As the days grow longer and the evenings feel comfortably warmer, it’s the perfect time to transform your outdoor space into a summertime retreat.
From simple style tweaks to cost-effective upgrades, refreshing your garden doesn’t need to be stressful. Here’s how to make a big impact without an equally huge effort.
Add height and texture
Visual depth makes any space look more appealing. Mix tall grasses, climbing plants and cascading greenery for extra depth and dimension.
Simple layering tricks help to make your garden feel fuller and more immersive without the need for potentially costly landscaping projects. If you’re lucky enough to have fruit trees or hedgerows already, you can use these as reference points to build shape and form.
Create zones
Adding subtle structure to your garden reduces visual clutter and could give you more ways to make use of the space too. You could create clear areas for everything you expect to be getting up to in the garden.
From relaxing with friends and family to playing football with the kids, it just makes sense to keep things separate.
If you’re getting into gardening, you could keep a patio area for potted plants and other projects you might be working on. Softer touches, like outdoor rugs and decorative screens, could add a sense of calm and intention even to the smallest garden.
Light it up
Extend your evenings outdoors with soft lighting. Depending on the space you have available, you could drape them over your seating area or illuminate an entire wall for effortless, cosy warmth.
You can find plenty of atmospheric outdoor lighting that’s easy to install and energy efficient too. When they’re installed thoughtfully, solar lights can completely change the energy in your garden without the hassle of wiring and connecting a mains supply.
Choose the right furniture
Finding furniture that works for your garden will be worth the time and investment. If you need to extend the space when you’re not entertaining guests, for example, try to choose folding or stackable seating.
If you’re a sun worshipper, go for lightweight lounger chairs that can easily be lifted and moved to follow the afternoon sun. And for families who love to play and get active in their gardens, benches with hidden storage can do just the trick. This flexibility makes your space feel bigger and truly versatile.
Bring the indoors out
Finally, rugs, throws and lanterns borrowed from inside the home can instantly soften an outdoor space. This sort of quick styling can add warmth and texture with minimal or zero extra spend, especially when you’ve already got the furnishings.
If you’d rather design and choose pieces specifically for the space, you still won’t need to spend a fortune. Simply find your favourite fabrics and fibres and test out a few combinations. Mix and match with your outdoor furniture until you create a beautiful, balanced space to enjoy for the summer!