When spring is just around the corner, many people turn to their gardens with the view of giving them a new look and layout. Spring is the time of year when plants, flowers, trees and shrubs come to life after being dormant for the winter season. Having a relaxing garden enhanced with features is a great idea. You don't have to spend a fortune to transform it into a haven of delight.
Have a think about the layout of your garden this coming spring and how to improve it. Try to keep in mind the bigger picture of exactly how your garden will look when it is complete. The garden is a place where you can add as much or as little as you like to suit your budget and taste. Why not consider the following features?
Stone pathways and steps ‒ add charm to your garden with a stone path and steps. You can weave it in and out of vegetable gardens or flower beds which can often help a garden look bigger than it really is. How about a short path that goes through part of your garden or leads from the front of the house to the back? Different coloured stone pathways and steps offer maximum effect, are easy on the eye, and can blend in with any floral colour scheme.
Outdoor ponds and fountains ‒ many enthusiastic gardeners enjoy nothing better than adding an outdoor fountain or pond to their gardens. The sound of a water fountain can add a sense of relaxation to any garden while a pond can create a natural habitat for birds and fish. Many gardens cry out for a water feature, which are available in a wide variety of different styles and designs such as:
- tiered
- table top
- wall
- spitter
- urn
Garden ponds are the perfect place to put water plants and fish. Plants help ponds blend in with the landscape of your garden, while fish, for example large Japanese carp, provide movement and colour to a pond. There's a good range of garden pond plants to choose from, for instance, deep water emergent plants, floating plants and along with submerged plants.
Fencing ‒ something as simple as fencing can also create a feature in a garden. Check out picket fences, which are a basic wood fence that will help to keep your garden private. Most types of fencing can complete the layout of a garden without being too intrusive. You could have a fence around your entire garden or a small trellis at one side of your property. Why not have knee high fences installed to divide different areas of your garden, say the vegetable patch from the flower borders?
Wooden log cabins ‒ imagine how a wooden log cabin will look surrounded by a beautiful garden. Quality, garden log cabins can be used in a number of ways. They are ideal to store bicycles, camping equipment, gardening tools, barbecues and garden furniture during the winter months. Wooden log cabins are versatile too. Create your own gym, workshop, art studio or even have a log cabin as an outdoor office. Use a log cabin as a second home to experience what living in the great outdoors is all about.
Garden lighting ‒ for a more professional look to the layout of your garden, add garden lighting. You can install garden lights on your patio, porch, along pathways and even in garden flower beds. Garden lighting is very useful during early evening, providing light, depth and safety. You can even buy lighting that is charged by the sun through the day and then automatically turns on at night.
Wooden gazebos and pagodas ‒ a gazebo provides an exciting feature to any garden or yard area. It can create a wonderful focal point, or somewhere to relax and entertain. With so many different types of gazebos to choose from, you're sure to find one that will blend in with your garden's layout, character and style. Gazebos have a traditional appeal and are a great place to put a garden bench or other types of seating when you have company. A wooden pagoda can be used to train climbing plants over it like clematis, sweet peas or wisteria. Opt for a wooden or metal pagoda to fit in with the character of your garden.
Trellises and planters ‒ trellises and planters can help a garden look more organised. Why not have a mix of trellises and planters made from wood, ceramic, terracotta, as well as plastic? Using different styles and colours can brighten up dark corners especially where vivid plants are grown. Have trellises and planters scattered throughout your garden to give it a fuller look, which can be more appealing even on a dull day.
Raised Garden Beds and Patios
Surround your wooden log cabin with raised garden beds. This innovative idea makes gardening much easier and when the beds are full of beautiful spring flowers, they are a pleasure to look at. Don't forget to add small trees and shrubs to a raised garden bed to protect the plants from wind and heavy rainfall. Many keen gardeners choose to have raised garden beds in the front of their property, on one side of their garden or along back fences. Raised garden beds can be created as large or as small as you wish and also in different shapes.
Take the layout of your garden in spring to the next level with a concrete or wooden decking patio. Create a patio area outside your back door, where you could have a barbecue and sit back to admire all your gardening hard work. You can put garden furniture on a patio, such as a wooden table and bench, a wrought iron table and chairs or a comfortable swing seat. Most outdoor furniture is water-resistant, so you don't have to worry when the weather takes a turn for the worst. In the hot summer months, use an umbrella shade, while in the autumn buy a patio heater so you can still sit outdoors and admire the views of your garden.
Garden Accessories
A wooden log cabin will look even better if you have garden accessories nearby such as:
- plant stands
- plant boxes
- bird baths
A bird bath will invite wild birds into your garden while plant stands and boxes offer protection and a good place to plant delicate flowers. Hanging baskets are also a good idea along with quaint window boxes filled with perennial plants that will flower year after year. Make the layout of your garden in spring time extra special for the rest of the year.
