Alfresco Dining They say the kitchen is the heart of any home and this could be the same for your garden, the are many ways and styles of eating area you can add to your space depending on your needs; for example if you want a refreshing space to have your morning coffee then a cozy breakfast area that considers where the sunlight hits the garden in the morning might be something to consider. If your garden is the space where you entertain family and friends then a larger dining area with an outside kitchen would work perfectly. Potentially you might want somewhere to relax with a glass of wine after a long day at work adding a water feature near your alfresco area might be just what you need to add that extra something to your outside space. There are a few things to consider when designing your perfect outdoor dining area, if you want to use it all year round then cover and lighting are an important part of the design. If you're looking to cater for friends and family then a paved area and a built-in BBQ or Pizza oven area would be a vital part of the design.

Having A Spot Whatever The Weather Living in the UK the weather can go from beautiful clear skies one minute to cloudy and overcast the next. It's important to make sure that your garden can keep up with the ever changing British weather. Here are four ways that you can ensure your garden can be enjoyed all year round. 1. Consider lighting- Lighting is the perfect way to bring life to your garden when the nights get longer or you want to spend more time in the garden in the summer evenings lighting is the perfect way to extend the time you can spend enjoying your outside space. 2. Create a covered alfresco area- Creating a free standing cover over a patio or eating area that can withstand the weather all year round can be the perfect addition when creating an outside space that works for any season. 3. A garden room- The are many different ways to create the perfect garden room whether you want a cosy outdoor reading room or a tranquil office space having a garden room a great way to extend the use of your outside space. 4. Make sure to plant both winter and summer flowering plants- Make sure that your garden looks fantastic in the summer and the winter by planning your planting so that you can enjoy a bright garden even in the winter; plants such as Winter Honeysuckle, Snowdrops and Daphne can bring colour to a winter garden. 5. Invest in a fire pit- A fire pit is a fantastic way to bring some warmth to a winter garden as well as being a focal point in the summer months.

Feature items When creating your perfect outside space it’s always important to create character and personality in your garden one of the best ways that this can be achieved is through feature items. On previous jobs we have achieved this by creating a beautiful set of steps using bricks from on site that were over 100 years old. This ensured that the garden was tied in with the rest of the home as well as creating a beautiful character feature. When thinking of what character features you would like in your own garden it’s important to consider your own style and the features that make your home special, as well as thinking about how you would like to use your space. If you love to entertain then perhaps a hand crafted pergola would be the feature for you. Or perhaps you have a love of nature and want a garden that can be a great space to relax. If this is the case then an ecosystem water feature would be perfect for your needs. When considering features for your garden you may find that there are already some fantastic character pieces, but perhaps they need tweaking. When creating a feature with character you could consider reusing features that you already have, many can be repurposed to keep their character but have a new purpose in your garden. For example if you have some beautiful oak sleepers they could be repurposed to create rustic garden seating.