RHS Hampton Court flower show inspires garden solutions

Summers are made for alfresco living – whether that’s friends over for barbecues, family get-togethers or just a sneaky gin and tonic as the sun sets over the yardarm.

But there’s nothing more dispiriting than a colourless or untended garden, so now is the time for a quick makeover.

Start with cutting back overgrown hedges and trimming spring-flowering shrubs for a neater and surprisingly bigger garden.

Spring-flowering shrubs need cutting back now because they only flower on new growth so if you trim them back in autumn they won’t blossom next spring.

The healthy option is to get your shears out but if you’re short of time Stihl has a new lightweight cordless hedge trimmer with an integral lithium-ion battery that has an impressive 40-minute runtime.

“The one issue many people have with hedge trimmers is their weight,” says Andy Paskell, Stihl product manager. 

“The HSA 45 is extremely light, just 2.3kg including the battery. 

“A lot of others are quite a nice weight until you slot in the battery and then it becomes a heavy machine.

“For a hedge trimmer you need manoeuvrability, and this is easy to use with the batteries all in-situ ready to go.”

Lightweight garden equipment and accessories solve problems such as storage. For instance Hozelock’s new Superhoze expands up to three times its original length when you’re watering your garden then shrinks back small enough to be stuffed back into its plastic box without the bother of winding it onto a stand.

At 30-metres it’s a genius solution for long gardens but it also comes in a 15-metre version.

Similarly, Stewart Garden has plastic patio pots and tall planters that really do look like stone or terracotta but are light enough to move easily, cheaper than the real thing and won’t shatter after a frost.

And for a more interesting backdrop to those clipped back shrubs try decorative recycled metal fence panels. 

Stark & Greensmith panels look beautiful and are set 11cm above the ground to allow hedgehogs the freedom to move between gardens.

Designer Martine Le Gassick said: “I was frustrated with the standard fencing available in the UK, which is vulnerable to weather and offers very little choice in design. 

“I wanted to create a product that gives people a taste of a show garden feature in their own home, something that might seem unachievable but in fact is reasonably priced and accessible.  

“Our panels perform better than traditional fencing by using recycled materials where possible, which won’t rot, are maintenance free and should last 20 years.  

“They float 11cm above the ground as well, so that hedgehogs can move freely beneath them.  

“Hedgehog numbers are in steep decline and we wanted to respond to that serious challenge but with a product that is also affordable, sustainable and beautiful.”