Key Features to Include in Your New Garden
Looking to create a gorgeous garden that suits your home and lifestyle? Start by considering these 8 options
The trick to getting a new garden design off on the right track is choosing what you want to include – and, just as importantly, what you don’t.
From staples including plants and boundaries to luxuries such as sheds and garden rooms, this lowdown on the key features you might want to have in your garden is a great starting point, whether you’re planning a family-friendly space, a north-facing patch or a pocket-sized retreat. Read on to tick off the list of garden must-haves and find even more useful articles in our comprehensive Garden Planning guide.
Beginning your garden project? Read How to Start a Garden Redesign
From staples including plants and boundaries to luxuries such as sheds and garden rooms, this lowdown on the key features you might want to have in your garden is a great starting point, whether you’re planning a family-friendly space, a north-facing patch or a pocket-sized retreat. Read on to tick off the list of garden must-haves and find even more useful articles in our comprehensive Garden Planning guide.
Beginning your garden project? Read How to Start a Garden Redesign
2. Lush beds and borders
Traditionally, beds and borders in a garden will run between a lawn and the boundaries of your outside space, but the standard thin, uniform strip of planting is only one approach.
Browsing through past Garden Tour stories on Houzz will quickly show you a multitude of different ways to go. For example, you could cut curved borders across your lawn to trick the eye, or create a meandering path, undulating waves, extra-deep beds, or beds laid to frame a seating area.
If it’s screening you’re after – whether you’re overlooked or want to hide your bins – use carefully positioned beds to allow foliage to grow into a screen.
Find a garden designer to help your garden plans come to fruition.
Traditionally, beds and borders in a garden will run between a lawn and the boundaries of your outside space, but the standard thin, uniform strip of planting is only one approach.
Browsing through past Garden Tour stories on Houzz will quickly show you a multitude of different ways to go. For example, you could cut curved borders across your lawn to trick the eye, or create a meandering path, undulating waves, extra-deep beds, or beds laid to frame a seating area.
If it’s screening you’re after – whether you’re overlooked or want to hide your bins – use carefully positioned beds to allow foliage to grow into a screen.
Find a garden designer to help your garden plans come to fruition.
3. A lawn – or not
If you’re thinking of your garden as a room, the flooring is one of the first and biggest choices you’ll make.
Mixing hard surfaces with as much permeable ground as possible is an eco-friendly way to go, but whether that ground is grass, some other type of growing cover, gravel or a mix of several surfaces is a big decision – and one it pays to get professional advice on.
Certain living solutions will thrive in shady or damp areas, while a decent level of sun will be key for others. Whether you have pets or small children and how you use your garden are all directly related to your choice of ground cover.
More: Can I Have a Lawn-free Garden That’s Kind to the Environment?
If you’re thinking of your garden as a room, the flooring is one of the first and biggest choices you’ll make.
Mixing hard surfaces with as much permeable ground as possible is an eco-friendly way to go, but whether that ground is grass, some other type of growing cover, gravel or a mix of several surfaces is a big decision – and one it pays to get professional advice on.
Certain living solutions will thrive in shady or damp areas, while a decent level of sun will be key for others. Whether you have pets or small children and how you use your garden are all directly related to your choice of ground cover.
More: Can I Have a Lawn-free Garden That’s Kind to the Environment?
4. Carefully considered planting
Ever gone to a garden centre and come home with armfuls of impulse purchases? If you’re poised to do that again, then stop. A little planning will allow your purchases to add up to a coherent design rather than risk a mishmash of random plants.
The first rule of planting is to visualise the entire space, not just one bed that needs filling. See it as a room where all elements should work together to create a pulled-together look. Also try to buy bundles of the same plant, not just one of each; odd numbers work best.
Think, too, about the overall feel you’re aiming for. Do you perhaps have the space for some prairie-style planting? Lots of shade that would lend itself to a woodland theme? Or a penchant for colourful country blooms? Is scent key to your scheme?
