When most people think about luxury living, they imagine living rooms adorned in marble and kitchens decked out with fantastic range cookers. But the latest trend in luxury living is to move out of the house and into the garden. More and more people want to be able to enjoy their lives in the open air. It’s here that they want to entertain guests and indulge themselves in their hobbies, especially now that the summer is almost upon us.

So what can you do to live it up in your garden? Take a look at some of these ideas from the rich and famous.

Create Your Own Covered Space

Just because you’re outside, it doesn’t mean you don’t need a covered space to keep the sun at bay. As a result, it’s a good idea to invest in some sort of canopy: one that allows you to enjoy the rest of the garden while protecting you from the sun during the hottest part of the day.

[Photo courtesy of Hotel Montecatini Terme/flickr.com]

These covered spaces can be equipped with pretty much whatever you like, but at a minimum, you’ll want some seating and a table in the middle. If you’ve got the budget for it, add an outdoor TV for watching sports and a fan to keep you cool when the mercury hits 90.

Give Your Pool A Makeover

Swimming pools are a staple of a luxury garden: they’re somewhere that you can cool off on those long summer days between June and September. But pools aren’t necessarily stylish, especially if you’ve had your current pool for a while. Not only can they look out of date, but they can also get run down pretty quickly, especially if you don’t regularly maintain them. Visit Sparklean Pools to learn more about vinyl liner pool repair. Updating your pool can make a massive difference to the visual appeal of your garden and help it to feel luxurious once more.

A Wonderland Getaway

The wealthy also really love to use their gardens to escape from the rigors of the day. Having somewhere they can go to relax helps them to unwind. A wonderland getaway can take on practically any form, depending on what constitutes a getaway for you, which is what makes it so exciting.

[Photo courtesy of Gary Barnes/pexels]

Some people like to be surrounded by flowers and slunk off to a remote corner of the garden to read a book. Others like to create communal spaces in unusual locations, using the geological features of the backyard itself. For instance, your garden might be on a slope, next to a steam or near to a rock formation. Finally, a wonderland getaway could be a physical building, like a summer house, complete with various creature comforts.

An Outdoor Chess Set

[Photo courtesy of Misaochaaan/wikimedia.org]

Being in the garden is all about having fun. That’s why many wealthy people make games a permanent feature of their gardens. Take chess, for instance. Large, outdoor chess sets are really good if you have children or relatives who like to play. Plus, they help keep people entertained on those long summer evenings.

With the warmer months rapidly approaching it’s no wonder most of us our turning our attentions to our beloved gardens. However the cooler months tend to mean our gardens have been somewhat neglected so it’s difficult to know where to start trimming and preening the wilderness that has taken over.

[Photo courtesy of geograph.org.uk]

So today we are discussing the simple ways we can organise and preen our gardens so they are ready for us to enjoy over the spring and summer period.

Clear Out the Debris

Sometimes the winter damage can look worse than it actually is, due to all the debris that has accumulated over the colder months. So beginning with clearing out all the debris will give you a better idea of what actually needs doing.

Re-energise the Earth

The winter months tends to leave the soil in your garden packed and undernourished, so revitalising the soil is really important. Just adding compost,and fertilizer where necessary, will have the earth healthy and ready for the sunnier seasons.

Nurturing Existing Plants

For those plants that have survived the winter, you’ll need to prune in order to prepare them for the spring and summer. ‘Deadheading’ flowers and extracting dead leaves will leave your plants ready to flourish and blossom.

[Photo courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net]

Look Up

Look at the trees in your garden and evaluate their health and positioning. It’s important to keep trees trim particularly if they are situated close to your home. Hiring a local tree service company is a good idea if you’re unsure about how to care for the trees in your garden.

New Flowers and Shrubs

Look around your garden and consider the colours and types of plants you’d like to add to get your garden looking tip-top. Some fantastic spring plants are snapdragons, pansies, lilacs and tulips. So take a trip down to your local garden centre and start planning how to breathe new life into your garden.

Maintenance

Once you’ve done all the cleaning, re-nourishing, potting and planting it’s easy to think the work is done. But maintenance is key in order to keep your garden in premium condition throughout the warmer months. Dust off those little hand pruners and do a weekly inspection of the dead flowers and leaves that need removing.

