You’ve probably spent a huge amount of time crafting the interior of your home, but have you given any thought to the outdoors? Even in the UK, the summers are warming up which means more opportunities for spending time outside. On those long summer evenings wouldn’t you rather be outdoors in the fresh air than sitting on the sofa catching up on Netflix? Landscaping the outdoors isn’t something that comes naturally for many people, but it is possible to create an oasis of green where you can relax with family and friends. Here are some ideas to help you.
Clear Away the Clutter
An outdoor space that’s cluttered with old patio furniture and toys the kids haven’t played with for years isn’t going to be very inviting. If there’s too much stuff, it’s also going to be difficult to get around. As well as clearing out the clutter, trim trees, hedges, and shrub. With the slate wiped clean, you’ve got a good base for building on and creating your garden oasis.
Take Advantage of the View if You’ve Got One
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a view, but if you’ve got one, then make the most of it. Make sure it’s not blocked with trees and a hedge and don’t let your garden furniture get in the way.
Provide a Comfortable Seating Area
A sun lounger or deckchair is one thing but providing a more comfortable seating arrangement means you’ll be happy to stay outside longer. Consider adding a deep seating area, lounge chairs, or chaise longues so that people can really stretch out and relax. For a spot of serious relaxation why not add a swinging hammock?
Design a Patio That’s Inviting
What do you picture when you think about a patio? Is it just a slab of boring grey concrete with a few plastic chairs and a charcoal grill? You can be far more imaginative when it comes to your own back garden. It’s possible to buy collated screws for decking applications and all the other necessary materials to revive your patio.
Your patio should be a place where you want to spend time, whether it’s relaxing in the sun, entertaining friends, reading, practising yoga or something else you enjoy doing.
Add a Water Feature
The most perfect water feature of all would be your own private swimming pool but not everyone’s got the space for one of those. Adding a water feature that provides the sight and sound of running water will have a calming and restorative effect. Consider adding a garden pond, fountain, bird bath or koi pond.
Make Sure There’s Some Shade
Add an umbrella or two and it’ll provide an element of shade as well as conjure up memories of holidays and sandy beaches. There are other ways of creating shade such as a pergola or gazebo, awnings, trees, or vines growing on an overhead roof or arbour.
One last thing that’s worth mentioning is to remember to create some privacy. Use carefully placed screens, walls, fences, arbours or overhead roofs to create a feeling of seclusion as well as provide some shade.
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