Whatever you choose, it’s important to plant for the conditions of your outdoor space or your plants won’t thrive. Get to know how the sun moves around your garden, what kind of soil you have, and how sheltered the space is. You should also plant for the whole year, so there’s something of interest every season.
Finally, always opt for as many wildlife-friendly choices as possible – there are plenty of guides on Houzz.
More: 8 Planting Tips for Novice Gardeners
Ever gone to a garden centre and come home with armfuls of impulse purchases? If you’re poised to do that again, then stop. A little planning will allow your purchases to add up to a coherent design rather than risk a mishmash of random plants.
The first rule of planting is to visualise the entire space, not just one bed that needs filling. See it as a room where all elements should work together to create a pulled-together look. Also try to buy bundles of the same plant, not just one of each; odd numbers work best.
Think, too, about the overall feel you’re aiming for. Do you perhaps have the space for some prairie-style planting? Lots of shade that would lend itself to a woodland theme? Or a penchant for colourful country blooms? Is scent key to your scheme?
Whatever you choose, it’s important to plant for the conditions of your outdoor space or your plants won’t thrive. Get to know how the sun moves around your garden, what kind of soil you have, and how sheltered the space is. You should also plant for the whole year, so there’s something of interest every season.
Finally, always opt for as many wildlife-friendly choices as possible – there are plenty of guides on Houzz.
More: 8 Planting Tips for Novice Gardeners
5. Unobtrusive boundaries
It might not be the first element that springs to mind when reimagining your outdoor space, but boundary design is critical. A well-considered solution can make your garden look and feel bigger; a dark-painted fence, for example, will appear to recede, giving a sense of space.
You probably won’t want visible fencing all around, though, so it’s also important to plant judiciously in front of a boundary. If your choice is not evergreen, have you considered your winter views?
And what about the sights beyond your perimeter? A good designer will help you to incorporate a pleasing ‘borrowed view’ into your own space. For those in rural surroundings, this bonus can be particularly dramatic with a thought-through boundary.
More: Your Essential Guide to Choosing and Installing a Garden Fence
It might not be the first element that springs to mind when reimagining your outdoor space, but boundary design is critical. A well-considered solution can make your garden look and feel bigger; a dark-painted fence, for example, will appear to recede, giving a sense of space.
You probably won’t want visible fencing all around, though, so it’s also important to plant judiciously in front of a boundary. If your choice is not evergreen, have you considered your winter views?
And what about the sights beyond your perimeter? A good designer will help you to incorporate a pleasing ‘borrowed view’ into your own space. For those in rural surroundings, this bonus can be particularly dramatic with a thought-through boundary.
More: Your Essential Guide to Choosing and Installing a Garden Fence
6. Gentle lighting
There are a number of considerations when planning lighting for your outdoor space. How do you use your garden – is there a path to the bins or an often-accessed shed or room outside that may require some illumination? Are there areas that need lighting for safety, for example steps?
Another consideration many garden professionals also emphasise is the impact on wildlife any lighting may have. Do some of your own research on low-level lighting and build this important factor into your design discussions.
More: How to Design Garden Lighting That’s Good for You and Wildlife
There are a number of considerations when planning lighting for your outdoor space. How do you use your garden – is there a path to the bins or an often-accessed shed or room outside that may require some illumination? Are there areas that need lighting for safety, for example steps?
Another consideration many garden professionals also emphasise is the impact on wildlife any lighting may have. Do some of your own research on low-level lighting and build this important factor into your design discussions.
More: How to Design Garden Lighting That’s Good for You and Wildlife
7. A tailored shed
There’s more to consider when planning for a shed than might be immediately obvious. Where will it go? What’s the access route (and will that get muddy)? What are your storage needs – tools, logs, bikes, gardening equipment? Will the contents need to be secure? And what should your shed be made from?
Configurations vary considerably – from something wardrobe-shaped to a walk-in room with a window and work surfaces. What will fit in your space and cater for your shed needs?
In terms of materials, treated wood or composite sheds are common, but if theft is a concern, consider metal. Whatever you choose, you’ll probably need to prepare the ground with a concrete or timber base.
