Home & Garden

People install  low voltage outdoor lighting  for a number of reasons.  For some, the goal is to provide some level of security by illuminating the home. Obviously, keeping burglars from breaking into a home is important so when it comes to security, outdoor lighting is an exceptional option.

Not only is low voltage lighting for the home great for security, with so many different designs and styles, this is also a great way to enhance the appearance of the home.  For instance, you could add lighting in various shapes in the garden area, use lantern lighting to light up a winding pathway, or a combination of patio umbrella lights  and  patio string lights  to liven up your patio.

Low voltage outdoor lighting Also Reduces The Cost of Energy.

With the current economy, why not make choices that will save money.   One way is by using low voltage outdoor accent lighting. With this, you still get all the illumination you want but for a fraction of the cost when compared to other lighting types.  Using low volt bulbs, the amount of energy consumed is dramatically reduced.

This is perfect if you want to keep your lighting on for a few hours. It is also great if the main reason you are using an low voltage outdoor lighting system is to keep burglars at bay as the lights are very bright. It will definitely send out a message that someone is at home.

Finding Unusual Shapes

Most of the time you can order low voltage outdoor lighting systems that come in conventional housing, however if your garden or home has a certain theme then there are other shapes you can choose from. One example is that you can have your low voltage outdoor lighting system come in housing that resembles a starfish, seashells, or other lawn ornaments. These fun shapes will take visitors to your home by surprise and will definitely make your home unique.

Best of All, low voltage outdoor lighting Is So Simple To Install.

If you would like to install the lighting system by yourself then you can expect to save some money.  The outdoor low voltage wiring system is the easiest lighting system to install at home. However you should have some experience with wiring before attempting to install this system.

If you don’t have any experience then it’s best to leave this to the professionals as even with a low voltage system there is a risk of electrocution. Choose lights based on what fits the aesthetic of your home best. You want to make sure that it doesn’t jar with the overall décor; you need to be especially careful with an older home as modern fixtures often look garish on old homes.

• Protective Qualities: Rust Resistant
• Finish: Powder-Coated
• Features: High Back
• Includes: 3-Seater Sofa, Ottoman, Seat Cushions, Back Cushions, 1 Chair, Ottoman Cushion, End Table, Coffee Table
• Number of Pieces: 5
• Frame Material: Aluminum, All Weather Wicker
• Chair Dimensions: Length: 33.5 “; Width: 27.25 “; Height: 38.25 “
• Table Dimensions: Length: 45.25 “; Width: 24.25 “; Height: 20.13 “
• Sofa Dimensions: Length: 33.5 “; Width: 27.25 “; Height: 38.25 “
• Ottoman Dimensions: Length: 22.75 “; Width: 18.25 “; Height: 18.75 “
• Accent Table Dimensions: Length: 20.25 “; Width: 20.25 “; Height: 20.13 “
• Olefin
• Polyester Fiber
• Care and Cleaning: Wipe Clean With a Damp Cloth
• Warranty Description: 1 Year Limited Manufacturer Warranty

South Calli Wicker Outdoor Furniture 5-pc. Set

Your personal taste is reflected in the style and quality of your outdoor furniture set, so when you are selecting pieces make sure they fit with the overall look and feel of your home.  Furnishings for patio garden furniture have made extreme changes over the years.  Gone are the days of plastic or web lawn chairs and loungers.  At one time, that is all you would see when it came to outdoor furniture sets.

Whether on their patio, deck or just in the backyard, people love spending time outdoors.  A recent survey found that over 90% of Americans have some kind of outside patio furniture space to socialize and enjoy the sunshine.  The trends in outdoor furniture have proven that your outdoor furniture set can be elegantly stylish or realistically simple.   It is very popular to design and create a lush, relaxing, resort like exterior furnished with luxury patio furniture, outdoor flat screen TV’s, accessories and rugs, and pro-level outdoor kitchens.  All this rivals indoor furnishings for beauty and functionality.  

Wooden patio furniture that is cedar has always been a part of trends in outdoor furniture.  Its easy care, durability and great appearance made it a reality to use it from the construction of outdoor decks to the creation of beautiful outdoor patio furniture sets.
Outdoor Furnishings designs are very fashionable with deep seating cushions on the chairs, elegant marble or glass table tops and oversize attractive umbrellas to protect from the sun while dining outdoors.   The price range is varied depending on the actual construction and the size of the patio furniture set.  

The most popular materials you will find are aluminum or stainless steel.  They come in a wide array of fashionable colors and styles that can be customized to fit your outdoor decor needs.  Today, outdoor living is an essential part of a person’s home decor and homeowners want an attractive outdoor living space where they can entertain their guests and relax with the family.  

After the spring and summer demand for outdoor furnishings has calmed down, fall is the time of year that you will get the best deals with discount outdoor patio furniture.  Spring is when you will find the largest selection to choose from.   Whether you shop at an online furniture store or you shop in a traditional outdoor store, you are sure to see the latest trends in outdoor furniture sets as you browse to create your ideal outdoor living space.

Considering buying an outdoor fountain but feeling a little overwhelmed by all the choices? Here’s how to choose an outdoor fountain in five easy steps.

1. Consider Your Maintenance Routine. Are you the type of person who keeps up with the maintenance in your yard, or do you tend to let things go a bit? Take a peek outside. Are there weeds in your flower bed? That should tell you something. And if so, that’s okay. When you purchase an outdoor fountain, just select a more casual style in a moderate size so the upkeep is simple and minimal and one that goes with the rest of your yard.

On the other hand, if your yard is meticulous and you thrive on doing all the little upkeep activities to keep it that way, a formal fountain may be more your style-and you can go with a larger size because you’ll do a good job of keeping up with the cleaning, clearing debris from the water and the pump, and other tasks associated with a large outdoor fountain.

