Summer is when gardens truly come into their own: flower beds bursting with colour, lawns lush and green, and the unmistakable fragrance of freshly cut grass mingling with various blooms. But it also means more maintenance to keep it looking its best.
“Every season brings its own set of gardening tasks. In summer, it’s all about mowing, trimming edges, fertilising, tackling weeds and keeping pests under control, while ensuring your garden stays well‑watered,” says Fathima Mathen, Marketing Manager for GARDENA South Africa. “But a few clever buys can simplify some routine jobs.”
She provides her top three picks:
1. A hose that practically puts itself away
The GARDENA Wall Mounted RollUp Hose Box features a 25-metre hose that extends to the required length and locks securely in place. Its 180° swivel design allows effortless watering around medium to large gardens without kinks or tangles. For smaller spaces, the lightweight and portable GARDENA MoveMatic offers a convenient retractable watering solution, ideal for easy watering on the go.
When you’re finished, a gentle tug activates the automatic retraction mechanism, guiding the hose neatly back into its box. No winding required.
Summer tip: Grouping plants with similar watering requirements together makes irrigation easier to manage and helps avoid unnecessary watering.
2. One system, many gardening jobs
It’s surprisingly easy to accumulate gardening tools. Every job seems to require another one with its own long handle, and before long the shed is crowded, some tools worn out, others barely used.
The GARDENA combisystem is a versatile, modular gardening system where every attachment fits every handle, allowing you to tackle multiple tasks with one toolkit. Choose from wooden, aluminium or telescopic handles for added comfort and reach. Ideal for first-time gardeners, you can start with a single handle and essential attachments, then expand your collection as needed, reducing clutter and avoiding the cost of buying separate tools for every job.
From loosening soil and tackling weeds to raking leaves or pruning branches, the system offers a wide range of gardening possibilities, and different handle lengths also help you work comfortably.
Summer tip: Weed your beds first, then spread a layer of mulch over the damp soil. It helps the soil retain moisture and suppress weeds.
3. Watering that sticks to a schedule
Keeping a consistent watering routine isn’t always easy. Throw in the summer holiday season, and you could have a rather dry ‘welcome home’.
An automatic watering system can help. The GARDENA Water Control Master connects to an outdoor tap, with a hose leading to a sprinkler or irrigation system. It enables you to programme up to six independent watering schedules, choosing when watering starts, how long it lasts and which days it takes place.
Paired with a GARDENA Water Distributor automatic, it can also water each garden area in turn. The Water Control Master runs on a 9V battery, so check the charge before you leave: its Safe Stop function prevents watering from starting if the battery is too low. An optional GARDENA Soil Moisture Sensor lets it skip a cycle when the soil is already moist, handy if a summer storm rolls through.
Summer tip: Pots and hanging baskets dry out faster, so check them by hand, even when the rest of the garden is on a schedule.
A summer garden will always need attention, but you can influence how much effort the routine tasks take.
“There’s real satisfaction in caring for a garden and watching it thrive,” concludes Mathen. “Being hands-on is part of the reward, but making everyday jobs easier leaves more time for the gardening you love and for enjoying the results.”
After all, the best garden tools are the ones that work for you.
