Summer time gardens

Summer time means more BBQs and house parties; therefore a people friendly garden is a must!

· Creating Privacy:

In a garden that you’ll be sitting in to entertain, you’ll naturally crave some privacy. The best way to do that - apart from building tall walls or fences all the way around it - is to plant climbers and trees to create a screen. If you do this, consider your neighbours - if you’re going to be blocking their sunlight, it’s likely they’ll be unhappy; equally, putting trees very close to your or their house is never a good idea. However, grouping trees towards the end of your garden will create a screen in that area and a view that you can enjoy from the house.

· Where To Put Your Seating Area:

Creating a deck with built-in seating like this one really commits you to sitting there come cloud or shine - so choose the position carefully. Privacy is important, but so is the amount of shade and sunlight you’ll get. Sadly, in this country, you can’t guarantee you’ll be warm if you sit in the shade to eat, although this is generally preferable when you’re dining. So, if you place yours in a sunny spot, invest in a large parasol to protect your friends (or children) who’d rather be in the shade - or plant something that will give you natural, if dappled shade.

· Plant For Interest:

There’s nothing worse than sitting in a dining area of a garden, staring at nothing but a scrubby patch of grass. Planting for interest is vitally important - so combine colourful and scented plants, such as lavender (which will also attract butterflies and bees), pretty climbers, such as clematis armandii with spiky, architectural plants, such as palms or flax

· Be Practical:

If you have a dining space in your garden, you might be sacrificing the room you’d have set aside for a larger shed. This might mean that some garden paraphernalia, such as hand tools or toys, struggle to find a home outdoors. In which case, buy a table (or get one made) with a lift up lid, beneath which you can hide - but keep at hand - all the things you need regularly to keep your garden neat.

· Make It Comfortable:

Just as you’d build or buy a table with a lift up lid, seating can be given the same treatment - benches like these can have lift up lids beneath which you can stash all sorts of tools and toys. However, comfort should be just as important. Since it’s impossible to relax for long on a hard bench, invest in cushions you can store within your seating and bring out when you’re sitting outside. The best place to shop is DIY stores - look for cushions that are designed for the outdoors and can go in the washing machine.

· Soften The Deck’s Edges:

If you are putting in a deck - particularly a raised one - create borders to edge it and plant it up so that the edges of the deck are softened visually. Which plants to use? It depends greatly on the look you want to create, but ideal choices are fresh or scented herbs that you can pick and sprinkle straight on to your food or barbecue.

· Getting that lawn up to scratch:

Having the lawn looking nice is a real must for garden parties and sometimes cutting the grass just isn’t enough. Weather permitting, people commonly enjoy sitting on the grass to enjoy their food/drink and company. There are a number of great ways to get your grass looking luscious and terribly inviting, however the best item we have come across would have to be a lawn scarifier. A lawn scarifier it a clever device that pumps more air into the lawn, which in turn promotes fast and better growth.

· Use Trellis Panels For A Smart Finish:

Trellis panels do more than create a privacy screen for this deck - they finish it off so that the dining area looks neat and co-ordinated. You could try something similar, fixing it over an old fence (cheaper than replacing old with new). For best results, stain the old fence beneath in a colour that blends with your planting or pots, and then fix the trellis over it. Train a scented climber up the trellis - a scented jasmine is beautiful to look at and gives off a wonderful aroma.