Don't dig, pair plants and automate the mowing: eight gardening hacks you'll wish you'd known sooner

The Guardian

26-04-2025

Do you dream of a gorgeous garden but dread the thought of all the digging, weeding, watering and waiting that's involved in getting one? You're certainly not alone. Many of us yearn for a stunning outdoor sanctuary, yet don't have the time or the resources to make it happen. Or do we? We've found eight ways to up your garden game effortlessly, so you can literally sit back and smell the roses.1 Don't only rely on flowers for colour
The obvious way to add colour to a garden is with flowers. But if you're not blessed with green fingers and/or a budget to splash out on a host of plants, there are other routes to a vibrant outdoor space.
Sheds, fences and walls are prime candidates for a bright paint job – terracotta, coral and even a little 'unexpected red' are on-trend colours that will bring instant zing. That said, a dark charcoal grey or denim blue backdrop will really make green foliage pop. And, of course, you can upcycle wooden furniture with an exciting colour change. Tables and chairs are obvious candidates, but you could also think outside the box and transform an old side table into a punchy potting bench.
Pots are another great canvas – you can make plastic pots look very expensive with chalk paint, even mimicking the look of terracotta or stone. And it's super-simple to apply. There's no pre-treatment of the surface, just make sure it's clean and stipple the paint on.
Not so great with a brush? Then look to textiles for that colour boost. Dress furniture with weather-resistant cushions and throws, or make a bigger impact with a colourful outdoor rug that will also hide grubby decking or a patio past its prime.
2 Embrace the 'no dig' approach Digging and turning your old soil to make way for new plants can not only be back-breaking work, but most horticulturists are now of the view that it can also be bad for your soil, disturbing the ecosystem of worms and fungi, disrupting water drainage channels and releasing carbon, to boot.
So put down that shovel and take care of your soil the easy way with no-dig gardening. Unless the soil is particularly weedy, just spread a three- to five-inch layer of compost or other organic matter on top (ideally made in your own compost bin) and plant directly into it. Add a little mulch on top in the form of bark chippings, and you'll also reduce the amount of weeding and watering you'll need to do.
3 Let a robot handle the mowing For some people, cutting the lawn meticulously, perhaps with Wimbledon-style stripes, will be the labour of love that makes their Sunday afternoon. But most of us would rather be soaking up the sun with a good book in hand than wrestling with a lawnmower, even if we do love the look of grass versus gravel. In that case, now could be the time to invest in a robot to do the job for you.
Honda's Miimo range* of intelligent robotic mowers are big on cutting performance and perfect for mowing all sizes of lawns, from veritable postage stamps to small pastures. Winner of a Red Dot Design Award, the Miimo will stylishly navigate your lawn with the aid of boundary wires and a satellite navigation system, ensuring every blade of grass gets cut – but your prize petunias don't. Just tell Miimo when to mow through the in-app scheduling assistant, and off it'll go. The weatherproof casing will protect Miimo in the rain, and for security there's a built-in alarm that sounds if your Miimo is lifted – you will have a code to switch it off. 4 Make strategic plant pairingsDid you know that buddying up certain species of plants can save you a whole heap of time in the garden? By mastering the art of companion planting, you'll be able to worry less about pest control and feeding your plants, as they will essentially look out for each other.
For example, thyme and roses are fine plant companions, as thyme's strong scent will deter the main scourge of roses, blackfly. And as well as making tasty soup, tomatoes and basil are a dream couple when planted side by side. Not only will the basil's scent deter whitefly, it's also said to make your tomatoes tastier and doesn't require much in the way of nutrients, leaving your tomatoes with all the goodness they need to grow. 5 Cut out the weeds with cardboard
Weeding has to be the number one least loved garden task. But rather than getting on your hands and knees (or resorting to chemical solutions), just wait for your next parcel to arrive. Yes, cardboard boxes are the ultimate natural weed suppressant, and can cover large expanses of pesky unwanted growth in an instant.
To suppress weeds with cardboard, lay plain, damp cardboard sheets (removing any glossy bits, plastic or tape) over the area, overlapping them to block sunlight. Add mulch or compost on top to weigh the cardboard down – this smothers the weeds and enriches the soil as the cardboard breaks down. Other ways to kill off weeds naturally include pouring boiling water or a white vinegar solution on them, or substituting cardboard for newspaper.6 Go wild Embracing wilderness in at least a corner of your garden will provide you with a patch of raw beauty for very little effort. 'Meadowscaping' involves replacing a patch of lawn or a flowerbed with native grasses and wildflowers. Once established, your meadow will need very little maintenance – particularly if you pick perennial wildflowers that come back year after year. And you'll attract important pollinators such as bees and butterflies that will keep your whole garden healthy.
To achieve this wild look, you could have a go at 'chaos gardening' – simply gather up any leftover seeds you have lying around, whether they are vegetables, grasses, herbs or flowers, mix them all up and then scatter them on to your soil. Or for more guaranteed (and coordinated) success, use a dedicated wildflower mix.
7 Make an instant impact with lightingWhen the sun goes down, the right lighting won't just make your garden safer – it will transform its mood. It's a good idea to layer your lighting: practical wall lights will aid food and cocktail prep, while soft pendant lights create a cosy atmosphere over a dining table or around a corner sofa. LED candles, lanterns and festoon lights can be used to light a pathway back to the house, and are decorative, to boot. Just always make sure your lights are waterproof (IP65 if they are exposed to the elements) – LED bulbs often fit the bill and are long-lasting, making them a more sustainable choice.
8 Discover drought- and flood-resistant plant speciesIf you're struggling to keep plants alive, either because they are waterlogged by regular rain or are being exposed to long bouts of sunshine, investing in some specialist plants could save you a lot of hassle. This has been a key theme at Chelsea and other big RHS shows in recent years, as extreme weather events become more common. Drought tolerant species include lavender, cordyline, agapanthus and the common fig tree, while those that thrive in wet conditions include ferns, ranunculaceae, willow and quince trees.
Find out more about the Honda Miimo range
*Specifications vary across the Miimo range. Visit Honda's website for full details