The garden is one of the most important features of any home, whether you live in a huge country house or a modern, terraced property in the middle of a busy city. After all, your garden is your very own part of the great outdoors. It’s the place where you can relax in the sun with a great book, enjoy an alfresco lunch on a hot summer’s day, and enjoy some quality family time around the firepit as night falls.

However, if your garden is looking a little worse for wear, the chances are you won’t be taking advantage of it. The thought of settling down to enjoy a cup of tea amongst overgrown weeds and rotten garden furniture isn’t the most inspiring, and you may find yourself neglecting to make the most of your outdoor space even during the sunniest days of the year.

If this sounds familiar, it’s time to revamp your garden. Alongside mowing the lawn, clearing up debris and planting an array of colourful flowers, there are a few significant changes you can make to give your garden the transformation it needs. Here we share five fun and creative ways to give your outdoor space a boost and make the most of your garden:

Illuminate your garden 

There’s nothing better than enjoying the sunshine from the comfort of your own garden, however, this generally isn’t an option during the working week. By the time you’ve arrived home, prepared dinner and taken care of any other tasks that need to be completed, the sun has often disappeared and the temperature has dropped. While wrapping up in a blanket and enjoying the cool evening air is still a brilliant way to make use of your garden, a lack of lighting can become a problem.

To continue using your garden even after the moon has started shining, why not experiment with different types of outdoor lighting? Soft outdoor lighting can help create a wonderfully cosy atmosphere, which is perfect whether you’re enjoying a late dinner with a loved one or you’re hosting a garden party for your closest friends. 

There are many ways to incorporate outdoor lighting into your garden design, including:

• Decorating your trees and hedges with solar-powered fairy lights 
• Hanging glass lanterns from your conservatory
• Installing path lights to add a soft glow to your garden floor
• Putting up festoon poles and stringing fairy lights between them

You can either light up zones of your garden (i.e. if you have a patio or canopy) or place lighting styles all around to cast an overall glow across your lawn. Outdoor lighting can be purchased on a whole range of budgets, so this is a great way to transform your garden while saving the pennies.

Create a firepit

From toasting marshmallows on a bonfire to enjoying a drink by a beach campfire, it’s true that many social events take place around a fire. There’s something so special about sitting around a fire, exchanging stories and singing songs, whether it’s the middle of summer or the depths of winter. With this in mind, what better way is there to revamp your garden than by creating your very own firepit?

Whether you’re proud to have a huge, green lawn or your garden is a small courtyard and patio, having a firepit built is a simple yet effective way to create a natural focal point and social area. People are naturally drawn towards fire and warmth, so this is certainly a garden feature which will leave both you and your guests impressed. There are many ways to create a firepit, including:

• Purchasing a pre-built firepit. You can choose between stone and metal options depending on your preferred tastes.
• Build your own circular pit with clay bricks. This can look as rustic or as modern as you like.
• Recycle some leftover patio slabs by using these to create a circular or square firepit. 

Whatever style of firepit you opt for, it’s important to consider the area around it, too. For instance, you’ll need to consider what type of seating you’ll choose.  If you’re working to a budget, buy some large floor pillows and blankets for a cosy feel. It’s always important to consider safety, especially if you live with young children or pets, so make sure you have a guard around your firepit. 

Experiment with colour

If your garden is looking a little tired, one of the easiest and most effective ways to give it a boost is to experiment with colour. From planting beds of colourful flowers to giving your garden fence a lick of paint, there’s no end to the list of ways you can add colour to your garden. This is a brilliant way to let your personality and design preferences shine through while creating a garden you love spending time in. If you’re hoping to experiment with colour but aren’t sure where to start, consider:

• Painting your flower pots different colours or patterns.
• Revamping your garden furniture with colourful throws and cushions.
• Creating a feature wall by hanging brightly coloured flowers and fairly lights from your fence.
• Painting your garden furniture – a lick of paint can brighten any bench or dining table. 

When it comes to playing around with colour, the choice is yours. You can make changes which are as subtle or as bold as you wish, so get creative! 

Add a water feature

Like firepits, water features can act as a beautiful focal feature in any garden. No matter what style of garden you have, whether it’s a traditional English garden full of roses and lavender or a Japanese-style Zen garden, there’s a water feature for you. Water features can transform a garden instantly by adding a touch of luxury and elegance and are therefore a brilliant investment to consider when giving your outdoor space a makeover. 

There are many different styles of water feature to consider, including:

• A pond. Having a pond built is a brilliant way to encourage more wildlife into your outdoor space and introduce new plants into your garden, such as water lilies. If you like the idea of fish swimming about, consider koi carp, golden orfes or goldfish. 
• A waterfall. Waterfalls can bring a sense of luxury to your garden and can grab the attention of anyone who steps outside. If you already have a pond, you could even pair the two to create a standout water garden. 
• A fountain. The trickling and splashing of fountains can bring a sense of vitality to your garden, whether you opt for a small stream or a gushing flow of water. There are many different styles available, depending on your preferred tastes.

It’s no secret that spending time in nature can have many health benefits, and exposing yourself to the relaxing sound of flowing water is a great way to achieve these benefits from the comfort of your own home.

Open up your garden with beautiful external doors

Whether you’re born to host family barbeques in the summer or you just love to sit in the kitchen with a book, listening to the trickle of your outdoor water features, opening up your garden and making it feel like an extension of your home is one of the most effective ways to make the most of it. One way to do this is to install stylish sliding patio doors which open up and remove the boundaries between your home and garden. 

With unobstructed views of your pride and joy, you’ll be able to make the most of your garden without actually stepping outside – perfect for those rainy days, cold winter mornings or times when you’re working from home at the kitchen table.  

After all, when you’ve spent time and money revamping your garden and transforming it into a gorgeous place for you and your family to enjoy, there’s nothing better than showing off your hard work with a set of beautiful glass panel doors. By leaving your sliding doors open, you can enjoy the delights of your garden while dining at the kitchen table, preparing food or entertaining guests, adding an undeniable sense of luxury to your outdoor space.

Sliding doors also make it easier to enjoy your patio space, as you’ll be able to sit and enjoy the sunshine without having to stray too far for a glass of water or moment of shade. This is also ideal for when you’re hosting garden parties, as your guests will be able to mingle with those stood outside and inside at the same time, aiding the flow of conversation and encouraging everyone to interact. 

Lifestyle Designs: Leading installers of double glazed doors, windows and conservatories in the UK

Whether you’re hoping to revamp your patio space with stylish sliding doors or to add value to your property with a beautiful glass conservatory, look no further than Lifestyle Designs. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, we specialise in helping customers across the UK transform their living spaces according to their preferred tastes and lifestyles and are proud to install and repair a range of high-quality windows, doors and conservatories.

As one of the leading window and door manufacturers in the UK, we can guarantee that the quality of our installations is always of the highest standard. This, along with our track record for tip-top customer service and affordable rates, has allowed us to develop a reputation for excellence that reaches further than our HQ in Stoke-on-Trent. 

For more information about how we could help revamp your home or garden, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Lifestyle Designs today.