Whether you have a small or large garden, there’s plenty that can be done to turn your outside space into something magical - from planting seeds to making sure your lawn is well kept. That said, a lot that can go wrong if you’re not careful so here are five gardening mistakes to avoid.

Choosing flowers in full bloom

Often, amateur gardeners are seduced by flowers in full bloom and end up taking home hanging baskets and pots that have already reached their full potential. While they’ll look great for a while, the flowers will probably die off fairly quickly, so it’s best to look for healthy buds and foliage instead and let them flourish at your home rather than at a plant nursery. You could even order seeds from companies like Spalding Bulb and grow them completely from scratch.

Planting in the wrong place

A lot of thought goes into planting the perfect garden and it takes more than simply digging a few holes. There are many golden rules to follow but one is to think carefully about where every type of plant, flower or tree will go – after all, planting a tall perennial in the front border or hiding some small geraniums underneath a large bush is not going to be very effective. The tags sticking out of plant pots often contain vital information such as how big the plant will grow, so read this thoroughly before pulling on your wellies and getting to work.

Opting for just flowers not foliage

Every blossoming plant is beautiful in its prime, but it’s important to mix some of the most eye-catching flowers like white jasmine and sweet peas with spectacular foliage too. The annual coleus is a good choice, for instance, or you could invest in a range of decorative grasses like Japanese silver grass which is sure to add interest to any garden. There are plenty of other all-year-round delights to choose from, so it’s worth doing your research.

Overcrowding

If you’re new to gardening, it can be tempting to plant lots of seeds close together in the hope you’ll yield a decent crop of vegetables or get a host of blossoming flowers. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work this way as no matter what you’re growing they need enough sunlight and nutrients to survive and won’t be healthy if they’re competing for food and water with a host of greedy neighbours. So, give everything plenty of room to grow and you should see the benefits.

Forgetting to feed and water

So, you’ve gone through all the hard work of planting your garden – now what? Well, whether you’ve got seeds, young flowers or fully grown foliage you need to make sure everything is well fed and watered for it to flourish, particularly during the warmer months when soil can dry up. Plant food can be bought online or from garden centres but always read the labels and follow the given instructions.

Gardening is an extremely good form of exercise and a rewarding hobby, so why not give it a go? Just be sure to avoid the common mistakes mentioned above.