Think of your garden or outside space as an extra room in your home. If you design natural garden ideas uk garden, patio or decked area well, you can use the space for most of the year � not just the summer months.

Tamara KellyDigital Editor 1st March A garden, terrace, balcony or any outdoor space is somewhere to be treasured. It's wonderful to be able to wander directly outside from your home, without the need to be suitably dressed for the natural garden ideas uk world, cup of coffee in hand.

A garden lets you spend time outside in your very own sanctuary that you and other members of your household can enjoy exactly as you want to.

Whether you want to natural garden ideas uk on your own first thing in the morning at breakfast, have somewhere for natural garden ideas uk children to play and run around, or host large-scale al-fresco dinner partiesa garden is a special place. The green fingered among you may also want to express your inner Alan Titchmarsh with beautiful arrangements of flowers, or even aspire to self-suffiency by growing your own vegetables.

Turn your garden into extra living space Gardens are often neglected spaces because many people are uncertain how to tackle. They're also generally at the end of natural garden ideas uk long list of other home improvements.

However, the benefit of being able to go outside and having extra space really can make life in the home far easier, particularly if you Fairy Garden Party Food Ideas Messenger have a family or several people living. The key is to achieve a balance between the size of your garden and what you would like to use the space. A compact balcony would benefit from a small, brightly coloured bistro set and some potted plants, while a larger garden may allow for several zones to be created to accommodate your needs.

For example, you could have a dining table positioned close to the house for convenience, you want to minimise walking time between the kitchen and table. There is a trend now too to have natural garden ideas uk furniture that lets you lounge as if you were actually in your living room.

A sofa and armchair set-up is a great option for enjoying drinks with friends or if you prefer to eat in a more informal way � you could include a 'coffee table' natural garden ideas uk your plates.

Fire pits are a great addition to a garden, taking on the role of a fireplace. They really come into their own at night, providing warmth and extending the amount of time you can spend in the garden. To have a lawn or not? Natural garden ideas uk your space is compact and you want a low-maintenance approach to gardening without lots of mowing and natural garden ideas ukconsider paving stones or decking.

You don't need to include any flower beds - simply dot potted trees and plants around for interest and colour. Alternatively, if you love the idea of grass, but don't have much time for mowing, faux grass could work for you. Nowadays, it looks fairly realistic and needs little care or attention. A real lawn is still unbeatable in terms of comfort underfoot and for lying down on a picnic blanket with a good book.

It does take some effort, but it also brings rewards. Whatever you choose, the trick is to be realistic about the amount of time you want to spend tending to your garden. What you don't want to happen is that it becomes overgrown and full of weeds. What to plant Once you have worked out the layout of your garden, you can get started on deciding what to grow.

Generally, most plants thrive in a sunny area with well-draining soil. If it's a south-facing garden so much the better. Try to provide plants with some shelter from the wind, such as a fence, but do avoid shading them too much such as with a big tree.

Also avoid planting next to hedges, where the soil tends to be quite dry. If your garden doesn't have much sun, there are still plenty of plants you can choose, such as Alchemilla mollis, Geranium nodosum and Campanula persicifolia.

Garden lighting Garden lighting makes a big impact outside, just as it does in the home. Position lighting on the exterior wall of the house to provide practical light for dining or hanging up natural garden ideas uk washing.

Then think about accent lighting at a lower level to highlight an interesting tree or plant, for example. Garden storage A garden shed is a good investment for keeping any tools and mowers cleanly and safely stowed away. A natural-wood finish will suit any garden scheme, but if you like, you could try painting it in a pastel shade for a cute country look.

Rented garden ideas Loft conversion ideas Natural garden ideas uk price negotiation tips Kitchen pantry ideas 9 kitchen design mistakes to avoid Pointless home improvements. Garden ideas Think of your garden or outside space as an extra room in your home. Cottage garden ideas � create a charming country-style garden in any setting.

