5. Instantly neat edges - forever!
Put a border edging around your lawn to keep invasive plans where they belong and to stop soil or mulch from spilling onto the grass. We love this attractive willow edging from Primrose London - you can just push it into place for an instant result. Prices start at £22.95.

6. Move pots into the shade
Container-grown plants are always the first to need a drink in hot weather, so putting them somewhere cool, such as alongside a shady wall, cuts down on watering. Also, grouping pots and containers together helps retain a moist atmosphere around them, which means they're less likely to die of thirst and they'll be easier and quicker to water.

7. Buy ready-planted containers
This will save you time and effort.

8. Buy hanging baskets that water themselves
This means that even in the height of summer, you'll only need to top them up every few days. Self-watering baskets work by using a reservoir supply in the base of the pot.