Turning your garden into a space for the family

0
760

One lesson the past 12 months has told many of us is that we need to sort out our gardens. This is particularly true when we have a family to entertain. Spending time in our outdoor space can provide some of the happiest summer memories, but only if we’ve made it a pleasant place to be. Here’s how to turn your garden into the perfect family space.

Clear up clutter

If you have a small garden then clutter can take up valuable space that could be used for outdoor seating, a climbing frame, a goal for backyard football, and a million and one other things that are better than dumping clutter. It’s an eyesore, so you don’t really want to invite guests outside, and it can even be dangerous for children playing in the garden. Remove it and your mind will fill with hundreds of ideas of how to use the space.

Take care of the grass

A lot of gardening takes time and effort, but not the lawn. If you use a garden strimmer to cut the grass once a week, you can keep your lawn looking amazing with minimal effort, and the whole garden benefits because of it. Letting your grass grow too long will ruin the aesthetic and also limit your enjoyment of your green space. But taking a bit of time to keep the grass short will mean summer picnics, games of cricket and afternoon naps aplenty.

Add garden furniture

This will not only add character to your garden, but will also inspire you and your children to spend more time outdoors. It might be just a couple of sun loungers, a dining table for alfresco dinners, a corner sofa around a fire pit, or even a summer house positioned in the perfect spot for day-long sunshine (which also houses some of the kids’ toys currently swamping the living room!).

Getting good quality furniture is a must, because unless you have a large shed it’ll need to survive the harsh elements that winter throws at it. And it’s a good idea to think about the style you’re looking for. Do you want it to be playful with lots of colours, contemporary and classy, cosy, or have a bit of everything? It’s your space so you choose.

Add decking

This alone is like an extension to your home and can form the base for playing games, relaxing, entertaining guests or just simply getting some fresh air. A patio is another alternative for if you have young kids and are looking for something a little less slippery underfoot.

There are so many ways to spruce up your garden. And if you ask all members of the family what they’d like the outdoor space to be, it can be a project you work on together with an end result that pleases all.