Garden & Outdoor Supplies

When you’re hoping to take part in a garden project – regardless of scale or scope – it can be difficult to know where to start to carry out the procedure effectively and efficiently, especially if you’re conscious of your time or budget.   

Your garden should be a relaxing place to spend your time; you don’t want to get bogged down with hassle and stress. At the same time, maintaining such a space can prove challenging. To help cut down on the hassle and leave you more time to enjoy the fruits of your labour we’ve listed some key tips to keep in mind when working on your next garden project. 

Whenever you add something to your garden, it will affect the amount of free space you have left. Whilst, for some, this may not be an issue it all depends on what you value most in your outdoor space. If you’re an avid gardener, you may be happy to give up some of your lawn to install a new flowerbed. However, if you use your garden to relax, you may find that space to be at a premium. 

Keeping in line with your preferred styling will also be important. If you have a minimalist town garden, large, complex, and expensive oak garden furniture will likely clash with its surroundings. The best approach is to pick a centralised theme, for example, a particular style that is currently prevalent in your garden and build on it whilst ensuring all the furniture and buildings match. 

Alternatively, if you are looking to undertake a complete refurb, you can find your favourite looks and styles outside your garden. The internet is a fantastic resource for this – find out what other people are doing with similar spaces and see if any of these appeal to you.   

Similar to above, working with your space rather than against it is important for those looking to create compact yet accessible gardens. Consider filling nooks and crannies with smaller flower beds, or even hanging baskets if you’re struggling to locate ground space.  

If you’re after an office or shed but are lacking the room, you can try looking at more different shapes of buildings or even a patio and gazebo combination. Alternatively, consider relocating raised flowerbeds and furniture, or even repositioning some of your patio slabs to create the space that you need. 

Wind, rain and sun are all important to consider when planning out your next project. Not only in terms of working around them but also in the future, once your project is finished and you need to maintain it throughout the year.  

Generally speaking, outdoor work is best carried out in warm and sunny weather. Though some products are suitable for installation in the cold and wet (albeit they are a minority). Such products should only be used if it is explicitly stated on their packaging, manual or online product description. And even then, we would recommend avoiding this wherever possible, leaving big garden projects for the warmer and drier parts of the year. 

If you’re thinking of building a patio, consider using an umbrella, a pergola, or a similar product/structure to keep the rain or intense sun away and enjoy the outdoors for longer. However, avoid putting plants in the shade in this way, as they’ll struggle to get the water and sunlight they’ll need to flourish.  

Bear in mind that patios, decking, and garden paths become extremely hazardous in the cold, and you’ll need to prepare these surfaces with grit and salt when winter rolls around if you intend on using them in any way, even if it's just a quick trip up the garden path to tend to your shed or greenhouse. 

With any garden project, you’ll likely consider beautification a top priority and it makes sense, but do take care to ensure aesthetics don’t get in the way of practicality. Filling your garden with flowerbeds teeming with plant life will make maintenance all the more challenging. This won’t be a problem for more avid gardeners but bear in mind that year-round care of just a few plants is tiring and often time-consuming work.  

Many of us love water features and garden lights – they add plenty of character and charm. But it's always a good idea to be mindful of the energy cost when it comes to running these additions. Powering a water feature even for a few hours a day can have a noticeable effect on your electricity bill, and heating products are even more expensive. Take running expenses into consideration when investing in these otherwise wonderful products. 

The bigger your garden is, the more features and additions it possesses, and the more maintenance are going to be required to ensure everything looks its best and remains in good working order. No matter what you add to your garden, you’re going to have to maintain it. Every flowerbed needs weeding, every patio and deck will need cleaning, and every shed will need a good clean-out and repairs if it springs a leak.   

Every garden building usually requires a particular method or tool to keep it in good condition. Some will also require a variety of oils, stains and other cleaning products. This is something to think about when you’re looking to add more to your garden. Do your research into whatever recommended accessories you'll need and consider the time and money that would need to be invested - particularly into larger investments such as summer houses or garden offices.