Renovating the garden is possibly one of the most rewarding projects you can undertake. These simple hints and tips work whether you are stripping out the whole garden to create the perfect outdoor patch, or whether you want to make one or two changes that improve how you use the space.
Step 1 - Get organised!
Before you start digging or laying a patio, you need to get organised and that means asking a few key questions about what you need and want from your renovated garden. How will plan on using it, for example, is a question that often lays unanswered.
If you plan on entertaining in it, you will need plenty of flexible space that allows you to use it for formal and informal entertaining. For example, a patio that can accommodate one of the many stylish outdoor dining sets makes sense.
For less formal dining, a café garden set is a great alternative but like all renovation projects, you need to be confident you have the space so that it doesn’t look too cluttered.
Step 2 - Planning your look
What style of garden attracts you most? Does a formal garden, complete with manicured lawn and flower borders attract you, or are you thinking of something less formal, more relaxed and meadow like?
The style is important because you don’t want it to jar against the interior of your home. And with a bigger choice of outdoor tables and chairs to choose from – just look at this industrial styled outdoor dining set, for example – there is no reason why you cannot marry the interior with the exterior – especially with the ranges of rustic outdoor furniture available.
Step 3 – Start from the ground up…
Like most other projects, when it comes to renovation we can become sidetracked by the ‘exciting stuff’, like choosing outdoor corner sofas and the like when in fact, we need to concentrate on getting the essentials right.
And that means starting from the ground up;
- Lawns – adding a pleasing note of green, a lawn to stay looking green and lush needs care and attention. If you don’t have the time, why not consider an artificial lawn instead?
- Hard landscaping – from patios to decking, there is a range of choice when it comes to hard garden ‘flooring’. Add interest by mixing materials, as well as a change in level. This also helps to zone areas, such as the reading zone and a dining area.
Step 4 – Practical additions
We are being encouraged to use our gardens more and this means renovating it to withstand the British weather. Canopies and fire bowls are just two additions that mean enjoying the garden in the rain is possible without getting wet or that you can enjoy cooler evenings, huddled around the hypnotic flames of a fire pit or bowl. What about a wooden ladder to offer some handy yet decorative storage space?
There are many other options too, but this means taking the biggest step of all…
Step 5 - … leaving it to the professionals
Small garden renovation projects can be perfect for long weekends in the spring or summer but when it comes to stripping out a garden and starting from scratch, getting in the professionals can make a difference between an ordinary and extraordinary garden…
