Following a sunny spring in lockdown and a summer that was mostly good enough to spend outside, many of you managed to take some time to improve your outdoor areas with some planning to continue garden renovations into next year.
With all of the garden tips and ideas we put out there we wanted to know if any of you were listening, and it seems you were! We wanted to hear about some of your outdoor projects to turn any tired areas into alfresco retreats and from small painting jobs to installing composite decking lighting and adding mirrors to building fire pits, it seems you’ve been busy.
Here are the top trends that you’ve been taking up in your garden this year.
A quick paint job
A great way to liven up any fence or tired wooden furniture, it seems that many of you grabbed a paintbrush to give a few areas of your garden a new lease of life. It’s surprising what a coat or two of paint can do to uplift and create a much more welcoming space. Neutral colours came out on top with greys and subtle greens being used on walls and fences to give an earthy vibe and tie in the surroundings. As ever, little pops of colour within furniture and plant pots were popular and some of you even attempted a mural or two – very impressive!
Brightening up your patios
Certainly one that has been needed during those sunny spells over last month as the sun goes down, you have been seeking more light in order to brighten your backyards. From mood or ambient lighting to make your outdoor calmer and cosier, to soft and diffused lights such as hanging lights and sconces to uplights that highlight some of your favourite plants, we love hearing of all the ways in which you are illuminating your outdoor spaces. But our favourite has to be those who installed integrated composite decking lights to provide a seamless look and added safety where steps are concerned. We love it!
Children’s play area
With so much time spent indoors this year and with youngsters stuck at home, it seemed that outdoor play areas were the focus of many a garden update. A fantastic way to keep kids busy and burning off their energy, play areas – like the popular Berg Playbase, which is a flexible base that can adapt to outdoor play over the years, and even become an outdoor gym – as well as large lawns to enjoy football and other sports were invaluable to parents this year.
Well placed mirrors
A mirror can work wonders within a garden space, no matter how big or small, so we aren’t surprised to hear that many of you have been creating a little illusion in your backyards. City dwellers with smaller outdoor areas were popping large mirrors up on walls to create the effect of a bigger space and it does work wonders, while those with sprawling greenery and spacious retreats were using them to add personality to the space.
Treehouses of dreams
Every child loves the idea of escaping to their own garden hideaway, so we loved hearing about how so many of you created a treehouse for your little ones. Something to entertain for hours and what a great way to take home-schooling to the next level, these lucky children have surely enjoyed being outside, learning about nature and probably loved the whole building or installing process too.
Bring on the heat with fire pits
With extended time at home meant extended stays in our gardens, as late as possible, and it seems that fire pits were the way to make this happen. Of course, it helped that garden centres and outdoor specialists cottoned onto this too providing a great selection of options to choose from. The centre of get-togethers, a beautifully designed fire pit can also serve as an excellent focal point, which seemingly made it ideal for when small groups were allowed to congregate once more.
Pizza time
Pizza ovens have gone crazy this year, it seems that you can’t be on Instagram for very long without spotting someone whipping up an Italian delight in their outdoor pizza oven – along with all that banana bread and sourdough, of course. The handy contraptions pop out pizzas in about a minute – OK, there’s a little effort that goes in prior to this – making those seemingly long days all the more manageable, so we weren’t surprised to hear that these handy ovens were joining barbecues in the cooking sections of your gardens.
A whole new world with rugs and carpets
Bringing the indoors out to create a comfortable seating area, outdoor carpets and rugs have been a top choice when it comes to inducing a little atmosphere into the proceedings. Adding personality and style with a range of designs and colours to suit any type of outdoor flooring, it’s a great way to tie in the overall theme that you have in your garden. Small but effective – we like it!
Sheds and outbuildings
Whether it was for a home office retreat, to while away the hours with a good read or to house those handy gardening tools, it seems quite a few of you were turning your attention to obtaining a shed or outbuilding for your garden. And, as the nights drew to a close, many were looking for galvanised lighting to lead the way to and from the house and outbuilding, while brightening up their garden with style.
Now is a good a time as any, as they say and it certainly seems as though many of you used the extra time at home this year to add value and a little love to your gardens. We are thrilled to have been a positive influence in any way.
