A blank canvas of green turf, new build gardens present the perfect opportunity to get creative and really make the home your own.
Pinterest can be a great source of inspiration but ultimately, your garden should be a haven for you, so think about what you enjoy and what it is you want from the space.
Do you enjoy nature and bird watching or does the idea of evenings spent around a firepit with friends more your thing? Perhaps a quiet man cave or a peaceful pond appeals more?
Create sub sections
Depending on the space, you might be able to include multiple areas or sub zones, so to speak. This can be a great idea for families who may each have their own ideas about how they want to design the garden.
You could divide the garden using different materials and textures such as stone or wooden decking, though you could plant hedges for a more natural look.
Adding height with different trees such as hornbeam is also a great way to create privacy, though you may prefer bamboo or trellis screens.
A lot of first time gardeners steer clear of adding trees and bushes but many are easy to maintain and attract an abundance of curious creatures.
Ditch the lawn
Towering palms and wonderfully wispy fawns can provide a tropical alternative to a lawn, afterall, who wants to spend their Saturdays mowing?
Getting rid of your grass for other greenery can make your garden much more manageable, depending on the variety of trees, shrubs and flowers you choose.
Remember – the areas of your garden that sit in the direct sunlight can get dry, so if you plan to plant, try big bold hedges of pittosporum. These thrive in dryer conditions and can provide much needed shade to thirstier plants.
Create a kid’s corner
Fluffy spires of pink from astilbes are perfect for fairytale inspired nooks in the garden. Children (and adults!) can enjoy the peace and wonderment that a fairy garden can bring and when planted next to a vegetable patch, they make the perfect distraction for little ones while you plant and pick.
Don’t be afraid to include other props for your kid’s corner too – Gumtree and council tips are great places to look for potential play features such as small rustic boats which make a great pirate ship when placed in a sandpit.
Invite nature
You’d be surprised at the variety of life that stumbles in a garden, even one that has been recently laid. Hedgehogs, beetles, blue-tits and frogs are frequent visitors in many UK gardens, often looking for food or a home.
The National Trust has lots of ideas on how to invite nature into your garden and we’ve listed some of our favourites below:
- Hang a bird feeder (you can make your own using most items in the recycling bin and some string!)
- Build an insect hotel by piling small logs
- Make a pond using a plastic container, rain water and stones
Start a no-dig veg patch
Food glorious food. There’s no better feeling than enjoying fresh ingredients picked from your own patch.
Orange chilli peppers pop in a kitchen garden and grow well with garlic and basil but feel free to grow crops that you enjoy and eat regularly.
You don’t have to designate a huge amount of your space for a vegetable patch, though it’s important to place it in a sunny spot with at least 6 hours of sunshine a day.
Raised vegetable beds can help you to avoid a bad back. If you’re a keen upcycler, there are some great tutorials on how to make them from wooden pallets.