Gardening tips: Expert on how to grow lavender at home
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From barbeques to garden parties, with summer comes the desire to be outside more in our gardens relax and host get-togethers with family and friends. However, if your garden is on the smaller side, making big changes to decorate isn’t always on the cards and you might be wondering just how you can make your garden feel bigger and look better without cluttering it up.
Fortunately, there are some tricks to make a small garden feel bigger and look better. Here are nine simple and budget-friendly ways to do so.
Moveable potted plants and planters
With any small garden, flexibility with the layout and arrangements will help you get the most out of it, as it’ll allow you to move things around to meet different needs.
Cass Heaphy, garden expert from Paving Direct said: “During the day, it is a sun deck with folding sunbeds and reclining chairs and at night, a dining area with a small folding bistro set for a romantic dinner.
“Pot plants and planters that can be moved and re-positioned to meet your needs will help you get the most out of your garden space.”
These can be moved to screen things and provide a nice floral view, or be placed to provide shade and respite from the sun when needed.
Trick the eye with a mirror
A classic trick in the home is to add a mirror to a space to make the area look bigger, and the same goes for your garden.
Mr Heaphy said: “If you want to trick the eye into making your small space look bigger, you should add large feature mirrors.
“If you find that your patio is shaded, adding a mirror to your garden can also make the space feel brighter too, as it will reflect any sunlight the garden gets.”
Use lights to add ambience
Another simple, affordable, and fail-proof way to decorate a small outdoor space is to add some lights.
Mr Heaphy said: “Lights can make a big difference to the ambience and atmosphere in your garden.
“If you choose to incorporate string lights into your garden, the higher up the better, as this will make your garden look wider and taller.”
Hanging lights higher up also encourages people to look up rather than across your garden, making it seem more spacious.
Plant vertically
If you struggle with space in your garden, you may not have much room to plant horizontally.
Mr Heaphy said: “The solution to this is to plant vertically to allow you to use more plants.”
Use a vertical rack where you can place small and medium planters and when picking your plants, opt for ones that stay small to avoid them interfering with each other.
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Use hanging baskets
Like vertical potters, opting for hanging baskets is another great way to free up space but add a splash of colour to your garden.
With fewer pots on the floor, you’ll have much more ground space and the area will feel much bigger.
Pergolas and gazebos
Pergolas, which are attached to the building, and gazebos, which are freestanding, provide a relaxing place to sit, but they’re also super effective
from a small garden perspective.
Mr Heaphy said: “They give you verticality – for climbing plants and somewhere for lights and other decorative elements to hang.
“This will give your compact garden more visual interest without giving up too much space to achieve this. They will also provide some shelter and a bit of privacy too!”
Think carefully about your garden furniture
This might be pretty obvious, but if you are looking to make your garden feel bigger, you’ll want to be buying smaller pieces of furniture.
Mr Heaphy said: “As nice as it might be to have an outdoor sofa, if too big, your space will look cramped and your furniture will draw attention away from other features in your garden.”
Choose less bulky furniture, like a metal set, which will look smaller and less overpowering.
Mr Heaphy said: “You could also opt for a fold-away set of chairs and tables, which pack up easily when you don’t need them.
“You could opt for an outdoor rug. This way, you and your guests can sit on it when you’re in your garden, but after you’re done you can simply roll up and store it away.”
Accessorise with cushions and lanterns
Using affordable accessories to spruce up your garden is one of the most simple and transformative garden ideas.
Mr Heaphy said: “Cushions, lanterns, throws, candles and fairy lights can create a homely and cosy atmosphere to your garden space without taking up a lot of room.”
Invest in a fire pit that doubles up as a BBQ
Kill two birds with one stone and pick up a firepit that doubles as a BBQ. This way, you can have two main events in one.
Mr Heaphy said: “A fire pit is a great way to keep tranquillity in your garden flowing at night, the light, warmth and soothing crackle of an open fire remains the best way to relax in your garden long into the evening and to make the most of your space in colder months.
“To save space, look out for a fire pit which also doubles up as a BBQ grill.”
You can protect your garden from being damaged by the heat from the firepit by placing it on top of a paving slab.
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