Inspect your flowers and plants for insects. Looking for holes or stickiness to leaves could mean an infestation so take a sample down to your local garden centre for advice on appropriate action.

Keep your garden hydrated by watering regularly. Drip irrigation pipes and soaker hoses are generally more effective at evenly distributing water around your plants that standard sprinklers, so consider investing in one of these if you don’t already have one.

Finally, have fun with it. Gardens are the wildest area of our homes and we should be free with the way we nurture and care for them. Finding new and creative ways of adding colour and diversity to your garden is such a rewarding way to spend time over the warmer months. Then of course, there’s nothing better than sitting back on a spring evening and admiring our handy work.

With the evenings becoming lighter and the leaves finally blooming on the trees, it’s safe to say that the warmer weather is on the way. Warmer weather encourages time spent outdoors, but wait – your garden has become overgrown and full of weeds!

[Photo courtesy of Sally Allsop/geograph.org.uk]

Thankfully, there are quick solutions to the manky garden issue and that’s taking time to fix it up. There are plenty of ways to do this, even if you only have a spare hour or two at the weekends. Soon enough you’ll be able to enjoy barbecues and picnics within feet of the house with our amazing garden makeover tips:

1. Add colour: Flowers take some time to grow after planting, everyone knows this. However, flowers aren’t the only way you can add a little pizazz to your garden. If you have a shed or any wooden garden furniture, you can give them a new lease of life with a lick of paint. Instead of spending time you may not have, have a look at some paint sprayers reviews and do the job in half the time.
2. Outdoor décor: Similarly, with giving old, wooden furniture a lick of paint, you can add potted plant pots to your garden in bright, zany colours to add some life. Use up old leftover paints you may have laying around and add lovely patterns to your plant pots and give it a personal touch. Adding garden ornaments and fun little items to decorate can also liven up your outside space.
3. Sort the weeds: Take an hour of your time and actually weed the garden! The most obvious solution to an overgrown space is to strip is back and it shouldn’t take too long if you use a strimmer and edger for the whole area. Once you’ve cut it all back, you’ll be able to truly assess the space you have and what you can do to make it look summer ready.
4. Declutter: Believe it or not, like any area of the home you need to have a clear out. Get through the garden shed and throw out anything that is old and rusted. Make space for new garden tools.
5. Involve the kids: If you have kids at home, get them involved in the garden. A paved area can always use a chalk mural and a grassed border will always be better off with a vegetable garden being planted and colourful labels attached. Children always have a magic touch on the outdoors and you can let them get so creative!
6. Deck the garden: You may need a little longer for this one if you don’t have a deck already, but if you do all you need to do is redo the deck. Stain the deck with products like these and give it a new lease of life.

Your garden doesn’t need to take long to redo and even if you can only dedicate an hour or two at a time, you can makeover your garden to look as beautiful as you could hope it to be.

For most people, the size of the garden is a huge selling point if they are planning to buy a property. It’s not just the idea that if you have a garden, children have a place to play. A little bit – or a lot – of land that you own is something to be proud of, and you want to be able to maximize on the space you have and not let it go to waste. There are so many ways you can use a garden and stripping the whole thing back to basics and starting from scratch is the smart thing to do. It’s your piece of private outdoor space to do what you want with and that begins from the ground up. Doing up the garden can be as fun as doing up any room in the house, but are you ready for the challenge?

[Photo courtesy of ADD/pixabay.com]

Some people decide to fully landscape their garden into one that is low maintenance. This generally is for those who have no real interest in gardening but still want to use the outside space for children, barbecues and generally having the outdoor area to entertain friends. This can be anything from laying patterned gravel like this to tarmacking the entire area so it’s got a slight bounce – great for children to play. Low maintenance gardens are great for people who don’t have time for the upkeep of planting flowers or vegetables and generally want to be able to tidy the space up quickly.

