How to make the most out of your tenement garden

It’s quite easy to let a tenement garden go over the winter months, after all, you’re not likely to want to spend as much time in it once the last shards of summer sunshine have gone, and so what’s the point of making it look nice?

Well, quite apart from the fact that the garden is overlooked if not shared by the other residents (you never know, there might be someone in your scheme who loves gardening and you can bond over next year’s begonias) you’ll be glad you made the effort when things start growing again in spring.

The truth is that not only is it rewarding to get your hands dirty and start the upkeep of the
communal spaces before it gets too cold, but it’s actually the ideal time to do so. This time of year is great for garden maintenance because you can start getting stuck into all those jobs that need doing, like pruning the garden plants back (now they’ve stopped growing for a while) and moving  them around if you feel like it, without damaging them.

Another bonus of getting stuck in with garden maintenance in autumn is that a small effort in one area of the garden can have a snowball effect on the rest of it. Think about tidying up your borders; this will allow you to move the plants around before the soil gets too cold and also lets some areas breathe a bit. Don’t forget to compost over any plants you’ve moved so they’ll bed in nicely.

If you have a nice lawn area, keep it looking that way with a bit of effort before the frosts set in. Get rid of any leaves and mess, give the whole area a good rake over and sprinkle lawn feed on it so that it will be revitalised come spring.

If you really want to win brownie points with the other residents you can brighten up the winter outlook with some well-chosen evergreens that fill gaps in border and give a dull winter garden a little bit of colour. Have a chat with your local garden centre for pointers on which shrubs and plants last the winter and suit a garden like yours.

If you’re looking for a stylish terrace – have a look at our newly added flat on Woodhall Terrace, Edinburgh. It’s a beautiful property with a charming roof terrace that boasts some stunning views, and the décor is immaculate.

Or for a real room with a view, 5 Mall Avenue, Musselburgh is a charming one bedroom flat with a shared garden area that’s perfect for a gardening enthusiast and also has some lovely view of the River Esk to enjoy.

For more information and advice on finding your new home, visit Sturrock Armstrong and
Thomson.