As the warmer months of the year are now upon us, we can’t help but want to spend more time in our garden.

Whether that’s hosting barbecues with family or friends, a bit of sunbathing every now and again or even spending hours chasing your dog around, it’s great to feel like our homes gain another room in spring and summer.

But it’s during this time when it may feel like you can’t keep on top of your garden as the lawn grows at the speed of lightening, flowers need deadheading every other day and the weeds just keep on coming through the patio.

Yet with all this garden waste, you might be wondering what the correct way to dispose of it is. Let’s find out what the experts have to say.

@themediterraneangardener Shredder ASMR This is one of my favourite garden jobs. I love keeping my garden tidy and being able to shred down garden waste and use it as mulch or add it to the compost bin in a way that will break down faster is fantastic. Also it’s just supremely satisfying 😂 @Ryobi Tools UK #garden #gardening #asmr ♬ original sound - Michael - Gardening tips

Is fly-tipping garden waste illegal?

The most important thing to note is that to be compliant with the rules, households should use the council to take away all their refuse, or a registered waste carrier.

You can find your local authority's green waste collections here.

Failing to follow the rules for garden rubbish can result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £1,000, as dumping it is classed as fly-tipping (which is an offence).

The National Farmers Union explains: “Tipping green waste into a farmer’s field, or adjacent to the public highway is a form of fly-tipping, which is an offence – but not many people would assume they are doing something illegal because it’s ‘green’ and not ‘rubbish’.”

Echo: How quickly do you fill your garden waste bins?How quickly do you fill your garden waste bins? (Image: Getty)

It adds: “Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, all householders have a duty of care to ensure that their refuse, including green waste is passed to an authorised person or to a person for authorised transport purposes who can dispose of the waste lawfully.

“Householders not taking reasonable measures to ensure that their waste is transferred to an authorised person will be committing an offence and could face a fixed penalty notice of up to £600 (for those who breach their household waste duty of care).”

What can I put in my garden waste bin?

Home-grown fruit or vegetables, leaves, flowers, grass, weeds, tree bark, pruned branches and twigs can all be put in your garden waste bin.

What side of the fence am I responsible for in the UK?

Recommended reading:

Can I take garden waste to a local tip?

If your local authority doesn’t provide a garden waste bin to be collected and emptied, you can recycle garden waste at recycling centres, reports Recycle Now.

When it comes to recycling garden waste, make sure you follow any special instructions for what can and can't be included, according to your local authority.

Recycle Now continues: “If you are taking your garden waste to your local recycling centre, use a strong, durable bag (not a black bin liner) and try not to overfill it.

“That way it's less likely to tear and once it's been emptied, you can take it back home with you, ready to use next time.”