10 Garden Design Ideas to Make the Best of your Outdoor Space

Our stunning garden design ideas will create a scheme you’ll love for years to come.

Whether you’re looking for garden design ideas to overhaul your outdoor space, or would like some inspiration such as garden furniture, lights, plants, borders, decking and more, we’ve compiled some fabulous garden design ideas to help you transform your garden, whether it’s big or small – and it’ll help to increase your property value, too!

You need to understand your garden to get an idea of which way the sun faces, where you get the sun most, shady spots etc. Whether you have a small garden, large garden, cottage garden or courtyard garden, you should observe where and at what times of day different parts of the garden gets light and sun. Think about what you want to use your garden for – planting and growing veg, sunbathing, eating alfresco, entertaining or simply sitting down to enjoy a lovely cuppa on a sunny morning.

1.Your Lawn

Think about the shape. It doesn’t need to be the traditional square or oblong, your lawn can round, oval, wiggly or a shape. We’ve even designed and cut a lawn to look like a fish! 

For ongoing lawn care and maintenance, we recommend the 3 S’s – sun, showers and soil aeration – this combination should bring any lackluster lawn back to life. Remember not to mow too short though.

 

2. Your planting

We suggest successful garden design ideas to start with structural plants at the rear infilled with pretty, flowering plants and working down to smaller plants at the front. Use evergreen shrubs at the end of each border as punctuation for each one. Include small shrubs such as box balls, or large evergreens, eg. mahonia, for bigger areas.

 

3. Your Furniture

Revamp your garden ready for the warmer weather with some new furniture so you’re ready to relax and dine outside. You can make the most of an unused wall by adding a beautiful rattan corner sofa unit, or maximise a small space by choosing a foldable dining set that you can easily pack up and store away. Add several pots and some colourful flowers to really bring your garden to life.

 

4. Your Zones

Split your garden into zoned areas and make the most of your outdoor space. Not only will these defined areas help you organise your garden, but it will ensure all areas of your garden are used. A relaxing area, kids area, cooking and dining area, veggies area and drinks area are just some of the spaces to consider. Before you know it you will have a garden zone for every occasion. 

 

5. Your Levels

If your garden is on a split level or you are unsure what to do with a sloping garden, here are some ideas to get you started: Add stone wall for interest, make a unique garden path with edged borders, plant ornamental grasses such as pampas or Chinese fountain grass, create some raised beds, plant according to your space to make the most of it, create the perfect lawn be it real or artificial.

 

6. Decking, Gravelling or Paving

Decking is more affordable and quicker to install and will last 10-15 years. It’s great for levelling out awkward spaces or sloping gardens, as it’s built on a structure. It can also have split levels and include steps. Paving slabs can be pricier, take longer to install but require little-to-no maintenance and will last for a very long time. If looking for a more practical solution that is cost effective and requires little maintenance, gravel is your best choice.

 

7. Small Spaces

Whether you’re looking to create a balcony garden, a delightful patio to relax in, or fill a plot with greenery and vegetables, we can help inspire you. Not everything has to on the floor – planting vertically will give you more room to make an impact. Revive a sorry outdoor space by whitewashing walls and painting weathered wood. Create a cheery vibe by adding cushions and rugs in pretty florals and gorgeous brights. Make a small garden feel bigger by dressing it with a bright furniture set and some decorative outdoor fairy lights. When thinking about how to make a small garden look bigger, one idea we use is to add garden mirrors for depth. 

 

8. A Living Wall

I’m a big fan of vertical planting. It can instantly transform dreary walls and turn a small patio into a haven for birds, bees and relaxing. Vertical planting gives the opportunity to grow everything from vegetables and ornamentals to perennial plants, herbs and more. A really cost-effective option is to use pallets. They are generally easy to get hold of and you can plant a mixture of trailing plants and florals for a full on effect and heaps of fragrance. Vertical gardening can also be great for the infirm or disabled as there is no bending involved.

 

 9. The Wildlife

We all want to bring back butterflies, bees and birds to our garden and it’s easier to do than you think. A successful wildlife garden will create as many different habitats for animals as possible. This could range from colorful planting to attract pollinators, a soothing water feature for birds to bathe in, a woodpile for insects, or even a bug hotel. 

 

10. Your Budget

Work within your budget and be realistic. Creating the perfect garden is a lot of work and can be expensive to achieve. But cheaper options, such as retaining walls from sleepers rather than stone, will help keep down the costs. We can also do a garden makeover in stages to stagger the cost.

 

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Making your garden the way you want is our priority.

Whether it’s a veggie plot so you can enjoy soups and salads, or a tranquil flower garden to relax in, we will make sure your garden is the way you want.

Our specialisms include; Turfing and Lawn Care, Garden Maintenance, Gravelling, Garden Clearances, Planting and much more!

Simply call 07804 056171 or email [email protected]

 

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