A garden is a luxury that not all homes have. If you have a garden space, you can take advantage of it as an extension of your living space. With the right planning and adjustments, not only can you enjoy it during the warm summer months, but all year round. Summer doesn’t have to be the end of your time in the garden, and instead, you can use the space whenever you wish. Here are some top tips to help you extend the good times in your garden throughout the year. 

#1 Add colors 

Brightening your garden is a great incentive to use it more. You can do this by planting flowers around your garden that thrive in different seasons. There are also plants that are low maintenance and last all year round, such as Cercis canadensis, Amelanchier lamarckii, viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum, Hydrangea quercifolia and much more. You can also add more points of interest in your garden with ornaments, water features, or hanging bunting and fairy lights. These small touches will make a huge difference to the way your garden feels, and instantly make it more appealing and inviting to spend time in. 

#2 Create an area to spend time in

In the summer months, it doesn’t matter where you spend time in your garden, as it is usually sunny and dry. The weather can be unpredictable, and the winter months can bring a lot of cold and wet weather. Unfortunately, this does not make the garden a very welcoming place to spend time. As a solution, you should set up a dedicated area in your garden that can be used, regardless of the weather. You can hire a deck builder to create a nice flooring, put up a gazebo to protect you from the sun and rain and upcycle some furniture to create a nice seating area. Just make sure you weatherproof your furniture or invest in covers, so they can stay intact. You can then add any finishing touches that you wish to make it your own, cozy place to hang out, for example, pillows, blankets, throws, candles, etc. When you set up an area to spend time in, you are much more likely to use it. 

#3 Add some heat

One of the big deterrents from spending time in the garden during the winter is the cold. You can change this by adding a heat source to your outdoor seating area to keep you nice and warm and create an inviting space with a sense of coziness that you can enjoy. Some of the most popular heat sources are infrared heaters, firepits or outdoor fireplaces. These come in a variety of options to suit different budgets and sizes of gardens. Make sure you keep the area safe and do not store anything flammable nearby. 

Your garden is a great space that can be utilized all year round with the right knowledge and equipment. You should consider using the garden all year round in your plans when you are designing your garden.

If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space you’ll want to make the most of it. The key to creating a beautiful backyard is about planning your design, and learning a few new skills. To design the backyard of your dreams these ten steps are just what you need.

1 . Make a plan

If you’re looking to redesign your space the first step is to create a plan. Drawing up a design plan can help you to figure out various elements, including:

• Which style are you looking to create? For example, minimal and neat, or quirky and wild?
• Which color schemes would you like to focus on? There are lots of ways to create a color scheme, whether it’s planting flowers or using accessories.
• Are you looking to make any adjustments to your lawn? For instance, creating a shaped lawn.
• How will you separate your backyard into different areas? or get rid of landscape debris? 
• Set yourself a budget 

  When you’re designing a backyard it’s a good idea to create a budget first. Laying out a budget can help you to figure out what you need to buy, and split your spending into categories. A budget can stop you from overspending and even make savings on the supplies you need. If you’re looking to improve your yard without spending too much money you should check out affordable backyard design ideas.

  If you’re keen to get creative you might try making a few garden decor objects yourself? Alternatively you could also try buying a few second-hand items to help you save money.

   

  3. Hiring a professional gardener

   

  When you’re improving your outdoor space you’ll need to decide if you’d like to hire a professional gardener, or whether you’d like to do the work yourself. The decision will probably depend on how complex your backyard design is, and how strong your gardening skills are.

  If you’re keen to design a shaped lawn you’ll probably need to hire a landscape gardener to do this for you. If you’re laying down decking or paving you might be able to do this yourself, (however it’s important to level the ground first).

  4. Purchase gardening tools

   

  If you’re keen to improve your garden space what you’ll need are the right gardening tools. Basic gardening tools for beginners include pruning shears, gardening gloves, a hand trowel, a garden fork, loppers and a spade.

  Having the right gardening tools will help you to improve your gardening skills, and boost your confidence as a gardener. Once you start having fun with gardening, you’ll create the perfect space to relax and unwind.

