Plan your garden

Ideally, prepare a detailed plan, perhaps including measurements. Whether your garden is large or small, this will help you to optimize your use of space, create flow and avoid potential issues, such as overlapping areas.

Start by brainstorming your ideas, making a list of all the elements you’d really enjoy, whether you’d like an abundance of plantings, entertaining areas or simply somewhere to relax.

Perhaps you’d like to entertain guests with a stylish al fresco dining area such as an Indian Sandstone patio space, with a built-in pizza oven and barbecue. Outdoor lighting can enhance the space during darker evenings, whilst a fire pit or chimera can add welcoming warmth on colder days.

If you have children, you could add a play area for them, with soft grass or bark chipping, whilst if you love catching some rays in the summer, a raised decking area could be the perfect sun spot. You could add a water feature, creating an inviting spot to relax.

Avid gardeners might revel in natural wildflowers, perennials* and will likely wish to place plants in positions where they will thrive. Raised flower beds can offer an attractive feature, also retaining plants for easier maintenance; whilst potted plants and ornamental trees can be moved around as you choose. If you have a larger garden, you might even wish to include an orchard, or a wild garden supporting the biodiversity of local wildlife. Remember to leave space for a greenhouse or a useful garden shed.

Once you know what you’d like to have in your garden, plan which areas would be best for each feature. Bear in mind that the foot or side of the garden might offer more privacy, so could be better for an entertaining area or even a quiet, romantic spot. You could also enhance privacy with hedgerows and trees.

Ideal Home has some great inspiration and step-by-step guides, with links to their top picks for garden furniture, paint, lighting, and more.

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