Pressure washing can leave your patio tiles gleaming in the sunlight, and the task itself is pretty simple. A medium sized washer (110 to 130 bar) is ideal for cleaning driveways, patios and pathways, but it’s important to remember that these can do some damage, so clear any cherished ornaments before you start spraying.

Once you’ve cleared the area and you’re ready to start work on your patio tiles, connect the host and get the water running fast and smoothly. You then need to turn the pressure washer on and focus on your starting area. Try not to spend too long in one place though, as you can always repeat the process if you’re not entirely satisfied with the end result.

It doesn’t usually take too long to wash away the dirt and grime, but it’s important to make sure you don’t repeat this process too often; because you may see your patio tiles begin to fade in colour. This is one of these jobs that’s needed before we head into the summer period, and it’s definitely one of the easier- pre-summer garden chores.

If you have a mature garden, with plenty of established trees, shrubs and hedges, then a trimmer is a must. Petrol trimmers are very powerful, and they feature defined edges, clean lines and anti-vibration technology – well at least the quality ones do.

If your bushes are getting a little bit wild, then you need to take action fast with a chainsaw or a hedge trimmer. Hedge shears may do the job in some situations, but it makes the task longer, more difficult and actually quite exhausting. Some of the latest hedge trimmers include excellent manoeuvrability, so you can tackle tall, short wide and narrow shrubs easily, yet electric and battery options are available.

That said, it is important to note that these are not likely to be as powerful as petrol trimmers, and they may require more maintenance in the long run too.

Painting your fence can be a bit of a chore but it’s a task that needs to be done from time to time, but it’s also a good opportunity to add some bold colours to your garden design. With a hand-held spray gun, the task becomes a lot easier.

If the tool is well-pressurised, you can spray nice even layers onto the fence panels with ease and you can finish an entire strip of fencing in less than an hour. Most people now use hand-held spray guns to get the job completed quickly, and these guns are very cheap, but that’s if you’re looking in the ‘entry-level’ market. More professional tools like this are available, but they’re not necessarily needed if you’re only looking to paint your garden fences, benches or sheds.

So make your job easier next time round with a hand-held spray gun, it could save you a lot of time and five you a nicer finish too.