Landscaping for less: garden renovation ideas

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One of the best things about the approaching warmer months is the versatility that you gain with your outdoor space. During the colder months, our gardens, courtyards, terraces, and decks are generally out of bounds. The frigid and unkind wintriness keeping everyone well and truly rugged up, hibernating in the warmer confines of their well-heated homes. So as the snow has melted, and the sun has begun to shine, we should appreciate the benefit of a little extra space to stretch our legs. Consider making your garden or outdoor space function as another living space. Ensure you maximise its potential by investing in the space and guaranteeing its enjoyment. 

For some handy hints on how to achieve this, take a gander over the following examples, and make sure your space is attractive and well-organized.

Colourful outdoor seating

One of the quickest ways to infuse a little life and practicality into your outdoor space is with the use of moveable and versatile seating. Now, we’re not talking about a full-blown outdoor setting, this is an alternative to your standard table and six chairs, and offers great flexibility no matter what kind of garden you have. This example shows a rather large courtyard garden area that has employed the use of several huge waterproof floor cushions to make the space less formal and highly liveable.  If you want to brighten your space and impart a sense of fun without breaking the bank, consider some outdoor cushions that will be the centre of your party every time.

A gathering point for your courtyard

Often a courtyard is not being used to its full potential due to a lack of cohesion within the space. Perhaps you have plants in the way of your barbeque, or your sitting area is too far away from the outdoor kitchen. Layout is extremely important to outdoor spaces, and you can drastically improve yours with a few simple steps. Firstly clean away and outdoor clutter that may have accumulated over winter or through disuse. Secondly, set a space for gathering and socialising—this may be in the form of a set of outdoor furniture, or simply a fire pit or barbeque. Finally ensure your garden beds are segregated and separate from the walking areas. If your garden beds encroach into your deck or paved area, the space will start to feel small and cramped.

Timber wall panelling

Neighbourly fences are often not very attractive—whether steel, stone or masonry, they can impart a cold and unfished ambience into your outdoor garden space. Take a look at this example, the designers Cue and Co of London have cleverly utilised timber panelling to create an area that feels warm and inviting. Furthermore, extensive use of planters and greenery infuses a sense of nature and organic allure, reinforcing the connectedness with the outdoor environment.

Planters and water features

Two items that never age or go out of fashion are water features and planters. Whether you combine the two as shown in this example, or instead simply place a few terracotta pots around your garden space, utilising containers for your greenery will ensure flexibility within the area. If you are thinking of installing or adding a water feature into your garden there are plenty of designs available, from DIY solutions, to more involved installations. 

For a little more inspiration, check out our other ideabook: Modern garden fountains

Repurpose old kitchenware

This is certainly a way to increase the appeal of your outdoor area whilst still keeping an eye on those purse strings. An excellent idea for a DIY project, and a great way to clear out some of your unused, broken and inferior kitchenware, is to transform it into a stylish holder for your herbs and other plants. Think old pots and pans stylishly holding wild flowers, chives, mint, and sage. Take a look at this example and get some inspiration for a creative garden project.

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