After the excesses of Christmas many people turn to dieting, jogging or going to the gym to try and lose those extra pounds, but lets face it, its not much fun and at the end of the day you may have lost weight but achieved nothing else. Wouldn’t it be better to find something that will keep you fit and give you something to show at the end of it for all your hard work? With all the economic doom and gloom, plus the unmissable Olympics and Jubilee celebrations it looks like the “staycation” is going to be a popular option again in 2012, so its a great time to get your garden looking great for the Summer.
Gardening projects can take many forms. A vegetable garden, orchard or greenhouse maybe? All of these will require plenty of energetic digging and clearing, burning up the calories, and costing you nothing! OK, you may have to fork out for plants and seeds but that can wait until March when the bank balance has had chance to recover, and there will eventually be a payback when you harvest your own beautiful produce in the Summer.
How about a new patio for your outdoor entertaining? This is probably only an option for DIY enthusiasts but will involve plenty of exercise and will potentially add value to your property. Environmental projects are becoming increasingly popular and a great way of enticing the kids away from their games consoles! Digging out a pond, making a water feature, creating a bird feeding station, or planting a wildflower meadow are just a few ideas.
Its also a great time to take a look at your garden, and tackle that “slow growing” conifer that you bought 20 years ago and is now 15ft high and starving your border from light and moisture. Make the most of the mild weather, get out into your garden and get stuck in!