People said it was a terrible idea to cover my garden in sand but I did it anyway… I brought the beach home
MAINTAINING your garden can be a lot of work, particularly when it comes to your lawn.
One woman revealed how she decided to eradicate the problem altogether by ditching her grass for sand – but not everyone is a fan.
The woman, who posts under @blissfulbabblingbrooke, uploaded a video touring around her outdoor space.
Instead of a vibrant green lawn outside, she added sand to the entire space and placed her garden furniture on top.
Instead of having to go to the beach, she brought the beach to her home for the summer.
In the clip, she pictured walking over to her wooden loungers to soak up some sun from the comfort of her back garden.
However, she admitted that not everyone is a fan of her DIY transformation.
On the video, she wrote: “Everyone: Don’t put sand in your garden. That’s a terrible idea.
“Me: Worry about your own yard.”
Defending her decision in the caption, the woman said: “Added sand to my urban garden and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
“I created my own backyard paradise.
“It might not be for everyone, but it brings me peace, and that’s all that matters.”
While some people may not have been sure about the sand pit garden, the clip has racked up 48,000 likes.
One person wrote: “It looks so nice.”
Another chimed in: “Why is this not a thing?”
However, one TikTok user who wasn’t sure commented: “but when it rains? lol this such a bad idea.”
It might not be for everyone, but it brings me peace, and that’s all that matters
TikTok user
A second said: “it’s cute but can’t imagine all the sand going inside the house.”
The woman replied that she had taken measures to prevent sand from being trampled into her home.
She explained: “I have garden fencing to keep the dogs out and a spot to rinse your feet off when you leave the area.”
While it may be unique to cover your entire outdoor space with sand, some gardeners recommend it sparingly to help with lawns.
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Reese L. Robbins, a garden guru from Just Pure Gardening, advises: “Sand is a natural product that is available everywhere.
“It is inexpensive, easy to obtain, and can be used in various ways.”
Robbins spoke with Homes & Gardens, about the one simple and affordable item that can help any homeowner’s lawn.
Sand is great for preventing soil erosion and supplying crucial nutrients to lawns, according to the expert’s advice.
“It is a beneficial product that can improve the appearance of your lawn and shrubs,” Robbins adds.
May gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to crack on with in May.
GARDEN growth can go from nought to ninety in May, depending on the weather. The last UK frosts are generally seen at the beginning of the month, so all of a sudden there’s so much more to do and grow.
Plant out dahlia tubers
It’s a joy to finally plant out your dahlia tubers. Remember how big they can get – and space accordingly – anything up to half a metre apart.
It’s a good idea to put your support stakes in now instead of trying to work around them.
And make sure you include lots of well rotted manure or decent compost to feed it and then mulch to keep it moist and suppress weeds. They generally start blooming in July.
Final feed to Spring flowers
You can give a cheeky feed to all your remaining tulips and daffodils.
Although the majority of bulbs aren’t guaranteed to come back year after year any more, as long as you’ve left them to die back naturally there’s a good chance they’ll have stored enough energy to come back again. Tomato feed is fine.
Tie up climbers
Your clematis, honeysuckle and rambling roses should be well on their way by now – try to use plastic free string to tie them back into their support, or tuck them round each other to make sure they don’t sprout off in crazy directions.
Feed the lawn
It’s not too late to give your lawn a good feed.
Whether you use granular or liquid, it can give it a good boost to see it through the harsher summer months.
While mowing, don’t go too low with your cut length yet and never take more than a third off the grass height.
Get creative
It’s also time to get creative with hanging baskets and pots.
Trailing pelargoniums, which a lot of people call geraniums, and Begonias are a good, low cost way of getting lovely returning blooms throughout the summer in your baskets.
And pots can be planted with spring bulbs.
Don’t forget the greenhouse!
Give your greenhouse a good tidy and clean the glass inside and out.
The improved light will help plants grow quicker inside and tidying is good for the soul.
You can just use a household white wine vinegar and water solution – or even neat if you’re feeling spendy – which gives a really good shine.
The greenery specialist suggests anyone attempting to grow fruit or just looking for an upgrade on vegetable garden ideas to incorporate sand into their gardening steps.
Sand can be used for monitoring water levels, creating healthier soil, providing nutrients, and filling “bare spots,” Home & Gardens learned from various experts.
Simon Clifford, an RHS-trained gardener, also agrees with Robbins’ sand technique.
He says: “Adding sand to the lawn helps to improve the structure of the topsoil.
“The perfect soil structure, known as loam, is a combination of sand, clay, and silt particles.”
According to Clifford, lawns ” are laid onto a predominantly clay soil which is prone to waterlogging in the winter.”
Waterlogging can lead to an acceleration of moss growth, he notes, adding: “Introducing sand improves the drainage and provides a healthier soil to encourage growth and, ultimately, a healthier-looking lawn.”