And then there’s internal storage: if you’re not going bespoke, you might consider a floor-standing shelf system. Remember, everything will need to be able to withstand damp, cold, insects and possibly the odd rodent searching for a cosy spot (be particularly aware of this when storing anything edible, such as birdseed, in your shed).
More: How to Choose and Install a Garden Shed
There’s more to consider when planning for a shed than might be immediately obvious. Where will it go? What’s the access route (and will that get muddy)? What are your storage needs – tools, logs, bikes, gardening equipment? Will the contents need to be secure? And what should your shed be made from?
Configurations vary considerably – from something wardrobe-shaped to a walk-in room with a window and work surfaces. What will fit in your space and cater for your shed needs?
In terms of materials, treated wood or composite sheds are common, but if theft is a concern, consider metal. Whatever you choose, you’ll probably need to prepare the ground with a concrete or timber base.
And then there’s internal storage: if you’re not going bespoke, you might consider a floor-standing shelf system. Remember, everything will need to be able to withstand damp, cold, insects and possibly the odd rodent searching for a cosy spot (be particularly aware of this when storing anything edible, such as birdseed, in your shed).
More: How to Choose and Install a Garden Shed
8. A home-expanding garden room
You may wonder whether you have space for a garden room. To work, the new building shouldn’t cover more than 50% of your total, original garden area.
In terms of the size of the room, around 13 sq m would offer flexible use. For example, it should provide enough space for a double-desk office, or a few pieces of gym equipment, or a double sofa-bed with space left over for a one-wall kitchen, if you wanted one, too.
The specification will, of course, depend on how you want to use this new room – teen hangout, guest room, home office, a multifunctional space? Whatever your plans, it will need power and probably heating of some sort, and perhaps a kitchen or bathroom water supply.
Your options start with “posh sheds”, typically found in garden centres and starting at around £2,000 to £3,000, and extend to high-end, bespoke garden rooms with power and water.
Typically, you’ll be able to install whatever you choose under Permitted Development rights (ie, without a full planning application), but there are lots of exceptions. Check with a professional garden room company, experienced supplier or architect. Either way, it will of course need to comply with Building Regulations.
More: How to Build a Garden Room
Find a garden room professional on Houzz.
Tell us…
What was your starting point for your own garden? Share your tips in the Comments.
You may wonder whether you have space for a garden room. To work, the new building shouldn’t cover more than 50% of your total, original garden area.
In terms of the size of the room, around 13 sq m would offer flexible use. For example, it should provide enough space for a double-desk office, or a few pieces of gym equipment, or a double sofa-bed with space left over for a one-wall kitchen, if you wanted one, too.
The specification will, of course, depend on how you want to use this new room – teen hangout, guest room, home office, a multifunctional space? Whatever your plans, it will need power and probably heating of some sort, and perhaps a kitchen or bathroom water supply.
Your options start with “posh sheds”, typically found in garden centres and starting at around £2,000 to £3,000, and extend to high-end, bespoke garden rooms with power and water.
Typically, you’ll be able to install whatever you choose under Permitted Development rights (ie, without a full planning application), but there are lots of exceptions. Check with a professional garden room company, experienced supplier or architect. Either way, it will of course need to comply with Building Regulations.
More: How to Build a Garden Room
Find a garden room professional on Houzz.
Tell us…
What was your starting point for your own garden? Share your tips in the Comments.
The amount of space you dedicate to seating will depend on how you want to use your garden and, of course, how much room you have to play with.
Will you eat outdoors frequently? If so, a permanent table and chairs will probably be a must. Do you entertain a lot? Consider a dining table, a lounging area and several places to perch with a plate or a drink. Or perhaps you’re simply after a couple of comfy chairs where you can read the papers and relax?
Next, consider seating locations: some shade will be nicer for mealtimes than full sun, while a spot that gets early or late rays can be lovely for relaxation or evening meals. Soft or scented planting nearby can enhance the ambience.
More: How to Design a Garden Seating Area