Seven ways to make the most of your outside space
Whether you’ve got a window sill, balcony, patio or lush lawn, making the most of your outside space is a great way to not only get back to nature, but can make your home more appealing to potential buyers too. What are you waiting for? Make your outdoor area beautiful as well as practical with these bright ideas…
Limited space
If you’re living in the heart of town and only have limited outside space, doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of it. These mini planters (£7.95 each, cuckooland.com) can sit on a window sill or in the corner of a balcony or patio and take up hardly any room. Perfect for cultivating your favourite herbs and therefore fully embracing the so-hip-it-hurts “grow your own” trend.
In a similar vein, this Cocktail Kit (£14.95, John Lewis) will ignite a horticultural fire in even the most reluctant gardener. Containing seeds specially selected to enhance your favourite cocktail recipes – think lime basil, mint and lemon balm – it even comes with a book of drinks suggestions. Now all you need to do is plant them and wait. And try to not drink all the spirits in the meantime.
These nifty little Philips LED lights (£79.95, maplin.co.uk) are perfect for adding intrigue to smaller spaces. And creating outdoor discos. What’s not to like? As well as being 100% portable, they change colour so you can create an ambiance to suit your mood too.
Larger areas
If you have a bit more space to play with, make it your priority to invest in these quite frankly magical solar-powered Lumify fairy lights (from £29.99, the solarcentre.co.uk). String them around your trees, hedges, even yourself, and prepare to dazzle the neighbours.
Got a serious budget to play with? If you’re planning on really making the most of your outdoor space and spending a significant amount of time in it, better make sure it’s as warm as possible (not that we don’t have full faith in the arrival of an Indian Summer at some point…), so invest in an outdoor heater. For something as stylish as it is useful, snap up the Morso Kamino outdoor heater ( £1,200, morsoliving.co.uk). As well as providing a focal point to any garden gathering, it omits a pleasing amount of heat, too.
Obviously, there’s no point in creating a dream garden if you can’t sit back in it and enjoy. Get a couple of these mega-comfy Bazaar Bag giant outdoor cushions (£64.99, beanbagbazaar.co.uk) and recline in style.
And finally…
If all else fails – hire a gardener. Do you remember THAT Diet Coke ad (and if not, here’s a quick reminder!)
While we can’t guarantee a 6ft-something vision of toned, tanned male perfection wielding a trowel at your saplings, there’s always hope… And getting a professional to come in and kick-start your own Chelsea-esque gardening campaign could be just the motivation you need.
Words by VICTORIA SMITH