Who doesn’t love summer? With temperatures allowing us to enjoy the outdoors and the sun on our skin, the garden becomes an extension of indoor living. Add a little more pizzazz to your outdoor space this summer with these creative ideas.
Plant Up
If you’re stuck for planting space or just want to give your garden an extra dimension, vertical planting is the way to go.
And it can be easily achieved;
- Choose a suitable spot – a wall that is in part shade for the hottest part of the day works great. If not, you’ll have to include a watering system otherwise your poor plants will be parch by the stroke of mid-day.
- Braces & troughs – opt for braces to hold the long troughs in place on the wall. You’ll find these at high street DIY stores as well as online.
- Compost – use a good quality, free-draining, peat-free compost for your chosen plants.
- Plant it up – as well as climbers and creepers, look at some more exotic plants to give you lush greenery in the height of summer. Also, choose plants that are relatively drought-tolerant and sun-worshipers.
Update your garden furniture
No, seriously, those wobbly plastic chairs in a gaudy colour may have looked cool and funky in the shop but after a few weeks in the garden, they take on a sun-bleached look and develop an unfortunate wobble.
If you are serious about enjoying your outdoor space this summer, you need to stretch your budget and get the best garden furniture solutions you can.
And there are many options;
- High-quality wooden benches take very little in the way of maintenance and look fabulous strew with colourful outdoor cushions and pretty throws.
- Sun loungers are great for relaxing and snoozing in the garden, especially the ergonomically designed and supportive shape of the modern style sun lounger.
- Outdoor sofas are all the range too and no wonder! Sit back and relax because time in the garden doesn’t need to get any more complicated than that.
- Dining garden furniture sets are also a must-have and with all kinds of shapes and sizes, there is something for every garden and for every budget.
Add an outdoor kitchen
The BBQ is a pretty staple piece of garden furniture in most outdoor spaces but the current trend taken from our European neighbours is the outdoor kitchen garden.
In a shady space, add a sink with running water (not as tough as you think), a beast of a BBQ with gas burners and a pizza oven too. Have cupboards for storage and hey presto! you have the outdoor kitchen area that makes entertaining a cinch.
Plus, when the summer heatwave arrives, you won’t need to heat your home when you cook a meal meaning it’ll be cooler indoors.
Get super-savvy with lighting
We all know that garden lighting is essential if you want to create ambience as well as being a practical addition.
However, use it better by;
- Using garden lights with purpose rather than just sitting in the borders – use lights to cast luminosity onto a garden feature, like a pretty sculpture or a cluster of plants.
- Backlighting – use lights behind features so that they are hidden but light up the wall or fence to give a backdrop of gentle light.
- Downlights – solar lights fitted to walls and fences are also great for adding light to certain areas.
- String lights – are cheap and are ideal for the garden so try clustering them in jars and storm lanterns to give them an extra pretty feel.
Add a garden mirror or two
Details are the pockets of unexpected that people discover in the garden, something people get with a garden mirror.
However, place them out of direct sunlight so you don’t have hot rays bouncing off them at mid-day. Use them in shady spots to add a little more glow to your outdoor space and help the garden feel and look bigger.
There are many designs, styles and sizes you can buy online so it comes down to your own likes or dislikes, along with your budget.
You can also add your own touch of quirkiness by trawling second-hand and charity shops for old mirrors and using them in the garden.
How will you add more life, colour and interest to your outdoor space this summer?
This post was brought to you by Garden Benches who are an online retailer of high-quality wooden benches and other garden furniture, perfect for adding extra zing to the summer garden landscape.
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