A lot of people look forward to the long days and warmer temperatures summer brings so they can spend time in their gardens. Whether you have a family or friends who come round for barbecues or just like relaxing after work, gardens and back yards can be the ideal place to unwind. No matter what size outdoor area you have, well designed gardens can create features to enhance the exterior of your property and meet your needs.
There are two main types of landscaping which can be used to create different effects in your garden; hard landscaping and soft landscaping. Gravel, paving, slabbing and flagstones are all materials described by the term ‘hard landscaping’, whereas soft landscaping encompasses planting in borders and grassed areas. It doesn’t matter what sorts of garden features you want in your garden, a time served landscape gardening firm can offer a solution to suit you with creative garden design skills that blend your preferences with their expertise to give a beautiful well planned garden.
Incorporating different materials and textures into a garden can give individual looks to any garden, however big or small. Features you may want to consider as part of your garden design include water such as ponds and water features, stone, wood and plants.
Many different types of water features are available, made from varying materials and in many sizes. A water feature can be accommodated in the smallest of spaces, including rear yards and balconies making them suited to most homes. If you choose a self contained water feature, they can often include additional built in features including planting, ambient lighting or coloured bulbs, or even mist makers. Should you prefer to go for a different approach, a bespoke water feature may be more up your street. Fountains and statues can take pride of place in a larger water feature, or linked pools trickling into each other can be used to add impact and create beautiful focal points for visitors to admire.
Laying paving is another option you could consider if you want to redesign your garden. Paving, other terms include flagging and slabbing, is available in many colours from greys and whites to pinky hues and yellows such as York paving slabs and Cotswold stone. Manufactured paving products feature a range of textures and riven surfaces, whilst natural stone options have individual characteristics like fossils and crystals. Varying shaped and sized paving slabs can also be purchased, with some products designed to suit particular uses, for example, individual shaped stepping stones compared to patio sets comprising groups of stones of different sizes to create pre-designed patios. Once laid, paved areas are good as seating areas, for entertaining or for arranging plants in pots.
It may seem an obvious point, but choosing plants effectively for a garden can be a crucial area for creating a beautiful outdoor area. Garden centres across the country supply a large number of types of plants, such as shrubs and annuals, tropical plants to climbers and fruit bushes. Choosing a variety of colours, textures and heights of plants, whether you choose climbing or creeping varieties or choose varying foliage and flowers, provides structure which can be further enhanced by incorporating garden structures such as archways and obelisks.
No matter what features you choose to enhance the exterior of your property, an expert local garden services company is able to make your dream garden a reality.
Chrissa Carlson, the Garden and Nutrition Educator at Baltimore’s Hampstead Hill Academy, shows us the steps needed to start a school garden. In Part 1 of this 2-part series, Chrissa shares her school garden knowledge and experience with UME’s Jon Traunfeld. Stay tuned for Part 2 that will cover “Components of a Successful School Garden” and garden design.
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