9. Choose no-maintenance furniture
The Ro-timber range of wooden garden furniture is guaranteed to look as a good as new for a minimum of three years - with absolutely no maintenance, even if left outdoors.

10. Cut your lawn less often
Forget about mowing your lawn every weekend and go for a colourful, flowery meadow instead. Sprinkle your lawn with wildflower seeds in spring and you'll have a garden in full bloom by summer, then simply mow a path through it for easy access.

11. Stop weeds dead
Try using a weed-suppressing fabric such as Gardman Weedguard, which can be bought at garden centres or your local B&Q, to get rid of pesky weeds. You simply plant through the material. Alternatively, put decorative mulch or gravel on top of the soil in borders or containers.

12. Cheat with an automatic mower
Clever lawnmowers now exist that can cut the grass by themselves! The Robomow will also trim edges and recycle the mulched grass back into the lawn so there are no clippings to collect either. All you need to do is put a guidance wire around the perimeter of your lawn and any obstacles. From Electrolux, it's a whopping £1,499, but think of the time you'll save...