If you're looking for something to brighten up the garden and catch the eye then there is a plethora of different statues and ornaments to choose from. The choice is so vast that we're not even going to try to catalogue them in this article, just try to give some [...]
Adding ramps and paths that allow wheelchair users to access a garden is getting more common. Wheelchair access for private gardens can be tricky particularly if there are steep gradients on the plot, but the body of knowledge on accessibility is growing all the time and there are plenty of [...]
It makes a lot of sense to re-use reclaimed materials for hard landscaping in the garden. New regulations now make builders responsible for disposing of building waste and while there's no real market for many of these materials the temptation to throw them away or, worse still, fly-tip them, is [...]
While the word “patio” automatically conjures up the instant image of an area of paving slabs in almost everyone’s mind, despite their widespread use, those 18-inch (45cm) pre-cast concrete squares are not the only option available. Many garden centres and builders’ merchants stock a good variety of slab designs, offering [...]
While many of the materials used in landscaping projects have been around for years – with long-established track-records of successful use – there are many alternatives available for anyone looking for something a little different. Some of these are new materials, while others are old ones which simply fell out [...]
Patios and terraces have become firmly established as essential features of the modern garden, offering a way to broaden the usefulness of our plot by providing an outdoor room as an extension of the house for entertaining, dining and relaxation. A well positioned patio, in a sheltered spot can provide [...]
Paths and steps form both practical and design elements in the landscape, linking the different parts of the garden as much by eye as they do physically and as a result, play an important role in providing a unified feel to the space. They can also be features in themselves, [...]
Pergolas, arches and trellises are unbeatable additions to any patio, terrace or pathway, adding new height to the vertical dimension, while offering shelter, seclusion and a perfect support for any number of climbing plants. As architectural as they are functional, they can be made with simple, clean lines to suit [...]
Long-established as the hard-surface of choice in warm, dry climates, decking has become increasingly popular in Britain over recent years – as its frequent appearance in the many gardening programmes on TV will testify. As a result, the range of types available – and the uses to which it has [...]
Although the days of the great walled gardens have largely gone, walls still have an important role to play in even the most modern outdoor space. Low walls – less than a metre high – in particular lend themselves to the DIY enthusiast and few things can be used quite [...]
Fences are often seen as just a way of marking a boundary or as a means of keeping your dog in – or next door’s out! However, they can be decorative features in their own right, while few things offer such almost instant privacy or wind-protection and at a fraction [...]
Container gardening is one of the most flexible and versatile ways of growing plants and the diversity of candidates for these conditions is rivalled only by the variety of pots to put them in. Equally at home in the most restricted of plots as in the largest of gardens, container [...]
With the possible exception of the plants you choose, there are few elements in the garden which offer quite so much scope for an expression of individuality as ornaments – and it is not just about what pieces you have. Using ornaments for dramatic effect – making them a dynamic, [...]
For many of today’s gardeners, the inspiration to build planting areas amid stone and gravel comes from concerns over climate change and the increasingly common threat of drought; for others it is simply about creating the perfect environment to set off particular groups of plants. Whatever your reason – an [...]
Balconies and flat roof spaces can offer a great opportunity to produce a really different sort of garden area and although they impose their own constraints on landscaping, with a little imagination, it is possible to create some quite extraordinary effects. As a true “outdoor room” these sorts of gardens [...]
For most landscaping projects, while the plants provide the colour and clothe the finished design, it is the elements of hard landscaping – the structures and surfaces – which provide the framework. Whether it is the privacy afforded by walls and fences, the shelter of trellis-work, or the practical access [...]
There are few gardens that will not benefit from some kind of pond or water feature and with today’s advanced range of liners and materials, coupled with the reliability and low-cost of modern pumps, building one has never been easier. Add to this the wide availability of ready-made fountains, ornaments, [...]
