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Do you ever look at publications displaying breath-taking gardens and wish yours could look just as beautiful? Some of these gardens may be quite expansive but even small gardens can look absolutely amazing. A great-looking garden should really be an extension of your home and be every bit as functional, practical and comfortable. Improving or renovating your garden may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be. Take a look at some of the simple but effective tips we’ve put together for improving your garden[i]. You may be surprised at how simple some of them can be.
1) Refresh The Lawn
Grass is grass, right? Not necessarily. Your lawn says a lot about your garden and a lawn that is overgrown or full of weeds looks unsightly and messy. It’s also one of the easiest areas of the garden to improve. Bring out the lawnmower and keep your grass nice and low. While you’re at it, get rid of any weeds as they make the lawn look as though it has blemishes. The best thing about frequent mowing is that it makes the grass grow thicker and lusher. If you only have a small garden or a courtyard you can give your garden a facelift with some low-maintenance artificial grass and if you don’t like the prospect of mowing large areas of lawn you can plant shrubs or wildflowers around the borders of your garden for a rustic yet aesthetically beautiful look.
2) Add A Fire Bowl Area
Fire bowls are all the rage and you can use them to create a focal point in your garden that you, your family and your guests will naturally gravitate towards. If you choose the right UK crafted fire bowl and find the perfect place for it in your garden, you can add a few stylish pieces of garden furniture and you instantly have the perfect outdoor entertainment area. The best thing about fire bowls is that they not only give you warmth and ambient light when the cool night air sets in, but many of them also double as a BBQ pit so you can impress your guests with your culinary skills.
3) Break Out The Paint Brushes
A paint brush and some paint can instantly improve the look of any garden. That old wooden fence may still be functional but years of being exposed to the weather may have your fence looking old and tired. You can easily elevate that tired old fence into something eye-catching and spectacular with the right colour paint. You can go for pastel or neutral colours for a subtle lift or choose vibrant colours to really brighten the area and turn your garden into a happy place. If you have a bit of an adventurous nature, you can even paint every board of the fence a different colour.
While you have the paint brush in your hands, spruce up your garden shed and any other outhouses such as the kids’ cubby house. Play with colours to create an interesting kaleidoscope by painting each different element a different colour. You can also paint flowerpots, arches and anything else in your garden that needs a bit of a lift.
4) Freshen Up The Furniture
When you have a beautiful garden, you will naturally want to spend as much time as you can out there and this means having stunning and comfortable garden furniture. Before the warmer weather starts, give your outdoor furniture a thorough cleaning and if the paint on your furniture is chipping or fading, treat your furniture to a fresh coat of paint for a fresh, modern look. This applies to wood and metal garden furniture. Comfort is important too so add brightly coloured cushions that beckon visitors to come on over and take a seat.
5) Plant Out Succulents
The right plants can turn a lifeless garden into a work of art but unless you have a green thumb and love gardening, you may want to delay your trip to your local garden centre and know which plants are best suited to your garden as well as your ability and motivation to care for them. Succulents[ii] are the perfect addition to any garden as they are easy to plant and even easy to care for. They also do really well in areas with little rainfall and you won’t need to constantly water them. Some great succulents to plant outdoors include:
- Echeveria
- Sedum
- Crassula
- Aeonium
- Graptopetalum
- Kalanchoe
- Ghost plant
If you want to add some flowering plants as well, opt for bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and gladiolas. Roses are always a good choice as they are quite hardy and robust with beautiful flowers and a heavenly perfume.
6) Add Some Colour
Green may be the predominant colour of the typical garden but you can have too much of a good thing and too much green can look monotonous and flat. While this is the ideal background colour, you want to add bursts of other colours as well. After all, you don’t want your garden to look like every other garden in the neighbourhood.
Your garden should be a reflection of you and your unique personality while also complementing the overall aesthetics of your home. Adding colour to your garden makes it look infinitely more cheerful and inviting while also making your garden one-of-a-kind. There are many ways to add colour to your garden, apart from planting a variety of flowering plants in different colours. You can also paint your plant pots in different colours, paint feature walls or even include a mural depicting an exotic landscape, add bright cushions to your garden furniture, or some bright drapes to create a haven where you can hide from the world. There are many ways to add colour to your garden but don’t go overboard. Keep bright colours to just a few key elements in your garden to avoid a cheap, garish look.
7) Light Up The Garden
One of the best things about summer is that we can spend time outdoors all day and, in some cases, all night as well. However, very few people want to sit in a dark garden, especially while entertaining. Adding light to the garden will certainly make it possible to spend more time outdoors as well as create the perfect entertainment hub for when friends come to visit for dinner or share some fabulous wine with you.
There are many ways to add light to the garden and you can play around with a few different types of lighting such as:
- String lights – large bulbs or fairy lights work really well
- Lanterns – these are so charming and you can place citronella candles inside and keep the bugs away as well
- Solar garden lights – the choices are endless and most have a spike that you can simply place in the ground
- Candles in jars – grab jars and candles of different sizes for a fun look
- Firepits – these are ideal for light and warmth, plus they look great
8) Create More Space
A small garden or courtyard can give your space a boxed-in, almost claustrophobic feel but you can easily fix this issue with a strategically placed mirror. Mirrors in small spaces work as they reflect colour and light which will illuminate dark areas of the garden.
While a mirror can’t give you extra space, you can create an illusion of space by placing a mirror on the back wall or fence of your garden. Don’t place your mirrors too high as they may be distracting to local birds but also not too low so that their dazzling effect is lost. The middle of the wall or very slightly above is the ideal place for a mirror and if you add some lighting in front, you can make your garden look even brighter, especially at night.
9) Provide Some Cover
We wait for several months during the winter looking longingly into the garden waiting for warmer weather so we can spend as much time as possible outside. This is all great until a rain cloud decides to sprinkle its contents right over your favourite spot. Perhaps you find the burning sun a bit too much and it sends you running indoors to prevent a nasty case of sunburn. Adding a covered area to your garden not only protects you from the sun or rain, but also makes it possible to spend even more time outdoors and you won’t need to pack up your furniture every time you feel a raindrop.
There are many different ways you can provide some cover in your garden and these include:
- Pergolas
- Patios
- Gazebos
- Market Umbrellas
- Retractable Awnings
All of these work really well and the one you choose will depend on which area you want to be covered and whether or not you want it as a stand-alone cover or as an extension of the house.
Give Your Garden Some TLC
Sometimes, the easiest thing to do to improve the look and feel of your garden is to clear your garden of clutter and tidy up a little. Put away garden tools, garden hoses and toys as these always make a garden look cluttered and messy. Also, keep your lawn nicely trimmed, get rid of old, rotting plants and keep your garden furniture clean and fresh.
Improving the look and feel of your garden doesn’t need to be difficult, time-consuming or expensive. There are many simple things you can do to improve your garden so the best place to start is with the most basic ones of keeping your garden neat, de-weeded and clean. If you want to create a haven in your garden, start with a focal point and take it from there. Once you finish and perfect one aspect, you can move on to the next one until you have the garden of your dreams.
Sources
[i] https://www.theenglishgarden.co.uk/expert-advice/9-quick-ways-to-improve-your-garden/
[ii] https://succulentalley.com/types-of-succulents-for-outdoors/
Anna is the marketing and office manager for Garden Benches – a premium supplier of high-quality wooden benches and other outdoor furniture.
Anna is the marketing and office manager for Garden Benches – a premium supplier of high-quality wooden benches and other outdoor furniture.
