With the weather steadily improving and the bank holiday only days away, now is the ideal time to turn your attention from the inside of your home, to the outside. If you have just moved house, or feel your garden needs a bit of a revamp with some garden fencing or timber decking, the extra days off work are the perfect time to make changes. And, if you want to focus on your garden this spring but need some inspiration to get you started, here are the five top trends predicted for spring 2014.
Nelson Potter is a one-stop-shop with all you need to create a beautiful outdoor space, from timber decking to garden fencing, wooden sheds, log cabins, garden gates, sleepers, patio furniture, outdoor seating and benches. Just click on the link below and browse our website to find your garden solutions.
Timber Decking – click here to find all the products you need to create an attractive alfresco dining area or veranda.
Five Great Garden Trends:
Creating a space for outdoor entertaining – Taking your indoor space outdoors and creating an alfresco dining area is a big trend that is set to continue. Outdoor furniture is on the list of must-haves this year and, if you don’t already have an allocated entertainment area, a patio or veranda will give your garden a huge boost.
A patio or timber decking not only looks good but will extend the use of your garden well into autumn. If you like to cook outside, a brick built barbecue is an appealing and practical investment to make, and having at least one patio heater means you can entertain even when the sun goes down.
Here at Nelson Potter we have some beautiful, low cost wooden garden furniture (link to http://www.nelsonpotter.co.uk/shop/garden-furniture.html) including table and chair sets and picnic benches that will enhance any outdoor space. Just visit us at our Suffolk premises near Woodbridge or Ipswich to find out more.
Having an eco-friendly theme – The last few decades have seen a rise in homeowners wanting to make either small changes or big strides to benefit the world around them. Composting is increasingly popular among gardeners, and while some have invested in a compost bin, others have created a more elaborate area designated to composting at the bottom of their garden. It means grass clippings, vegetable peelings and other kitchen waste can be turned into fertiliser to aid plant growth.
Another way to help the environment is to look after the wildlife. A good starting point is to buy or make your own wooden bird house. You can also make a bird feeder from scratch using wood and wire, and then add the feed which could be a combination of nuts and seeds.
If you are concerned about the drop in the bee population, there are ways you can help reverse this a little such as planting pollen and nectar rich flowers and shrubs. Among the bee friendly plants include willow and crab apple trees, hawthorn bushes, holly hedges, lavender plants, hydrangeas and fuchsias.
Growing your own fruit and vegetables – For centuries many gardeners have been keen to grow their own fruit and vegetables, either on their own land, or on an allotment. Cooking programmes such as River Cottage and Jamie Oliver’s TV series Jamie at Home has led to a revival of green fingered enthusiasts creating fruit and vegetable patches or herb gardens.
It is worth mentioning that home grown produce no longer consists of a few strawberries and a lettuce grown at the bottom of the garden. Fruit and vegetable patches are becoming more and more elaborate with some exotic varieties grown too. Patches are being created using wooden sleepers, with more complex tiered patches for sloping gardens. A solution for small gardens is filling planters or window boxes with herbs and using trellising for climbing plants.
Having lots of greenery including trees and shrubs – Gardens that are a mass of green and white have been an ongoing trend for a few years now. Even small city gardens containing lots of evergreens are very much in vogue, as are rural cottages flanked by greenery.
Gardeners are also showing more interest in tree planting – and this even applies to owners of small gardens! If you have the space, it is well worth planting at least one fruit tree as these are not only attractive, but are practical too, and over time you will reap the benefits of having home grown fruit.
Making the most of your front garden – Another trend is to give your home more kerb appeal to make it look pleasant to visitors and passersby. Painting timber fencing, creating a seating area, and having planters or well watered hanging baskets all help make your home look more inviting. And, if you are selling your home, you will benefit from attracting buyers through your front door.
About Nelson Potter
Whether you require timber decking, garden fencing, gates, wooden sheds, summer houses or garages, Suffolk based family run timber merchants Nelson Potter have some great garden accessories at fantastic prices.
Nelson Potter – click here to see more of our wooden garden products.