For many of us, there’s nothing more satisfying than spending time in the garden. Lately, with restrictions in place and social distancing encouraged, getting out into the garden has become even more important. If you’re looking to overhaul your outdoor space and create a haven that is relaxing, peaceful and personal to you, here are some tips to help you put your stamp on your garden.
Choosing a style
The beauty of having a garden is that it gives you free rein to exercise your design skills and creativity and design a space that reflects your personality and the way in which you want to utilise the outdoor areas you have. There are all kinds of incredible design options you can embrace and mix and match to conjure up a unique aesthetic that ticks all of the boxes on your wishlist. From ultra-modern, low-maintenance yards to rustic cottage gardens, it’s possible to turn almost any outdoor space into a garden you love. If you’re looking for inspiration and ideas, use personal experiences, watch TV makeover shows and browse magazines, social media and garden design blogs. Think about gardens you’ve visited or seen on TV programmes or in glossy magazines, and don’t be afraid to combine elements of different styles. There’s nothing wrong with adding a modern twist to a traditional country garden or using retro touches or industrial accents to give a contemporary garden a unique look and feel. As you get ideas and flashes of inspiration, or you see images of gardens you like, start putting together a mental picture and creating mood boards and rough drawings and plans. Once you know what you want, you can set about turning your vision into a reality.
Designing a space that suits your needs and preferences
Gardens are often hugely versatile spaces, and this means that they serve a range of different purposes. When you’re thinking about your garden revamp and the space you want to create, consider how you plan to use your garden and the vibe you want to channel. Are you somebody who looks forward to winding down on the patio with a good book and a glass of wine at the end of a busy day, do you love to entertain family and friends, are you a keen horticulturist or is the garden a place for playing and spending quality time with children or grandchildren? Figure out your priorities before you start making changes to your garden. It is possible to draw up a design that ticks several boxes. One of the best ways to do this is to section off different zones for entertaining, playing with the kids, gardening and relaxing. You can use structures like benches, gazebos, fencing and railway sleepers to create physical boundaries and make your garden more versatile, and you can also use furniture and accessories in different colours and styles to represent separate areas. Take a look here to browse railway sleepers and consider using different materials to make your new zones stand out. You can opt for gravel, paving, decking, tiles and turf to create a functional space that also looks incredible.
Look for ways to enhance your garden to ensure that it caters to your needs. If you’re keen to turn your outdoor area into a serene oasis, for example, think about adding soft furnishings, ambient outdoor lighting, scented herbs and plants and a water feature. If you love to have people over for a drink or an al fresco feast, explore furniture sets, look at different outdoor lighting options and consider investing in a patio heater, a fire pit and a retractable awning or a gazebo to enable you to enjoy the garden all year-round. You could also create your own outdoor bar or buy a pizza oven to impress your guests.
Customised touches
If you’re longing to create a unique garden that has a special place in your heart, adding customised touches is a fantastic idea. You can flex your DIY, upcycling or building skills or get creative and pass on bespoke designs to experts if you don’t feel comfortable getting your toolkit out. A tailor-made, personalised playhouse is a fabulous idea for children. You can buy playhouses, but it’s also possible to turn old sheds or Wendy houses into incredible new creations. You could design a charming woodland cottage, a castle fit for a king or queen, a cool beach hut or an enchanted treehouse, for example. There are some brilliant step-by-step guides and video tutorials online and some excellent ideas if you’re short in inspiration. For adults, why not create your own bespoke bench or swing seat or opt for simple touches like a personalised neon bar sign or a named plaque for your shed, man or woman cave or summer house?
Accessories and finishing touches
Adding accessories is one of the simplest and most effective ways to personalise your outdoor space. You can use accents and details to inject colour, to carry a theme or mix different styles and showcase your personality. From lighting and soft furnishings to pots and planters, ornaments and outdoor cushions and rugs, you can buy a range of accessories to finish the look. If you’re on a budget, it’s well worth checking out auction sites and using search engines to find more affordable versions of products you love. If you spot a designer accessory in a magazine, for example, type in search terms and words related to that product, and you should find a selection of similar items that are more budget-friendly. It’s also a good idea to explore salvage yards, car boot sales and vintage home stores if you’re looking for items with a retro or rustic look.
Many of us love nothing more than retreating to the garden on a sunny day or kicking back with a mug of tea on the terrace after a long day. If you’re on a mission to make the most of your outdoor space, and you’re eager to add personal touches to design the garden of your dreams, hopefully, you can take inspiration from this guide. Think about the styles and themes you want to channel, consider how you plan to use the space and add customised accents, finishing touches and accessories to show off your flair and personality and make your garden unique.
