When I moved into my new flat earlier this year, I immediately noticed that the patio had not been looked after for a while. It had been left untidy and unclean, with unused furniture pushed around the space, weeds growing through the planters, green moss down the sides of the wood, and a surprising number of snails living in the corners. With summer coming up, I decided to turn it into somewhere I could actually sit outside and enjoy.

The first stage was the least glamorous part: moving the old furniture out of the way, pulling out the weeds, removing the top layer of tired soil, and clearing out the snails as gently as I could. It was definitely more work than I had anticipated.

Once the beds were clear, I topped them back up with some fresh compost and levelled the soil so the planters were ready for new bedding plants.

I then laid out the plants with enough spacing for them to grow, trying to keep the colours varied without making the planters look too busy. I chose classic hardy petunias and geraniums in a range of colours because they were low maintenance and fast growing.

Finally, I cleaned up the planter edges with some soapy water and waited for the garden to bloom. It was very rewarding seeing the flowers progress just a little each day, and within a few weeks the planters had really started to fill out nicely.

The finished garden is still modest, but the work has left the whole corner feeling brighter. It has given me a chance to sit outside and properly enjoy the summer weather, and every time I look out of my window I feel a little proud of how I have improved my tiny corner of London.