Structural planting, clever lighting and built-in furniture transforms an unloved outdoor space. Outdoor living room ideas � how to create the perfect living space in your garden. Expert tips on creating a workspace in your garden � for a better working from home set up.

Summer house ideas � how to create inspiring garden rooms for a dream outdoor retreat. Shed paint ideas � natural garden ideas uk how to pick and apply the right weatherproof paint for natural garden ideas uk job.

Garden seating ideas � outdoor seating to suit all, from small balconies to family gardens. Brilliant budget garden ideas � boost your outdoor space without breaking the bank! How to build a garden room � everything you need to know about planning and building a room in the garden. Garden room costs � how much is a garden building for a home office, gym and.

Lawn care tips � expert ideas for healthier grass and improved turf. How to plan a small garden design for families, overlooked spaces and reluctant gardeners. How do you get stripes in your lawn? Lawn expert Andy Wain explains how to get perfect lawn stripes. Artificial grass � everything you need to know about costs and laying a low-maintenance lawn. Garden landscaping ideas � how to plan and create your perfect garden. Garden landscaping costs � how natural garden ideas uk to pay for garden landscaping.

How to clean a BBQ grill grate and base � using steam, onions and even beer! Planning your garden makeover A garden, terrace, balcony or any outdoor space is somewhere to be treasured. Keep everything watered It may sound obvious, but the sun can quickly dry out a garden in the summer months.

A newly turfed lawn will need to have at least 45 minutes to one hour of sprinkler time during dry natural garden ideas uk, particularly if it's hot. Once the grass is established, which usually takes two to three weeks, you can ease off the watering a natural garden ideas uk. Plants will also need a good glug of water from a watering .

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Our gardeners have written some top tips for making your Raised Bed Garden Ideas Uk Drama own compost at home. Follow this cost effective, step-by-step guide to help your garden - it will help reduce waste, too. Make sure your garden fences have some gaps at the bottom. This will allow wildlife to move through from plot-to-plot.

It will also help link different habitats together. Flowers look beautiful and bring colour and scent into your garden. They also provide food for many insects. Grow as many varieties as possible to ensure colour from spring through to autumn. Go for native species, if possible. Learn to relax about weeds. Plants such as nettles, daisies and buttercups are important sources of food for many insects, including butterflies and moths.

They flower for a long time, whatever the weather. And so provide food when other sources might be absent. From bird boxes to wildflower seeds, our online shop has lots of great things to help encourage wildlife in your garden. Our wildlife and the lives of future generations are at risk unless we change the way we farm our land.

Peter Nixon, our former director of land, landscape and nature, explains why. All over the country our wildlife is in trouble. But here are seven of our farms where our tenant farmers are working to bring nature back.

From restoring the gardens of the past to wild planting for the future, head behind the scenes and find out what it takes to look after your favourite gardens. Want to discover more than gardens, or pick up horticultural tips from our green-fingered experts? Browse all of our gardening content in one place to find your next inspiration.

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Read more: Garden mirror ideas to flood gardens with a little ray of light. Create extra precious surface area for pots and pretty accessories by putting up some shelves. Ideally they should be mounted into brick, as your garden fence might not be able to take the weight.

Reclaimed scaffolding boards are an inexpensive solution, supported by wrought iron brackets that you can pick up for a few pounds from your nearest DIY store. The wall-mounted shelves will clear up your floor space from lanterns and plant pots.

A recycled peg rail can also become the perfect place to hang outdoor lighting. Make a small garden feel bigger by making it feel like a continuation of your indoor space. Making the most of the space makes it more valuable, no matter how small. A plethora of potted plants adds foliage, but as post are moveable you get a sense of freedom to change things around from time to time. Invest in a compact dining solution, such as this half-sized table.

The small dining set slots neatly against a wall, serving the purpose without encroaching on the limited space. Create the illusion of space by zoning a garden layout. Put down a decorative outdoor rug to define a seating and dining area. The floor covering will act as an anchor point, so you can arrange furniture sociably around it. Giving purpose to each area helps to create the sense of space, by outlining more than one use for the garden.

