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The sunny weather is finally beaming down on my yard, ready for a summer of relaxation and hosting. But, with warmer days comes a building sense of dread that my yard actually looks in bad shape. The winter weather wasn't kind to my shrubs and flowers, but that doesn't mean there isn't hope for vibrant blooms and vivid green grass, as long as I put in some work.
In fact, I've been trying hard to supercharge my yard with money-saving ideas like the potato peel hack and even boiling a few eggs to help my plants thrive. The trouble is, I don't have much time, and it's almost too hot right now (the temperature just hit 89°F where I live) to put in the effort.
If that also sounds a bit like you, then this hack I've found called the '70/30 rule' is all about making your yard lovely by doing less. Here's how it works.
How does it work?
The '70/30 rule' was kindly brought to my attention by British home improvement retailer, Wickes, in collaboration with TV gardening expert, Katie Rushworth. Launching the online 'Summer Garden Guide', they've keenly shared their expertise through a variety of top tips. One of which is this clever rule.
As Rushworth explains: "Your garden should be somewhere you want to spend your summer - morning coffee, long lunches, evening drinks. Don’t stress about keeping every inch perfectly maintained — the whole point of summer is to relax and enjoy it.
"I often recommend following the 70/30 Rule: keep around 70% of your garden ‘managed’ — clean lines, mown paths, neat borders — and let 30% go ‘wild’, with long grass, log piles for hedgehogs, and wildflower patches. This balance keeps your garden beautiful, biodiverse, and easier to enjoy without constant upkeep."
So, instead of stressing out about what the entire yard looks like and building a list of overwhelming chores that, once the sunshine hits, you just don't feel like doing, do 70% and leave the other 30% to look after itself in a wildly natural way.
Fortunately, Rushworth has a few more tips to share that make the 70% feel a little more achievable, too. Because, to me, 70% still feels like a lot.
1. Start with a simple summer reset
Fortunately, the sunny weather is a great catalyst for yards to thrive. The sunny weather and longer days are an optimal environment for a lot of plants. But, Rushworth says, you should "focus on keeping it thriving."
For this, she says: "Now is the time to deadhead spent flowers, top up and feed the soil, tie up taller plants, and stay on top of pests and weeds." And we've also put together a handy guide on the 5 plants you should never plant near your patio if you want to avoid pests.
2. Design your garden for evenings, too
It's easy to think you'll only be using your yard in the day time when you're often out there on the weekends. But, why can't the yard be a place that's also enjoyed after a hard day's work, especially when daylight lasts so much longer?
Rushworth says the focus should also be on creating an outdoor space that works for later in the day: "Plant evening-scented blooms like jasmine, nicotiana and honeysuckle, and pale flowers such as white campanula or cosmos to reflect the moonlight." I'm a big fan of eating dinner outside, so this one resonates with me.
3. Mix in edible planting
My mom has been on a herb and vegetable planting mission recently and I asked her, why now? Well, as Rushworth (and my mom) explain: "Summer is perfect for edible planting – there's nothing better than picking basil for a salad or strawberries for dessert straight from your own garden."
And while I've checked out the 7 best vegetables to grow indoors, I definitely haven't given enough thought to taking advantage of the summer for this. It also feels like a great way to tidy up a space, while bringing new life to it.
Here's what happened when I tried it
I recently moved home and I've inherited a lovely yard full of wonderfully eclectic flowers and shrubs, but it's been stressing me out that it's now my responsibility to keep it alive and thriving.
I've not quite got the green thumb I aspire to one day have, but I try my best. Incorporating the '70/30 rule' though, has immediately turned the stress of thinking I needed to maintain everything as perfectly as possible, to only needing to do about 70% of the work. And after a hot day, I'll happily take that saving.
I've also used Rushworth's 3 handy tips to turn my muddled list of ideas and research points into a more focused step-by-step guide to getting on top of my gardening. I'm almost at a point where I feel like I can happily host people in my outdoor space. It just took a simple hack to shift my mindset to a more positive one, in time for summer.
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