How To Design The Perfect Garden
Good weather is on the way and the garden is on your mind. If you are thinking about creating the garden of your dreams, then now is the time to roll up your sleeves and get to work!
Due to the rather unreliable weather we experience in the UK, most homeowners only ever wake up to the potential of the garden as an additional outside living space during the warmer months of spring and summer. If you have grand designs for your garden, you need to start the planning process well in advance. Given the current trend for “don’t move, improve” it is quite likely that 2009 will see more and more homeowner’s spending money on their existing properties in an effort to create the ideal home and garden.
With finances being more of an issue in this climate, outdoor spaces that are both affordable and practical are ever the more important. There are no set rules governing the design of your garden as everyone’s idea of the perfect garden varies.
Safe Play Haven?
When designing your garden it is extremely easy to overlook the importance of children’s safety. It’s easy to forget that poor fencing; dangerous trees and plants and unsuitable surfaces below kids equipment, such as climbing frames and swings, can be an accident waiting to happen.
Remember to think long term when installing safety measures in the garden, what may prove safe for a toddler today could become a potential hazard for a curious six year old.
Dream Driveway
If you have ever had to drive around the roads adjacent to your house searching for a place to park, then an off street parking space might be just what the doctor ordered. A practical, clean driveway will give you stress free and immediate access to your house.
Remember that following the introduction of legislation which came into effect in October 2008, unless you are working with a permeable driveway paving product you may require planning permission to pave over a front garden.
Here Comes the Good Life
Another area of you new garden design that can easily be overlooked is that of a “grow your own” zone. This can be a wonderful way of cutting your grocery bills and raised beds can make the whole process easier.
Entertaining Outdoors
If you are like me then you’ll enjoy the more informal dinner party that is possible in a garden dinning area. Good lighting, practical access to the kitchen, a nice patio or decked surface and of course a lovely barbecue make this all possible. Consider every aspect of this when going through the planning stage, as it’s way more practical and economical to include this early on in the process than to add it as an after thought.
Think through everything we’ve discussed earlier and bring in the professionals to give you extra guidance and a detailed quotation for every aspect of your dream project. An anticipated time frame can also be discussed.
