I’m counting down the days until I can throw open my garden door, drag the garden furniture out of the shed and sit down in the evenings to a cool glass of wine. I love summer, in fact I spent my childhood in summer – growing up in Cyprus, we’d do almost everything outside for 8 months of the year. We’d prepare food and cook outside on the BBQ, do our homework under the shade of a tree – we even had an ‘outdoor tv’ to watch movies! Visitors would never think of knocking on the front door, they’d always just walk straight round to the back garden.
Even though I’ve been back in the UK for over a decade, I still get excited when Spring arrives. Even if it’s not sunny enough to use the garden all summer, it’s worth the work when it is! Last summer after I’d put my son to bed, I’d creep outside with my glass of wine and set the laptop up to work on my blog. The garden is such a relaxing and inspiring place to be and I hope this blog post inspires you and gives you some ideas for your own outdoor space.
1. A garden to dine for
You just can’t beat alfresco dining a good reason to start preparing your garden for Spring. The table and chair below in pastel tones are from Oliver Bonas and are a fab way to add some colour and style to your patio area.
1. Orla Kiely tumblers from Amara £5 | 2. Orla Kiely ceramic jug from Amara £30 | 3. Bone china plate and side plate from Joules £8.95-£13.95 | 4. Canary garden chair from Oliver Bonas £59 | 5. Primrose garden table from Oliver Bonas £65 | 6. 16 piece cutlery set from Cath Kidston £45 | 7. Pillar candle holder from John Lewis £16
2. Add some ambient lighting
A beautiful warm evening and you’re in your garden entertaining friends or family – the last thing you want to do is have to head inside as soon as it starts getting dark. Ambient garden lighting can really transform your outdoor space and create a relaxing atmosphere. LED solar lighting is a good option to choose as they don’t need electricity and the lights will automatically come on once it starts getting darker. Opting for lighting with a patterned surround will cast wonderful patterns on it’s surroundings and adding to the magical atmosphere in your garden for Spring.
1. Lorena steel outdoor floor lamp from Lights4Living £244.80 from £408 | 2. Kashmir globe lantern from Notonthhighstreet.com £39.95 | 3. Highwayman lantern from The RHS from £19.99 | 4. Solar powered LED clip-on lantern from LEDhut £9.59
3. Add some flower-filled garden pots
There are several top garden websites where you can order shrubs, trees and bedding plants at lower costs then at the garden centre (more on that below). You don’t have to buy in bulk and the plants get delivered to your door-step (or through to your garden) without having mess in your car. In fact, I’ve just ordered a load of bedding plants from Groupon to brighten up my patio pots!
1. Perch plant pots from Anthropologie £8-£48 | 2. Urban pots from The RHS £10.99 | 3. Kew Royal Botanic Gardens patio pots from Notonthehighstreet.com from £16
4. Create a relaxing spot
There’s nothing quite like putting your feet up and admiring your handiwork after working hard preparing your garden for Spring. Amara have a fantastic range of outdoor beanbags, cushions and hammocks so I’d recommend taking a look at their full outdoor range. My favourite item has to be the Alexander Rose San Marino red pine relax hut from FADS. It’d make such a stylish addition to any outdoor space and it’s just screaming for you to grab that book and snuggle inside for a well-earned break.
1. Alexander Rose San Marino red pine relax hut from FADS £2244.99 | 2. Fat Boy buggle up from Amara £235 | 3. Curve black rattan swing with cream cushion from FADS £299.99 | 4. Missoni home garden cushions from Amara £132-£216 | 5. Hang-In-Out single cacoon from Amara £225
5. Make a plain garden wall or fence fabulous
Growing a beautiful flowering climber up against a wall or fence is one way to spruce up a boring backdrop. But there are other ways to make a plain garden wall or fence more interesting – you can get creative with outdoor artwork or mirrors. This is a good option if that boring wall happens to be your home’s external wall or a shed and you don’t want to risk a climber ruining it! I love the idea of adding a mirror to a garden wall as it can create the sense of a secret garden hidden behind.
1. Outdoor artwork from John Lewis £19.99 | 2. White wooden shutter mirror from Notonthehighstreet.com £39.99 | 3. Gothic wall mirror from The RHS £29.99 | 4. Vintage-style tap wall planter from Notonthehighstreet.com £25 | 5. Lascelles outdoor clock from John Lewis £45
6. Invest in some shrubs or trees
Planting some shrubs and trees in your garden for Spring is a great investment. As your garden matures it can add value to your property as well as making it a joy for you to spend time in. It’s also important for wildlife and some websites will advise you on the best plants for bees for example. Planting trees, hedges and climbers can also give you more privacy in the garden if you’re surrounded by other houses. All the plants below are from the gardening websites featured on this page.
Natalia xo
