Is your garden crying out for a revamp? Is the existing layout not conducive to your needs? It may be time to consider a landscaping project… Landscaping your garden can be as low key or as spectacular as you want it to be and there are lots of options and avenues to choose from.
Make sure you do your research to clarify what it is that you’re aiming for. Taking a look at some finished gardens will really give you a feel for what you like. Visit a few garden centres, have a nose at your friends’ gardens and flick through some garden magazines for inspiration. Pinterest is another great way to get ideas; not only can you browse garden designs, but you can also create your own board to gather together all the things that you see and like in one place. Googling ‘garden designs’ will throw up even more ideas.
Are you planning to do the work yourself or hire a professional landscaper? This decision will be based on your budget and the size of your garden. If your budget is small, you’ll probably have to undertake the work yourself. Make a realistic plan of how long you think the work will take and plan in your time in advance to try to avoid the job being left unfinished for months. Rope in your friends and family to help at the weekends; it’s great to have an extra pair of hands plus the time will fly with someone to chat to.
The first thing to consider is the size of your garden. It’s size will determine above all else what you can do with it, what you will have room for and how much it will cost. If you have a large garden, you’ll have more options in terms of creating different areas and adding in outbuildings such as a summer house. Smaller gardens will benefit from savvy storage options and ways to make the space look open and utilised.
Make sure you consider which way your garden faces too. South-facing gardens will get the most light, east-facing will get the sun in the morning, west-facing will get afternoon/evening sun and north-facing may not get much sun at all and may retain dampness.
Are you a keen gardener or do you want your garden to look good with minimal effort? Consider whether you’ll have the time to do regular gardening when planning your garden. The last thing you want to do is design a garden that needs a lot of upkeep when you simply don’t have the time to do it, as it will soon become unkempt and lose its appeal.
Low maintenance options such as paved areas, decorative chippings instead of plants and even artificial grass could all save time and stay looking good with little effort.
Consider creating different zones within your garden. If you have children, would you like to dedicate part of the garden for play? This could be anything from a set of swings or a trampoline, to a barked area with climbing equipment. Think about the little ones in your life and they’ll love you for it!
Do you want an area dedicated to dining? This could be something as simple as a patioed area with a table and chairs to a plush, covered nook with inbuilt sofas and heaters. The choice is yours.
If you have a south-facing garden, you might want to consider creating a shaded area. Even the Great British Summer gets hot sometimes! A cool drink sat in the shade is always welcomed on a hot summer’s day, and you should also think about shade for your dining area too.
If you are looking to replace paving or worn grass, take a minute to consider the options. Turf looks lovely and is ideal for bigger gardens and for those who don’t mind mowing. When laying turf, you’ll need to make sure you invest in some decent topsoil to ensure it takes well and flourishes.
Artificial grass looks good, but is probably more suited to smaller gardens as it can be pricey. It is a good alternative for gardens that are heavily shaded by trees, meaning that grass struggles to grow. Although it is lower maintenance than turf, remember that you may need to sweep it from time to time if leaves and twigs fall onto it as it has nowhere to go!
If you’re wanting to add a patio or decking outside your back door, be sure to think through which would be best for you, both in looks and practicality. Decking is great for bringing the garden up to the level of the house if there is a step down and it looks impressive and stylish too. You can paint the decking any colour you like and be sure to treat it with a non-slip coating for those icy months.
Patios look good as well and are usually cheaper to install than decking. There is a wide range of patio slabs to choose from and they can be easily cleaned with a pressure washer.
When planning a garden project, take into consideration what access you have to your garden. Do you have rear or side access to enable materials and equipment to be easily brought in? If you do not have any access other than through your house, you will have to keep this in mind and it may limit your options.
If you are changing walls and fences, be sure to get the neighbours on board. Let them know your plans and make sure they’re happy with what you’ve got in mind. If you have shared dividing lines, they’ll need to agree to the changes and you should get their written permission too.
The plants you choose can make or break a garden. Think about how you want them to look but also keep in mind how they’re likely to grow. Outwards or upwards? Where will you place them? Do you want a neat, ordered arrangement or a wild, informal look? Go along to your local garden centre and get chatting to a green-fingered employee to get their thoughts!
As well as plants, any garden can be aesthetically enhanced with a well positioned path or pretty border. Paths can be created using gravel, which can be kept in place using gravel grids. Borders do not always have to house plants, they can also hold decorative chippings to give a clean, attractive look. Examples include Welsh Slate Chippings, Cotswold Buff Chippings and Purbeck Limestone Chippings.
If the edging of a garden looks good, it makes all the difference. It’s also really important to have secure borders if you have pets such as dogs or tortoises that you need to keep safe. There are plenty of options to choose from, but some of them can be very pricey. Firstly, decide if you want to go for walls or fencing. Walls look lovely but will cost more than fences. If you have existing hedges, decide if you wish to keep them and if so, keep them well trimmed and tidy.
TJ offers skip hire which could provide the ideal solution for disposing of your garden waste quickly and easily. Our skips come in a range of sizes, which are detailed on our website to give you the information you need to select the right size for you. You can get an immediate online quote and take delivery of your skip the very next working day should you wish.
Grab hire is also available and can provide you with a hassle-free way to get rid of large amounts of garden waste in one go.
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