There are those who want a fully green garden packed with seasonal flowers, lawn and a vegetable patch to grow peppers and onions. Generally, these gardens are very high maintenance and require a few hours work every week to maintain their colour. Sprinklers in the summer and watering cans for the hanging plants are a feature and the pride in the outdoor setting is obvious. A fully bloomed garden is beautiful and smells amazing in the summer months, and it’s also a very peaceful place to sit and just be. There are some amazing ways you can maximize on the space you have in your garden, whether it’s a tiny little patio area or half a football field attached to the rear of your home and with these three fab ideas, you can use the garden in the way you have always dreamed:

[Photo courtesy of Leonid Dzhepko/wikimedia.org]

Planting is one of the most popular activities in a garden. You could choose to landscape your garden with a lawn and edge the entire thing with border flowers that relate to the season. If your garden space is a little smaller than you would like but you have big dreams for it, don’t grow around, grow UP! Adding fencing and bamboo can see some beautiful climbing ivy and other plants through the year growing upward in your garden. You can also plant squash and variations of beans and cucumber if a vegetable garden is something that interests you. Making a tepee of climbing plants for your garden can give it a green glow all year round. Don’t forget to invest in the right equipment though, you’ll need mowers and tools for your garden to keep it in tip top shape.

[Photo courtesy of Kaboompics // Karolina/pexels.com]

Entertaining friends at home is always a pleasure, but being able to spill out into the garden is even better. If you have gone for a low maintenance garden, you’re likely to be lacking much in the way of greenery and colour outside. Adding solar lights, bunting and fake bushes like these ones can add some beauty to an otherwise plain garden. Build your own brick barbecue and think about having inflatable hot tubs on standby to get out when guests are over. Drinks on a chilly New Year’s Even can be so much better when you’re relaxing in the warm bubbles of your new hot tub and eating tasty burgers from the new barbecue! Maximizing your garden for entertainment is a way to make the space you have somewhere you want to be. There’s no use having extra land if you can’t use it to make yourself happy and entertaining guests in a unique way is the best. Invite them over and remind them to bring their swimwear!

One of the most popular ways to maximize the garden space is to build on it. Not just plant and flower boxes, but conservatories. When you have a lot of land in the back of the house, you have the opportunity to attach what ends up being an entirely new room onto the house. This not only adds value to the house as a whole, but it gives you that extra dining room/play room/craft space you’ve always imagined you could have. A conservatory is a fantastic idea if you live in an area that is heavy with rain. You can then use the rest of the outside space for entertaining and planting beautiful flowers. You can read more about installing a conservatory here.

[Photo courtesy of Literatirus/wikimedia.org]

Your garden is your own private haven to do with what you will. Add in a pond and some fish for a little touch of wildlife and hang bird feeders from the trees. You can even buy some fantastic garden furniture like this to make your outdoor area feel homelier than just a blank canvas to look at. Taking the time to make the most of your garden comes down to how busy you are and how much you care about the flush of colour that your garden has.

There are so many people who don’t have the time to maintain a garden but if you have the time, turn the garden from boring to brilliant. Make it an extension of your home and furnish, decorate and breathe life into it. You want to create a place you and your friends want to be; and your garden is that space as long as you take the time to make the most of the area you have.

Some people seem to have been born with a special touch when it comes to gardening. For the rest of us, this popular hobby just seems to boring and too much like hard work! But maybe that’s just because we’re not doing it the right way? If you try and mix up your gardening techniques, you will find that it gets a lot more interesting. In fact, if you use some of these unique and unusual tips, you will find that your gardening interest stays at a constant high!

[Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures/pixabay.com]

• Use eggs as fertilizer. Do you love having scrambled eggs for breakfast? Maybe some poached eggs and avocado for lunch? Well, your egg habit could help to fuel your gardening habit! Make sure you save your eggshells, as these can be used as fertilizer. Simply scatter them onto your garden, and they will enrich the soil, making it easier to grow plants and flowers.

• Try Aquaponics. Don’t worry, this sounds a lot harder than what it actually is. This method of gardening uses fish waste to help plants grow and doesn’t require any soil. You can buy special starter aquaponic kits that will also come with the right fish for your plants. Basically, you will be growing your plants and flowers in a fish tank. How cool is that?!

• Rent, don’t buy. If you aren’t sure how long you are going to keep your gardening habit up for, it’s a good idea to rent equipment from companies such as Brookings Rent All. This will work out cheaper than buying new equipment like lawnmowers and ladders. And, if you get bored of gardening soon after you start, you won’t be left with a lot of equipment to sell!

[Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures/pixabay.com]

• Garden at night. Gardening can be sweaty work, and doing it out in the sun is only going to tire you even more. So, how about gardening at night? In actual fact, some experts say that planting in the dark will encourage your plants to grow quicker.

• Use cooking water in your garden. Don’t just throw the water that you cooked vegetables or pasta in down the drain. There is lots of healthy nutrients, vitamins, and minerals left in it! And these will all go down well with your plants and flowers. So keep hold of your cooking water and use it to water your garden.

• Stick to annual plants. Did you leave it too late to plant your seasonal vegetables and flowers? Well, you can always rule out ever being late again by sticking to annual plants. These plants survive all year around, so it doesn’t matter when you get round to planting them outside.

• Add caffeine. Something else that you shouldn’t throw out is left-over coffee granules. These can be spread on your garden, just like fertilizer. Not only does the coffee keep pests off your plants, but it also adds plenty of potassium, copper, and magnesium to the soil.

So there you have it; some excellent tips that are so unique, you should never get bored of gardening again!

The garden is, for most people, one of the most important parts of the house. It is certainly often the most beautiful, and knowing how to tend to it properly can be something of an art form. Keeping the garden aesthetically pleasing and relaxing to be in is one thing, but it is quite another to keep the place as healthy as it can be, and this usually takes considerably more understanding. It definitely takes more work, and perhaps that accounts for the amount of gardens that suffer terribly from not being cared for properly. Don’t let your garden become one of those – take a stand today and learn how to keep it healthy for longer. Take the following tips as a starting point.

[Photo courtesy of Unsplash/pexels.com]

Watch Out For Pests

One of the most important things for you to do is to watch out for any pests that might be lingering around. No matter what kind of plants you do or do not have in your garden, pests are always going to be a potential issue. Therefore, learning how to spot them and deal with them is going to prove to be vital if you are dedicated to keeping your garden as healthy as it can be. Some of the more obvious signs of pests can be that your plants are being nibbled, or even that they look diseased. It is also worth getting to know the different bugs that abound in your part of the world; some will be friendly, and even useful to the gardener, and other will be a nuisance. Learning this is one of the most important steps you can take to looking after your garden more effectively.

Keep The Lawn Trimmed

There are a number of reasons why you might want to ensure you keep the lawn trimmed, some of them aesthetic and others related to the health of the garden. Above all, it is a good idea to mow the lawn every six weeks or so, no matter what time of year it might be, as this helps the all-round health of the garden to no end. This is one of those tasks where the quality of the tools being used really helps, so make sure you have a decent lawn mower before you get started. You might even want to take a look at some lawn mower reviews before you start, to ensure that you have the best one for your particular garden. With a well-kept lawn, often the rest of a garden seems to just fall into place.

[Photo courtesy of Unsplash/pexels.com]

Check Plants Before Buying

Whenever you purchase plants to add to your garden, it is really in your interest to check them thoroughly before buying them, and definitely before planting them with your other plants. This is because they could be carrying any number of unpleasant diseases, diseases which could swiftly wipe out the majority of your garden. Check the roots, first and foremost, as this is one of the easiest ways to tell whether a plant is diseased or not.

Gardens are not just about flowers and growing food. They can be a great way to learn about wildlife; something particularly important if you have a family. And they are a great way to help maintain species of birds and animals.

[Photo courtesy of DroolingDogs/pixabay.com]

Regardless of your outdoor space, there are simple steps you can take to encourage birds and animals to visit or set up home in your garden.

1. Create A Pond

Creating a pond is the quickest and simplest way to introduce wildlife. Once your pond has been built, you can fill it with your choice of fish. There are many different varieties to choose from, depending on the areas you live in and the space available, etc. Butterfly koi are a popular choice as they are known for their beauty and stunning colors.

Ponds will attract other wildlife such as frogs and insects. It is important to monitor and clean your pond regularly to ensure it is a safe environment for fish and other animals. The plants and grasses surrounding your pond will also attract visitors.