   

  5. Create a vegetable garden

   

  Making your own vegetable garden has so many different benefits. When you create a vegetable garden you can grow yummy food, live sustainably and improve the look of your backyard. Getting started doesn’t have to be difficult; there are lots of vegetable garden tutorials that you can check out online.

  If you’d like a little more guidance try using apps like Gardroid, Vegetable Tree or Garden Answers, all of these have plenty of cool features and tips, to help you become a gardening pro.

  6. Attract wildlife 

   

  Creating a stunning garden space is about embracing the natural world, designing a space that’s thriving with life. If you want to make your backyard beautiful you’ll want to attract lots of wildlife. One of the best ways to do that is to choose the right plants and flowers. To fill your yard with butterflies, try planting flowers like sedum, lavender, buddleja or hebe. To attract bumble bees, plant sage, toadflax or snapdragon.

  If you want to bring frogs into your backyard you’ll want to add a pond and ensure that you avoid using pesticides. Frogs tend to avoid sunlight, as it can make them dehydrated, so it’s a good idea to build shady spots. Remember, while you’ll want to attract wildlife you’ll also want to keep pests away from your home. Chrysanthemums are the perfect flower to ward off pests, (so make sure that you plant plenty of these)!

   

  7. Create an outdoor living room 

   

  Every garden needs a relaxation space, creating a backyard oasis is all about designing a peaceful place. Over the last few years outdoor living rooms have become incredibly popular. Homeowners are purchasing plush garden sofas and rugs, which are very similar to indoor furniture. There are so many accessories you can use to enhance an outdoor living space. Try using cushions, throws, tablecloths, wall hangings or mirrors. Hang fairy lights or paint your fences in bright colors. 

  Designing an outdoor living room is all about finding your style. Many people design their outdoor space as a continuation of their indoor space. This means focusing on a similar style, color scheme and aesthetic. Of course there are no set rules, if you want to create a whole new look for your backyard, go right ahead.

   

  8. Try the permaculture approach 

   

  Wild gardens are back on trend, it’s all about letting your garden get a little ‘unkempt’, and creating a natural look. Permaculture gardening means improving the health of your garden with natural and sustainable practices. Permaculture gardening follows several different principles, a few of which include:

  1 . Learn from nature and take an ethical approach to gardening.

  2. Catch energy from the earth and use it, (for example growing your own food with help from the rain and sun).
  3. Ensure that you do not produce any waste.
  4. Any dead plants should be utilized as mulch to enrich the soil.
  5. Focus on plant diversity

   

  9. Smart garden features

   

  Looking to improve your garden with tech? There are many ways that you can create a smart garden. For example, you might consider investing in a robotic lawnmower, these do a great job of mowing the lawn, and can save you plenty of time! Other options include smart sprinkler systems, smart garden lights, or smart water features. If you’re a tech-nerd who wants to create a cool garden, these upgrades are certainly for you. As technology advances there are so many new ways to improve and enhance your outdoor space.

   

  10. Find inspiration 

   

  When you’re designing a new garden it’s a fab idea to collect plenty of sources of inspiration. Here are some great podcasts to make a start:

  1 . Roots & All: If you’re keen to make the most of your garden Roots & All has got plenty of tips. Here you can learn how to create a green garden, minimizing waste and saving resources. The podcast discusses plenty of different topics including , ‘Creating A Wild Garden’, and ‘New Nordic Gardens’.

  2. Gardening With The RHS: Throughout this podcast you’ll get plenty of seasonal advice, practical tips and inspiration. You’ll hear about scientific research, techniques and horticultural advice. There are lots of topics covered on the show including lawn care, flowers, vegetable growing, and gardening with children. 

   

  3. The Plotting Shed: This podcast is packed with plenty of awesome advice about gardening. If you want to design a gorgeous garden, but you’re not sure how this is the show you need. The plotting shed aims to make gardening fun and interesting, you’ll learn plenty of new things and boost your confidence in no time.

   

  Using these ten steps you’ll create the garden of your dreams. Designing the perfect garden can be a gradual process, and you may well need to hire professional gardeners. Creating your design is all about finding inspiration, and planning your key elements.