8.11.2023

How to transform a garden you have left to grow wild

It’s a habit that many people have when they’re not green-thumbed or enjoy using their garden on a regular basis. Chances are, if you’re not someone who likes to garden or you’re not out in the garden as often as you could be, you’ve left it to grow a little wild.

While there’s nothing wrong with that, especially when it comes to encouraging wildlife, it ends up being a space on the property that’s underutilized. As a household, getting outside is beneficial to your health and well-being. It’s a great mood booster to get outside but when your garden looks unkept and uninviting, you’re less like to want to go out there.

With that being said, here are a few tips that might help when it comes to transforming your garden and changing it from a jungle to a relaxing oasis.


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Invest in the right tools

First and foremost, make sure you’re investing in the right tools. This is important because if you’ve not got the right tools, then you’re likely going to struggle to make any significant difference to the wild environment you’ve got in your backyard.

It’s the simple and most basic tools that most people will need in their toolkits. From their lawnmower to tackle overgrown lawns, to trowels and shovels to pull up all the old plants and weeds.

Making sure you have the very basic tools for the job and a place to store those tools so they remain in tip-top condition is essential. With that being said, consider  hiring a landscaping company to get the job done quickly but if you want to take this on your self consider what tools you have, if any, and what tools you might be missing and need more of. To take this project seriously, you need the tools that will make it easier for you and your household to tackle it successfully.

Start by getting rid of all of the dead plants

To get yourself off to a productive start, focus on what is currently the main eyesore in your garden. Chances are, these are all the weeds and dead plants that aren’t salvageable in any way.

Weeds and dead plants do nothing for the space and they can also hinder the growth of your healthy plants and flowers. Not only that but weeds and dead plants can start to smell, which is not what you want when it comes to your garden. You want to be able to step outside into the fresh air and smell all of the beautiful plants and flowers that are flourishing in the space.


Again, this is where you need your gardening tools. This will help get rid of all the dead plants and weeds that have burrowed into the ground and might not be easy to just dig up. Once you’ve gotten rid of all the dead plants, you’ll have a much better idea of how the space looks.

Remove any clutter in the space to start from scratch

Talking of visualizing the space more clearly, make sure you’ve removed any clutter in the space so that you can start from scratch.


Depending on your household, you might have old toys from kids during their younger years that have remained in the garden and have been covered up by the wildness. Broken furniture or damaged features in the garden need to be removed and this might require you to hire a skip to get rid of it all.


If you hardly go out into the garden, then a lot of this stuff is likely undiscovered, and therefore you’ve probably got a lot more to get rid of than you thought. Removing the clutter will ensure your space is set up for the transformation it needs.

Bring in the professionals for the bigger jobs

There are going to be some jobs that come with this gardening project that might be a little out of your skillset. It might also be the case that you don’t have the equipment or knowledge to operate said equipment to carry out the necessary tasks needed.


Whether it’s adding decking or removing big trees. It’s important that you’ve got some experts on speed dial for when you might need them. Looking online for St. Charles landscaping companies (or others more relevantly located for you) to find a positively reviewed company to take on your landscaping job would be a wise decision, especially if you've got an ambitious project in mind. Getting in professional landscapers is especially useful if you're planning on resurfacing or digging out areas of your garden, this is a grueling process to tackle on your own, professionals will have both the experience and equipment necessary to make the job a straightforward one. There are many other good reasons to get professionals in though, so don't narrow your sights on just one or two factors.


A good reason to use professionals is when you need tree trimmers. Trimming trees isn’t easy, especially when they’re grown so high that you can’t reach them with your own ladders. Not only that but you don’t want to chop down a branch that compromises the tree, or impacts any wildlife that might currently be nesting in there.


For bigger projects, don’t attempt to do it yourself, especially if it’s a risk of injury or safety. Hopefully, there are plenty of gardening experts and companies who will be more than willing to help.


Incorporate some new flowers for color

To help add some bursts of color to the space, consider new flowers in the space. There is an abundance of flower types to choose from, which means it’s worth checking out and doing some research on flowers from all areas around the world.


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Thanks to the internet, we’ve got a lot of options at our fingertips and the more variation you bring into your garden, the more wildlife you’re likely to attract as a result.


However, it’s good to be selective about what types of flowers you pick based on the colors they’ll create. You may be someone who wants to have a certain color palette in the space, whereas others aren’t fussed about having the entirety of the color wheel in their backyard.


Be sure to place the flowers strategically and ensure they’re in the right environment for maximized growth capability.

Add shrubs for structure in the space

Structuring the space is important, whether you’ve got a fairly compact backyard or it goes on for yards. It’s something that can add a bit more comfort and intimacy within the space, regardless of how big it might be.


Shrubs are great to introduce in the space when there’s little to no structure. If your garden does feel like one big open space, then it’s definitely worth it to add some shrubs to give it that definition. While some might use stronger materials like brickwork to create said structures, that might not be something you’re after.


It’s often good for households that have families and pets running about, to have more soft cushioning such as shrubs to fall into!

Incorporate different textures to keep it interesting

The texture is important when it comes to your home because it’s good to have something different to capture your gaze. Whether your garden is going to be mainly enjoyed by your household or you consider yourself to be a sociable butterfly with guests coming over every other day, the texture is good to incorporate.


It’s not just adding a bit of lawn to the space and calling it a day. You want to think about what other materials you could add to the space that will make it interesting. Whether that’s wood chippings like bark, to beautiful, decorative stones of all shapes and sizes.


Think about how you can create sections in the space that will help transform your garden into something more than just every other generic garden space.

Feed the birds and encourage new wildlife

It’s important to make your garden a space that can be enjoyed by all and that includes your local wildlife. Your garden will grow and thrive when you encourage new wildlife into the space. With that being said, consider feeding the birds with bird feed and birdhouses that will allow them to come back and nest with their young.


Incorporate other features and purposely place flowers or plants that will attract different types of wildlife of all shapes and sizes.

Add a few water features

Water features are a great option to add to the space, especially when it comes to adding to the wildlife but also the ambiance of your backyard.


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There’s nothing more relax-inducing, than a water feature or two. From bird baths to small fountains, it can all add to the soundscape of your garden, thrown in with bird song and crickets chirping.


Think about adding a pond too if you have the room for it. This is great for attracting even more wildlife and for a place to relax around if you’ve got some outdoor seating available.

Don’t forget about the lighting

It’s important not to forget about the lighting in your space. Consider what type of lighting you might be after or missing when it comes to maximizing your enjoyment of the space outside. 


Even though it might be dark during the cooler months of the year, adding some fairy lights and a firepit might be just what you need to encourage your family outside for an evening of stargazing. Lighting makes a big difference and so it’s worth experimenting with the space and placing lights strategically to make it just as visible as it would be in the day.


Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll be able to transform your garden from a wild space into something that can be enjoyed every day.



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