With Christmas well and truly out of the way and spring soon to be approaching now is a great time to start planning your garden so that you will be able to enjoy it to its maximum potential come the summertime. With this in mind here we take a look at the latest garden design trends that are set to be a big hit for 2017.
Stretching the Space
In order to gain the illusion of more space, gardens designed on the diagonal are predicted to increase in popularity this year. This is because when set at 45 degrees to the back of the house your eye will be drawn to the longest view of the overall space leading to the perception of more room than there really is. To enhance the overall effect and achieve the best results a path running diagonally across the garden flanked by architectural plants should be considered.
Alternatively if the diagonal garden design is not your thing but you still want to give the appearance of more space another up and coming way of tricking the eye is through the use of reflective surfaces such as stainless steel panels and mirrors.
Mood Lighting
In order to maximise the use of the outdoors during the hours of darkness it is essential that your up to date garden design encompasses some form of lighting. With hundreds of different affordable options already on the market there of lots of ways of effectively lighting the garden ranging from simple to elaborate styles. So whether you use cheap solar powered lights to define a path, use a spotlight to highlight your favorite tree or plant or use LED strip lights within the roof of a wooden gazebo to make it the perfect party venue the achievable results are really only limited by your imagination.
Bringing the Indoors to the Outdoors
Getting the maximum level of enjoyment from your garden is all about having comfort, practicality and convenience incorporated into the design. As a result features such as fire pits, pizza ovens, hot tubs, outdoor bar areas and super comfy lounge like seating sets are guaranteed to be must have features this season.
Garden Structures
Regardless of its existing design the addition of a timber garden structure such as a pergola, canopy or gazebo will help to transform the garden into something you can be proud of in 2017. In fact according to Gazebo Direct, not only do they provide a practical covered seating are for outdoor entertaining and relaxation, but they also add a great focal point, are perfect for supporting climbing plants and ultimately help to maximise the use of the space and improve your enjoyment of the outdoors.
Repurposing Old Items
With the rise in popularity of recycling another increasingly popular trend in garden design is to reuse old materials or to repurpose redundant items into something a little spectacular. Examples of this include turning a rusts old gate into an ornate outdoor grill for cooking, using old railway sleepers to create a retaining wall or even turning old bike frames into a fence.
The Use of Colour
Whether you have an old wall that seen better days and could do with a lick of paint, have an old shed that needs to blend into the background or have a timber garden structure such as the aforementioned pergola, gazebo, summerhouse or arch the use of color on these surfaces can really transform the look of the garden in just a few hours. For example you could consider painting the wall and shed in a matching pastel color to help soften the appearance coupled with a jet black stain to adjacent timber surfaces in a bid to create a bold contrast to the design.
In conclusion, if you are looking to make improvements to your garden this year there are lots of up and coming design trends to look at some of which have been detailed above so regardless of your tastes, property size, budget or skill level there is always going to be an option to suit. Therefore don’t delay, get planning today and you could be enjoying the fruits of your success come the spring and summertime.
