find complete instructions on how to make the feeder, which can also function as a bird bath, here .

New, innovative light sources can make your garden seem magical in the autumn. Take the Swedish flame, for example. To make your own, saw a large log in the same way you would cut a cake, down to the middle. Then place a fire lighter insider the log and light it. Now sit back and enjoy your new light, and an extra bit of warmth, in the garden.

When it comes to garden trends, next year is all about grey furniture paired with bold accent colours in the form of cushions or other furnishings. In general, garden furniture is becoming more high quality and more comfortable – so you can even turn your garden into an outdoor living room this summer.

Has your rusty garden furniture seen better days? Don’t worry – you can restore most furniture to its former glory all by yourself!

Want to fascinate your little ones outdoors? Then show them how they can magically grow an apple in a bottle. Mid to late May is the perfect time to set this up – just when you can see the fruit starting to grow on apple trees.

Insert the baby fruit into an upside down bottle, and tie it firmly to the tree. Now you and your child can watch the apple grow in the bottle.

Garden tools, a hose, flower pots, firewood, citronella candles, toys ... you need a lot of things to maintain and enjoy your garden. Some waterproof garden shelves can help you keep everything neat and tidy. And you can even build them yourself! Find out how to here .