We think nothing of completely redesigning the rooms inside of our home, so why not extend that to the garden? Gardens are easily overlooked once they are bedded in and, without due care and attention, they can easily become infested with weeds and end up looking like a wilderness. Even with due care and attention we tend to stick with what we’ve got rather than go for an overhaul.

Revamping the garden can feel like an overwhelming task, but in relatively small steps your garden can become the outside room you’ve always dreamed about. Here are 6 great ideas for making your garden as stylish as the rest of your home.

1. Be ruthless with your borders

Poor planting in the past doesn’t mean you have to stick with previous decisions. It’s sometimes hard to accept the idea of pulling up established plants, but if you’ve been disappointed with the aesthetics of your borders for a while, it might just be time to start all over again.

Play with colour, heights and flowering seasons to make your borders interesting all year round. It’s a great idea to throw in some butterfly and bee-friendly plants to encourage pretty wildlife into the mix. You could even be bold and plant a tree. It could add a beautiful new dynamic to your garden.

Giving your lawn a crisp edge can make all the difference. Use a half moon edger and cut a shape (or keep it straight if you prefer). It will smarten up your garden in no time at all.

2. Go big on pots and containers

Plants need root space and water to flourish, so go big when choosing pots and containers. Big plain terracotta pots are as good as any. They’re not likely to go out of fashion and they let the plants shine. Beautiful painted pots are tempting, but can detract from the simplistic beauty of the plants you put in them. Be sure to position those giant planters before you fill them up.

3. Eating out

The garden, especially during the spring and summer, should be seen as a go-to dining area whenever the weather allows. In Britain we have to make the most of good weather when we get it. Make sure you have a delightful set of garden furniture to entice you outside for meals on warmer days.

Installing a firepit, a pizza oven and a built-in BBQ are also relatively easy and encourage the al-fresco lifestyle. An outdoor kitchen will get you away from watching television and enjoying some fresh air. If you are worried about the odd shower, (an unfortunate consequence of the changeable British weather), investing in a gazebo, an awning or a sail could ward of a bit of light rain. Don’t waste money on flimsy, cheap contraptions. They’ll have you running indoors at the slightest whiff of a breeze.

A veg patch may not seem like a very stylish overhaul, but it really is a must. Smugly relaxing in your favourite garden chair with a bowl of home-grown strawberries should never be underestimated.

4. Get a log cabin

There’s no doubt about it, a log cabin, such as those from the Hortons Group, can lift the status of your garden from mediocre to magazine advertorial in an instant. Even overgrown gardens take on a different appearance with the presence of a log cabin.
Don’t confine your log cabin to just another outdoor storage space. Many people have log cabins set up as offices or relaxation rooms away from the house. Some even set them up as cocktail bars or home pubs!
Log cabins provide great additional seating space for guests not willing to brave the great outdoors on not-so-sunny days, and are a welcome retreat for cooler evenings. You can kit them out as a real home from home, with plush furnishings and accessories. What about making your log cabin into the perfect shelter for a winter hot tub?

5. Watch those water features

There’s something very charming and calming about water features in a garden. Whether it’s a mini pond or a full-on fountain, it can really lift the ambience of a garden and make the garden that little bit more interesting.
Available in a huge variety of sizes and designs, garden water features create a soothing and relaxing sound. Your pond or water feature could end up giving you more than you realise. The health benefits of water features in gardens are widely written about. Hospitals include them in their gardens to aid recovery time, and to reduce stress and anxiety. Everyone deserves a corner for contemplation. Make it as Zen as you like.
In addition, water features will attract a variety of wildlife into your garden, including many birds, newts, frogs and hedgehogs.

6. A magical glow

If you are serious about using your garden more as an outdoor space, you’ll need lights. The choice of garden lighting is huge, from twinkling fairy lights to oversized Moroccan-style lanterns. We love these Carnival Solar Festoon Lights. Beautiful garden lighting can really lift an outdoor space on a balmy summers evening.
We hope your revamped garden is everything you hoped for and more! If the weather fails you, you’ve always got the log cabin to retreat to.