Having access to an outdoor space can hugely improve quality of life, especially during the summer, when daylight hours are plentiful and temperatures are comfortable, if not balmy.
Getting the most from your garden doesn’t always require that much work – especially if you’ve designed your garden to be low-maintenance. Let’s take a look at a few choice upgrades that won’t create extra work for you.
Cozy Seating Area
If you don’t have a place to sit, then you won’t be able to enjoy your garden. Ideally, you should have a cosy seating area, where you can keep guests comfortable, and enjoy outdoor dining and conversation that runs long into the night.
There are a few choice features that can make or break a seating area of this kind. The table and chairs themselves, for example, can make a big difference. You might also think about the lighting, which is essential if you want to use the garden at night.
Outdoor festoon lights are a great choice, particularly if you have a canopy from which to hang them. If your seating area is away from the main house, you might rely on threading cables beneath the garden. This being the case, it’s worth doing a little extra planning. It might be that you can provide power to a shed at the same time.
One final addition you might consider is a patio heater. This will allow your garden to remain habitable in the evenings, even as summer draws to a close.
Shade Solutions
Speaking of canopies, it’s worth thinking about how you’re going to shade your seating area. This can be done with temporary measures, like umbrellas and retractable canopies. Another approach is to simply move the seating to where the shade is. This is possible if your tables and chairs are suitably lightweight and mobile.
Careful Plant Selection
If your garden space doesn’t have plenty of living things in it, then it might end up feeling slightly sterile. However, not all plants are created equal, especially when it comes to maintenance. Look for perennial plants like crocosmia, yarrow and daisies. Use large containers to avoid watering problems.
If you want to avoid extra work, look for plants that look good even when they’re allowed to grow slightly wild and free. This has an additional advantage: it’ll provide the garden ecosystem with a chance to recover.
Outdoor Soft Furnishings
Your seating area needs a little bit of soft furnishing if it’s going to be comfortable. Cushions, blankets and rugs can all help – provided that they’re robust enough to handle the occasional spell of wet weather. Bright colours and floral patterns can help to emphasise the summer feel.