Plots to consider

Got a garden project in mind but drawn a blank when it comes to ideas? These ones should get the creative juices flowing, writes

ARE you at the early stages of planning for a garden makeover or improvement later this year?

Are you still hunting around for the right ideas and inspiration to incorporate into your revamp?

Start here by picking out the images you like and saving them to your own garden project ideabook. These ideas are aimed at little gardens or terraces, but many can be adapted for larger plots too.

●●Champion purple and grey

This winning colour combination is perfect if your taste is contemporary and restrained. The smooth, batten-style fence is also a shortcut to a contemporary-looking garden, as opposed to the more traditional roughto-touch featheredge or closeboard panels.

This garden also shows how a little change in levels can go a long way to adding interest to a small plot. Just two shallow steps and that neat but only slightly raised bed really helps to define the seating area, while also leading the eye towards the friendly yet ordered planting scheme beyond.

Sticking to one main colour for your planting is great if you’re not a very confident planter. You might not get your beds looking as professional as these award-winning ones, but you can have a go by choosing lots of lavender, dotting in taller blooms, such as alliums, as seen here, and filling the gaps with low-growing evergreens.

●●Invest in excellent lighting

With a tiny garden, patio, roof terrace or balcony, you still have options for creating a special space.

If you can’t add different levels, have no chance of a lawn and barely have one flowerbed, consider spending wisely on really good lighting design.

With the right planting, whether in pots or growing up walls, as here, you can give your outdoor space drama and probably even induce garden envy from those with roomier patches.

It’s worth getting professional design advice about how best to create an impact with lighting, though if you’re on a tight budget, even investing in a few uplighters and spiking them into your beds or pots will go a long way. Chances are you’ll still need a pro to get the wiring in place, ideally before the space is finished and planted, so wires can be tucked away. ●●Add a fireplace

An outdoor fireplace is arguably even more special in a tight spot, as you’ll enjoy it from every part of the garden. It’s also a good way to get more use out of your plot, as it’ll remain inviting even in cooler months. There are so many choices for design. You could plan for something built and designed into the rest of your space, like this, or even invest in an outdoor freestanding wood-burner or chiminea.

●●Embrace gravel

Gravel, as an extensive garden surface, can be underused. We tend to think more about choosing between lawn, decking and harder surfaces, such as paving. But if you want something softer than the two latter options, but aren’t sold on grass or its artificial cousin, then gravel could fill the gap for a Mediterranean accent.