Draw the eye up with a cleverly painted backdrop, creating the illusion of extra height and space. A simple two-tone block colour treatment can jazz up any expanse of garden fencing. Using a dark colour helps to make more of a statement with the effect, it also compliments green foliage beautifully. Grab extra seats for when needed. Invest in a few oversized floor cushions for when you have guests over. Floor cushions are less imposing than alternative garden seating solutions.

Plus they are easy to pile one on top of the other when not in use, ideal for easy storage. Pattered or brightly coloured cushions will also help to inject personality into the space.

Make a shed work harder in your small space by making it multifunctional. Use the shed to house garden furniture in the winter, then open out into a bar for garden parties and alfresco sundowners in the summer months.

Cheers to that idea! Make the most of your small space by taking things to different levels, with vertical shelving. This nifty ladder hack creates a planting solution that creates extra space to showcase potted plants and garden accessories.

The height allows you to use more space, more efficiently. If your small garden space is a courtyard think about how you can use every inch of space to full potential. Often a courtyard area has the potential to feel very enclosed, simply by the nature of looming brick walls surrounding it. Using clever corner seating will not only use the space most effectively, the high-back sofa design can help to hide a large portion of said imposing walls.

This in turn will distract from the walls and create the illusion of space. Even the most modest outdoor space can include a greenhouse for growing plants. This tall cabinet-style design comes from IKEA � simply position and fix against a wall in a sun-drenched spot outside.

Use sleepers to built a simple trough that can be fitted directly under your kitchen window. Just open the glass and reach out to grab what you need. The ultimate in alfresco relaxation, a hammock can be squeezed into the smallest patch. Plus, it will instantly transform your garden or patio into a chilled-out scene to rival any beach bar in Ibiza. Hang under shade for a protected snoozing spot.

When not in use both ends can be hung from the same hook, to fold it away � to allow the space to used alternatively. You might only have room for a chair or two, so what happens when friends come over? Add some cushions for comfort, in colours to match your plants. Living, or green, walls, once the domain of designer installations and pioneering commercial sites, are increasingly making their way into residential gardens, and more importantly, small gardens.

These gloriously textured plantings make great use of limited space. To create these vertical gardens, plants are rooted into a structure that is attached to a wall. A range of herbaceous perennials, grasses, small shrubs, herbs and even fruit and vegetables can be used. Try including scented plants, seasonal flowers and bulbs, but talk to your local garden nursery about plants that will suit the aspect and microclimate of the wall on which they will be grown.

Love this small garden idea? READ: How to make a living plant wall. Think of your exterior like you would an interior. White paint is often used to make the most of a small space because of its brightening and lightening properties, and gardens can benefit from this trick, too. With white painted brickwork and white garden furniture, this is a beautifully summery scheme that has serious style.

Add lots of pots, filled with everything from the tiniest flowering plants to tall and bushy trees. Make use of a fence to add colour and greenery. Climbing plants and trellises are a great solution for small gardens, as they lift flowers and foliage up off the ground. Even the tiniest terrace can be transformed into something exceptional.

If your garden is short on square footage, a planted terrace can be a good solution, combining elegance with low maintenance. Simple paving such as travertine or traditional stone creates a sleek or rustic look, while clever planting will soften and provide privacy.

Just add comfortable seating to create an ideal outside room. If space is tight, make sure that what you have is working hard for you.

This well-planned garden has a raised flower bed, garden wall and garden seat all rolled into one. Greenery provides shade, privacy and interest up high, while the wall offers a handy ledge for lanterns, plus practical built-in seating.

Cushions bring the comfort of indoor living outside and add a lovely hit of colour. Make a small space attractive and ensure a crisp contemporary look with strong landscaped lines.

Create interesting interlocking zones with distinctive materials, such as woodstained decking, pale patio slabs and decorative stones or chippings.

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