Spruce up for outdoor living

Get your garden, courtyard or balcony looking fabulous with gorgeous plants, comfy furniture and sassy styling

your go-to entertaining space for summer is just beyond the back door. So get your garden looking fabulous with gorgeous plants, comfortable furniture and personal touches, then lead your guests right through your home to the outdoor haven you’ve created. And, when no-one is coming around, sit back and enjoy – it’s your space! ➤

1 Make clever use of a compact garden

space by placing a family-sized table front and centre, then surrounding it with generously planted garden beds. Here, a luscious planting mix includes white hydrangea, blue salvia, lavender and Russian sage.

2 If you have all the right cooking and entertaining props at the ready, you’ll find you dine outside all the time. A trolley on wheels (once called a ‘traymobile’) is super convenient for transporting food and wine, and you can push it undercover when the weather turns.

When you need a separate space for work or play, look outside. Search online for backyard cabins and prepare to be blown away. A home office, man cave, she shed or teenage retreat – the choice is yours! You can have your cabin installed or DIY from a kit. Simple!

Make sure your trolley has at least two lockable castors so it doesn’t go wandering!