If you want a high-end look for your garden design our top tips will help you make the right choice
When thinking about landscaping your garden, it’s a good idea to pinpoint any elements you like and want to keep, and use this as your starting point, particularly if you’re on a budget. Next, consider how much you have to spend. Is there enough to adapt the existing scheme, or go for a total overhaul, with a completely new planting design and landscaping? If money is tight, it may still be possible to rejuvenate a tired-looking design simply by taking a fresh approach and injecting some new ideas, such as adding one feature that transforms the scheme.
1 Mix materials instead of uniform patio pavers
Versatile gravel and other pebble chippings are economical to buy, easy to spread and widely available, so they’re a practical choice if you’re looking for ways to bring a landscaping project in on budget but are running out of affordable hardscaping ideas. They’re also a good option if you like the idea of mixing up the look by adding some pavers in among the gravel to customise the look. This lends itself to a loose and unstructured style of planting using a mix of perennials, ornamental grasses and ground cover plants, which are all affordable options at the garden centre.
“Breaking up hard landscaping or fully paved areas with a combination of pavers and gravel has lots of benefits,” says garden designer Christine Wilford. “Certainly, it saves costs, but it also contributes to the environment as it creates a permeable surface that lets water run through. With increased flooding issues now a real concern, this is a really important consideration. A combination like this can be enhanced with plants, which is beneficial for the environment, too, and encourages wildlife.”
2 Designer lighting doesn’t have to be expensive
Considered lighting adds another dimension to landscaping and turns the space into an evening space as well as enhancing the house exterior. But less is more — too much can look overdone and add to costs.
“A little light goes a long way at night,” says design director Luke Thomas of John Cullen Lighting. “A few carefully positioned fittings can still ensure your garden becomes a magical extra room at night. Single-source, high-output floodlights should be avoided at all