[Photo courtesy of Oldiefan/pixabay.com]

2. Garden Design

When designing and maintaining your garden, think carefully about the animals you wish to encourage. Birds like trees and bushes for nesting. If you have the available space, try creating zones. Some birds may prefer not to come close to the house, and so a quiet space towards the back of the garden may be preferable.

[Photo courtesy of Couleur/pixabay.com]

3. Frogs

Frogs like ponds, as mentioned, but they also like piles of leaves. When raking your garden next fall, leave a few piles of leaves in a dark area to encourage frogs. Ensure you leave some space in walls or fences for them to enter.

4. Birds

To encourage birds into your garden, put up a bird table and several feeders. A bird bath is also important. Vary the seeds and food that you provide to attract different species. To ensure they keep coming back, feed birds daily, particularly in the winter months when food will be scarce. It’s always pleasant to watch a garden full of birds, and you’re helping them at the same time. Try setting up some nesting boxes to see if any of the birds set up residence.

5. Insects

Insect hotels provide a safe environment for insects to hibernate in the winter months. They are made up of several compartments or suites to allow insects to choose a warm place to stay. Encouraging insects into your garden is good for them and the environment. Some like dry environments and others prefer the damp. So try to establish insect homes in several areas.

[Photo courtesy of NickRivers/pixabay.com]

6. Bees

Bees are vital pollinators for our gardens but, unfortunately, their numbers are declining. Insect hotels make a safe place for solitary bees. Introduce some bee-friendly plants to your garden. Bees like flowers such as white clover, bluebells, alliums, and buddleia, etc.

Encouraging wildlife into your garden is a win-win situation. You’re providing a home and food for them to help them thrive. And you get to observe them in their natural habitat. Many will contribute to the garden by pollination, turning over soil, etc. So, it’s good for you, and it’s good for them.

Spending time in the garden and relaxing is what summer is all about. But it can be annoying when your garden is overlooked and you don’t have privacy, when all you want to do is prance about in your bikini and sunbathe. Luckily there are a few things you can do to stop your garden being so easy to peer into!

Add Higher Fencing

If you currently only have low fences and hedges in your garden, adding taller fencing will immediately make it more private. Go with a fence that’s at least six feet tall, you can then add trellis along the top to heighten it further. Alternatively you could go with custom screen fencing from reputable fencing contractors for a more decorative and aesthetically pleasing look. If you only have one area which you need to block for privacy, you could opt for some lattice panels. They’re inexpensive, and climbing plants like ivy will soon cover them over if you carefully place some nearby.

Screens covered in climbing plants can be useful for privacy

Grow Trees and Plants

Trees, plants and hedges can be a good way to make your garden more private while still maintaining a very natural look in the garden. If privacy is an issue that you want sorting as soon as possible you’ll want to choose fast growing plants- bamboo, cypress and thuja are good options. They can grow a matter of several feet in the space of a year so can quickly grow into a great privacy screen. You could opt to buy fast growing plants that are already established, so that way you have less time to wait for them to grow as tall as you need.

Utilize ‘Blind Spots’

If only part of your garden is overlooked, consider moving the main seating area or garden furniture to a more private spot. That way when you’re sitting out there you have peace of mind that people can’t see in. You could even create a second patio or seating area if you have a ‘blind spot’ in the garden, and choose to sit there when you want more privacy.

Make Use of Furniture

Having a big parasol put up over your seating area will block the view from anyone looking down from the first floor windows. Alternatively you could opt to put up a gazebo or pergola and encourage climbing plants to grow around it, which will obscure the view for people looking into your garden. You could even go a step further and use bamboo screens or cleverly place tall pots of flowers or potted trees to give you even more privacy.

Try a gazebo for privacy

Next time you’re having a family barbeque, sunbathing or just relaxing outside there will be no need to worry about nosy neighbours using these tricks! Having a garden that’s secluded and not overlooked can even add value to your property too, so have a think about what you’re able to do in the space you have.

Do you have any tips for making your back garden more private?

Whether you want to add value to your home or want to grow your own produce, gardening is a fantastic hobby to have. It helps to make your backyard look amazing, and it can be an excellent stress reliever. Gardening has also been found to help strengthen and tone our bodies because of the physical activity it involves. But if you suffer from a bad back that causes you pain, you may find it difficult to complete a number of gardening tasks. Thankfully there are things you can do to reduce your back pain while still helping your garden to flourish. Read through these tips to get started.

