The summer months give us all the opportunity to get out into the garden and enjoy the warmer weather. If your garden is looking a bit worse for wear, then here are our top tips for transforming your garden into a summer haven.
Let it go Wild
The beauty of this idea is that it takes minimum effort. Choose a portion of your garden to set aside as a wildflower meadow. Separate it off with a low wall or fence should you prefer. Then just let nature take its course, helped along by planting a packet of wildflower seeds if you prefer. In no time your garden will be a riot of colour, and many birds, insects and small mammals will find shelter and food.
Get a Summerhouse
Summer house in garden
Summerhouses don’t have to be just about the kids. Wouldn’t it be great to have an adult-only space in the garden to relax in the better weather? All large garden centres and DIY stores will have a range of garden buildings, ranging from the simple to the extravagant. They’re all designed to be easy to put together, and once in place you can paint the exterior and decorate with bunting or upcycled furniture. Add a sofa, some battery powered fairy lights and a bookshelf and you have the perfect place for peace and quiet on a summer’s afternoon.
Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg
white cabbages growing in a garden
We’re all becoming more conscious of how far our food travels to get to us. It’s possible to grow some fruit and vegetables in even the smallest space, if you plan carefully. Strawberries, herbs and tomatoes grow very happily in pots, so choose a selection of seeds, get some large patio planters and get sowing. What could be better than eating fruit you’ve grown yourself? If you’ve more space, turn a larger portion of your garden into a vegetable patch and grow enough carrots, onions or potatoes to see you through the winter.
The Tropical Look
Tropical vacation items
Garden centres around the country are tipping the “Tropical Look” to be the next big thing in garden design. And the beauty of it is that you don’t have to live in the tropics to embrace the trend. Get the look by choosing plants with big, glossy leaves, or with variegated leaves for impact. Tropical gardens are all about bright colours; yellow, red or orange rather than pale pastels. In cooler areas, put your more delicate plants into pots so you can bring them inside after summer is over.
Living Walls
Ivy climbing up a wall
The idea of a “living wall” has been around for a while but shows no signs of disappearing. Vertical planting up a wall or fence is a great way of camouflaging ugly brickwork, or squeezing the maximum number of plants into a tiny space. Most living walls involve the plants being placed in individual bags, so choose varieties which will spread both vertically and horizontally, eventually hiding the planters completely. Choose plants like ivy, ferns, flowers such as pansies or nasturtiums, strawberries, herbs or lettuce. Variety is key when it comes to this sort of planting.
Lighting
Just as we neglect lighting in interior design, it’s often left as an afterthought in garden design too. If you want to enjoy your garden late into the warm summer evenings, then add some lighting into your design. The ideal choice are solar powered lights, which absorb the light from the sun during the day and then flick on automatically once light levels drop. Use lighting along paths, or to illuminate a tree or plant you are particularly fond of. Candles are another popular option, especially on tables or by benches.
Upcycling
Upcycling in the garden
Reduce, reuse and recycle should be a mantra in the garden just as much as it is inside the home. Anything and everything can be used in the garden as a planter. Don’t throw your old wheelbarrow, chest of drawers or colander out; repurpose it as a garden planter. It’s certainly a great way of guaranteeing that your garden has that individual touch. There are lots of upcycling ideas on social media and in ethical living blogs so search online for inspiration.
Crazy Paving and Rockeries
plant in garden rockery
No, we’ve not turned the clock back to the 1970s. Crazy paving and rock gardens are right back in fashion, and it’s an easy look to create at home. Crazy paving works better in small areas than over a whole patio, and rockeries should be kept smaller too. Don’t stick to the traditional heathers and creepers which our parents grew on their rockeries. Think out of the box and add a splash of colour for a more individual look. Get advice from the staff in your local garden centre about the best type of plants to grow among your rocks, or which paving slabs would give a modern twist to the traditional crazy paving.
Incorporate Outdoor Dining Space
Make the most of the good weather by creating a space to eat outside when possible. You don’t have to spend a fortune on garden furniture if you don’t want to. Look around at the end of the summer for discounted items, or buy second hand, upcycle and mix and match with whatever you have available. It’s about creating a comfortable, colourful dining space in your garden rather than recreating something you’ve seen in the pages of a glossy magazine.
Cacti and Succlulents
cacti plants
Along the lines of the tropical theme is the idea of putting cacti in your garden rather than just keeping them as houseplants. Not all cacti and succulents will survive outside in our British weather, so get advice from the experts in your local garden centre about how best to care for them. Again, these are the perfect plants for having in pots to be put outside in warmer weather, and brought in when it turns colder. This sort of plant does best in very sunny spots, like a window in a conservatory.
