Home improvements are big business, with property makeover shows dominating the daytime TV schedules. But, don’t forget about your garden too. Garden is currently the top search term when people are buying property, so you don’t want yours to let the side down. Having a pleasing garden can add value to your home, but it doesn’t need to break the budget to do so.
The best place to start is to prioritise what needs doing and work out a plan of action from that. Depending on the current state of your garden, there may be repair works that need doing before you can think about accessorising it to really make the most of the space. Begin with the bigger jobs and then you will be able to make a difference very quickly. It will also help you to make good decisions on what will look best. Almost like starting from a neat blank canvas.
"The best place to start is to prioritise what needs doing and work out a plan of action from that."
- Kelly Edwards
Landscaping Paths & Walkways
You may already have a path through your garden, but it might be looking a bit worse for wear after years of being trodden on. Or, you might decide that installing a walkway will give your garden more of a flow, especially if you are also considering erecting an outbuilding.
Using broken bricks is a fantastic and sustainable way to create a path, and it looks great too, as well as being quite unusual. You could also manufacture a patio out of reclaimed bricks to make it an even more coherent landscaping design.
Gravel is also a cheap and easy option, which is easy to lay yourself so you are saving money on both materials and labour, without compromising on aesthetics.
Outbuildings For Extra Space
Rather than building an extension to your property, erecting an outbuilding to create an office or a home bar or an extra entertaining space that can be fully supplied with electricity and other utilities is a useful alternative. A lot of them come as pre-fabricated modular buildings which makes it a quicker and more seamless process than a house extension.
You may like to release some equity in your home in order to create this extra room, but the rewards reaped both in terms of usability and financially make it worth considering. Most equity release providers will cap the amount and offer somewhere between 20% and 50% of your home’s market value.
If you already have an old shed or garage, turning it into a more welcoming space that can be used in summer and winter will have buyers queuing up to view your property, as more of us work from home but want a separate space to get away from the hustle and bustle of family life.
Using Everyday Objects
For something that adds a touch of your own personal style to your garden, consider using some everyday objects to create planters and shelves and other garden accoutrements.
Old colanders make wonderful hanging baskets, with their automatic draining system. Guttering can be utilised to grow strawberries and old cooking pans are ideal for planting in as they are generally sturdy and still age well in all weathers.
Ladders can be turned into useful shelving, and old pallets which can be obtained from any salvage yard are extremely versatile ranging from shelves to planters to pergolas to furniture. Let your creativity loose!
Add Splashes Of Colour
A lot of the time, there is no reason why some of the items you might use indoors such as rugs, cushions and curtains can’t be used outside too. Dress up your garden with these accessories to add splashes of colour and an inviting feel to your garden space. This is particularly good in small gardens or courtyards where you might not have the ability to plant lots of greenery and flowers.
The same goes for paint. Don’t stick with boring walls or brown wooden slats, get your paintbrush out and give them a spruce up. Adding a wall mural to a plain space can immediately brighten it up, or add some personality to your fences by painting them a colour of your choice. Don’t be constrained by neutrals.
Light Up Your Garden
Harnessing energy from the sun in the form of solar lighting to illuminate your garden at night has been popular for many years, but is likely to gain in popularity due to increased energy bills. Another way to combat this is to use LED lighting which barely uses any power but still gives out a good glow. Battery-powered fairy lights are another idea that can make your garden look magical.
Instead of sticking lights in the ground, why not go for something more quirky and house them in old bottles or hang them from washing lines, to add a bit of variety to the space? This also means you can put them where you need them and will be able to move them around as required too.
Final Thoughts
Last but not least, when you have put all this work into your garden, you will want somewhere to sit and enjoy it. This is where White Stores' fantastic range of garden furniture, pergolas and outdoor heating comes in. Choose your furniture first and design your garden around it, or browse our products after your garden masterpiece is complete to select something that will provide the finishing touches.
About the author: Kelly Edwards is an interior design and home improvement, specialist. She has gained an in-depth understanding of the sector by immersing herself in the industry for over 15 years. Alongside numerous projects, Kelly enjoys writing in her free time to shine a light on the importance of sustainability. Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn: @KellyEdwardsInterior.