Buy specialist tools

There are a number of specialist tools you can buy to make gardening work easier on your back. Trowels with long handles allow you to remain standing while still tending to your plants and flowers. The tools you currently use may have extension pieces you can buy that prevent you from bending or stretching too. Gardening stools that are portable and provide cushioning are another item you should buy.

As well as stretching you also need to be careful of lifting heavy loads, which can cause further back complaints. Trade in your watering can for a hosepipe to water your plants and invest in a lightweight wheelbarrow. Just remember not to put too many items inside the wheelbarrow at once and make multiple lighter trips instead.

[Photo courtesy of Ofer El-Hashahar/flickr.com]

Install raised flower beds

To prevent you from bending awkwardly or overstretching, install raised flower beds into your garden. These can enhance the look of your garden by making your plants and flowers more prominent. But more importantly, they allow you easy access to plant and weed from a seated position. This can give your back a much-needed rest, as well as being more gentle on your joints. There are many ways in which you can raise your flower beds and ensure they still compliment your yard. Head to your local gardening center and ask them for advice on how to get started. They may be able to build and install your new raised beds for you too.

Ask for help

If you find that certain gardening tasks such as mowing the lawn or weeding cause you significant pain, you should always ask for help. Even though you will want your yard to look its best, it’s not worth making your condition worse. Ask friends and family to assist you with these jobs while you continue you something less strenuous. Your neighbors might also be willing to do some gardening for you. Another option is to hire gardening or lawn services to help you with these difficult tasks. You can tell them which jobs you enjoy doing and which ones you would like them to complete for you. That way you can still enjoy spending time outside practicing your hobby.

So don’t let your bad back stop you from creating the garden of your dreams. You just need to be safe and smart about the tasks you can and cannot do. For more guidance and advice, talk to your doctor about how to control your condition more effectively.

Do you have a garden that you wish to make more unique? You can create a beautiful gardenthat isn’t a cookie-cutter copy of the one next door. Or of all the gardens in that street! Learn how to stand out from your neighbors and make your garden look more unique with this very guide. Just read on to find out more!

Experiment with levels

A fantastic way to make your garden looking more unique is to add in levels! Who says a garden has to be all on one level anyway! How about building up a patio, and then you can step down onto your garden. Or raise the far end of your garden, so it slopes down into a curve. Doing this also allows to you install a free-flowing miniature river here also!

‘Just add water’!

Even if you don’t make a new level or two in your garden, you can still add water.How about a pond full a fish and frogs? Or you could even dig out a little river with a stepping stone or miniature bridge to step over it! Not only will this look great, but it will also attract more wildlife and animals to your garden! Plus, who doesn’t love the peaceful sound of trickling water in their garden!

[Photo courtesy of LadyDragonflyCC – >;</flickr.com]

Get creative with a fire-based feature!

While having water in your garden is brilliant in making it more unique, there is another natural element that can look stunning. Fire, of course. Chimineas, Fire Pits and other such items of this nature are a great investment for a variety of reasons. Sure, they look great, and will make your garden look more unique. But they can also act as a focal point, and a centerpiece; something that draws the whole garden together. Also, bear in mind their practical uses. They add light and heat to your garden. As for how they look, you can change that season to season by using different shades and colors of fire glass! Look for Fire glass for sale online for the best deals.

[Photo courtesy of jimthompson/flickr.com]

Use unique items for pots and plant holders

Sure, ceramic and glass pots hold plants really well. But there are loads of other things you can use for a more unique look. Got an old pair of walking boots or wellington boots you don’t use anymore? Nail them to your garden fence and use them as planters. Or get creative with other things you find around the house. If you use strong glue to bond a tea-cup and saucer, you can make hanging bird feeders!

[Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Kinghorn/flickr.com]

Go for a metal shed rather than a wooden one

Wooden sheds are great, but they can sometimes look a bit outdated. There are also a number of experts who also say that they are easier to penetrate and break into that metal sheds. The other benefit of metal sheds is that they look contemporary. They add a level of sophistication to your garden, while also keeping your belongings safe. If you want a neat-looking garden, having a place to put garden tools and equipment will help.