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Monday 7 September 2015

Making the most of your garden

Summer’s finally here! So it’s a fantastic time to give your garden a little revamp and really make the most of it. With just a few easy changes you can make your garden an extension of your home, and embrace outdoor living this summer. 



Show the Way

The first and most important thing to do is make your garden as accessible from your home as possible – why bother making it lovely if you can’t drift out there easily? If you already have patio doors or French windows leading out to your garden then fantastic! Open them up and enjoy. If you don’t – consider whether it’s worth putting them in. If there’s space and you really want to enjoy your garden as an extension of your home, and your budget will allow, then why not get yourself some?

They could even add value to your home should you wish to sell in the longer term. In summer you can fling open the doors and let the sunshine into your living room, while dipping in and out of your patio doors to spend time outside in the sunshine - maybe tending to plants, or just enjoying reading a book in the sun. In the winter you can stay cozy under a blanket inside while looking out and still enjoying all that your garden has to offer – maybe even spotting some wildlife, or watching the snow flutter down.

Once you’ve either created or located access, you need to light the way! Outdoor lighting is often overlooked when renovating a garden, but can really transform the space – adding a level of ambiance it can be difficult to get outside. Check out Scotlight Direct for a fantastic range of versatile outdoor lighting options. 


Look Up

Despite what you might think, your garden design isn’t just what’s under your feet. Many people often forget that the garden is a three dimensional thing, and you should always consider the vertical - especially in smaller spaces – and you can bring it to life by introducing a mass of climbing plants on trellises, wires and pergolas. In particular, climbing roses are a great way to bring in a splash of colour and scent. You can pair them with clematis, honeysuckle and jasmine to give your garden a lush and sensuous feel. 

If you’ve got a larger garden you could introduce a canopied section to provide shelter during those inevitable summer showers. For an even more ambitious project you could make use of a blank wall or string up a large sheet to create your very own outdoor home cinema - it’s actually far more manageable than you think! You’ll need a selection of materials and tools. For the frame of the screen you’ll need wooden boards – they can be of pretty much any length as you’ll cut them to size with a power saw to construct a basic TV screen shape frame. 

Choose two anchor points in your garden such as trees or fence sections and use a power drill to insert heavy duty screws from which your frame will hang. To prevent it from swinging forward and back, you should attach small bungee cords to connect the bottom of the screen to the tree trunks, fence posts or whatever anchor point you’re using. Center the fabric and staple a few at the top/bottom centers, then the sides. Pull and staple your way to corners, making sure to stretch out any wrinkles for a smooth, tight surface. Then string heavy duty curtain wire (or similar) between the two anchor points and hang the screen from it, attaching the small bungees as you go. 

Then kick back, grab the popcorn, and enjoy!

*This is a PR collaboration


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