It's a fact, that most people around the UK at least have access to, if not own, a garden. Lawns shouldn't be taken for granted, there's a lot of work to be done in maintaining the garden, so that you can best make use of the outdoor space during the hot summer months.

There are three basic types of lawnmower design, rotary lawn mowers, cylinder lawn mowers and hover lawn mowers. They are generally available with different power sources, including electric, petrol and push along.

Rotary lawn mowers: Rotary lawnmowers use a single electric motor mounted vertically on the lawnmower base. The electric motor drives cutting blades which rotate 360 degrees parallel to the lawn surface, thus cutting the grass in a slashing-like motion. The cutting action can be compared to that of the traditional scythe, which first appeared in Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries.

They are particularly good in dealing with very long, overgrown vegetation, so if your garden looks more like an Amazon rain forest at the moment, then a rotary option could be for you. The slashing mechanism is ideal for coping with the longest of grass. Rotary lawn mowers are generally cheaper and lighter than cylinder mowers, they often contain grass collection boxes, and some have rear rollers, allowing you to create a striped effect across your lawn. The disadvantage with Rotary lawnmowers is that they don't create such a clean cut. They slash quickly, not gracefully.

Cylinder lawn mowers: Cylinder lawnmowers adopt the same basic mechanism used back in the late 19th century. The design has changed little over the years. A fixed horizontal cutting blade is positioned just off the surface of the ground, the height of which is adjustable. Over this is a fast spinning cylinder of blades. The spinning cylinder forces grass past the fixed horizontal blade, thus shearing the grass in a scissor-like motion.

Cylinder lawnmowers give the best cut of all, their scissor-like cut is great when a perfect consistent lawn is required, such as on a tennis court or bowling green. They are, however, more expensive on average, than a rotary lawn mower, plus they weigh more, so are arguably more difficult to operate.

Hover Lawnmowers: Hover lawnmowers use the same rotary cutting design as standard rotary lawnmowers. However, rather than having wheels, hover lawnmowers are equipped with a turbine which is positioned above the cutting blade. This turbine drives air downwards, thus creating an air cushion which lifts the lawnmower above the ground like a hovercraft.

Hover lawnmowers are especially good at dealing with inclines, if your garden includes slopes and hills; the hover mower is lightweight, so easy to manoeuvre around these areas. Hover mowers are also good at tackling thick grass, they can be lifted off the lawn, and progressively lowered to take care of the longest of vegetation, step by step. They are often used in a sweeping left/right motion rather than the traditional forwards/backwards motion. The disadvantages however, are that many hover mowers don't contain grass boxes, due to the requirement of being light weight. You also won't get as cleaner cut with a hover mower, than you would with a cylinder alternative.

Each of the above types of lawnmower can generally come in three powers: petrol, electric and push. Push mowers are only really suitable for small lawns; otherwise the operator will soon get tired. As the wheels are pushed along, gears drive the cutting mechanisms which slash through your lawn. Electric lawnmowers provide that extra power, although you have the disadvantage of being constrained by an electrical cable. When buying an electric lawnmower, make sure you have enough reach to cope with your lawn. Petrol lawn mowers are the best for medium and large sized lawns. They give you the freedom to roam around, and also provide that extra bit of power for dealing with thick grass.

Well, that's a summary of the types of lawnmowers currently on the market. Please enjoy your summer, and look after that lawn!