2. Highlight Your Personality. When selecting an outdoor fountain, consider your individual personality-or the collective personality of your family and your home. Are you formal and meticulous or warm, witty, and whimsical? If you’re the former, a traditional, symmetrical fountain is probably your best pick. If you’re the latter, you might love an outdoor fountain featuring frogs or a frog spitter, puddle ducks, or squirrels. Do you have a particular fondness for angels or gargoyles? They make water fountains featuring them-and many other themes that might match up with one of your collections or passions.

3. Think About Other Family Members. This may sound odd, but consider your other family members before selecting your outdoor fountain-including your four legged friends. Will you mind if your dog drinks from the fountain? If not, you might want to get one where the water basin stands at an appropriate height so he can easily reach it without jumping up. If you don’t, consider an outdoor fountain where the basin is higher and the dog won’t be able to reach the pool of water.

Do you have small children? Is there any chance they will climb in, on, or around your fountain? If so, you want to be sure your outdoor fountain won’t tip easily so your child doesn’t get hurt. You’ll also want to be sure the size of the pool of water in the basin doesn’t pose a drowning hazard, as well, particularly if children are ever left unattended in the yard.

4. Evaluate Your Outdoor Space. If you have a small yard or a tiny covered patio, you can still have an outdoor fountain. But you may not want to purchase an extra large fountain that overwhelms the available space. There are many outdoor fountain options, and there’s an option for every space available. You might want to consider a tabletop fountain to sit on a small ornate table on your patio or a wall fountain that can be mounted on the side of your house. Either way, you’ll get all the great benefits of a fabulous water feature while still keep the fountain in proportion to the rest of your home and outdoor living space.

5. Shop Around. Don’t necessarily buy the first fountain you see. Take a look at department stores, discount stores, lawn and garden stores, boutique and gift shops, and online. Get a good idea of all the different options available before you make your decision-since this isn’t a purchase you’ll make every day and you want it to be perfect for your area. Make an educated choice and purchase at a price you’ll be pleased with, too.

If you have a veranda or a patio, you will probably have some furniture that you use in that area as well. There is no doubt that you have a wide choice of furniture for your garden to choose from, and sometimes it can be difficult to get it all organised in the best possible way.

We’ve all been out shopping and spotted something for the garden that we really like, and so we buy it on the spot. Unfortunately we haven’t taken the time to measure it or really think about where it will fit in! The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you is to plan your furniture carefully before you buy it.

The first consideration is how big your garden is. Do you have more than one area that you could use to place furniture in? Some people like to save their bigger pieces of furniture to use on their veranda or patio, as well as keeping another area of their garden free for something a little more intimate and peaceful.

In this case you might find that instead of going out and buying a brand new large garden table and chairs, what you actually need is a small bistro set for the bottom of the garden. By considering what your needs are you will find it much easier to organise your furniture in a way that will ensure it is used much more often.

The main rule is not to buy anything else until you know exactly what you have at the moment. If it helps, bring every single piece of outdoor furniture you have into the middle of your lawn – you might be surprised by how much you really do have! This is particularly the case if some items are kept in storage during the winter, or for most of the year. It isn’t uncommon to forget about some items altogether.

This exercise can also help you to see how various items fit in with the layout of your garden. For example, if you have fences all around the edges of your plot and you have stained them all green it might look a little odd if you have another shade of green furniture that clashes with it. Consider placing it elsewhere or re-staining the furniture if you can.

Don’t forget about other items of garden furniture as well, such as statues or bird tables. These all count towards the final look of your garden and you might find that the little oasis you are planning with that bistro set at the foot of your garden looks even better with a bird table placed nearby as well.

You should always consider all your options before arranging or buying new furniture for your garden, even if that means putting it in different places to see how it looks before making your final decision. This will take some time to do but the end results are well worth it, because you will end up with a garden that you love to be in.

Buying furniture online need not be a scary proposition. Armed with a few tips for a successful search, anyone can make an informed, comfortable decision when it comes to finding outdoor furniture. In most cases, local stores will not offer the same selection, pricing or quality that a quality outdoor furniture online retailer will, making an online purchase a smart decision. Here are ten things you should keep in mind when shopping for outdoor furniture online.

1. Look for the Warranty Statements

Any Outdoor furniture retailer or discounter worth considering will have a clear, well written and definitive statement of warranty OR clearly state there is no warranty on their products. It is recommended, however, that you strongly consider patronizing online sellers that will back their products with a warranty on manufacturing defects for a certain period of time. These statements should be easy for you to find, and make sense without having a law degree. Many online outdoor furniture websites will warranty the furniture they sell for a certain period of days after the furniture is received. Others worth considering highly will warranty their furniture for 5 years, 10 years, or longer.

2. Read Guarantee Policies and Return Policies

When considering an online purchase for smaller, less expensive items, these policies are still important, but not nearly as important as when you’re spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on outdoor furniture. An online furniture shop worth its weight in gold will clearly state its guarantee and return policies, and those policies will more favor the customer, and not the shop’s interests. What happens if you receive shipment and are not comfortable in your furniture or it is clearly not what you had expected? Look for a money back guarantee to help with peace of mind. Most good outdoor furniture websites will guarantee your satisfaction within the first few weeks or longer.

If you DO need to return the furniture, be sure you understand the return policies BEFORE you buy. The standard practice for online outdoor furniture companies is to require the purchaser to pay return postage and a restocking fee of anywhere from 10% to 20%. So be prepared, just in case. However, some retailers will pick-up the tab for return shipping and charge no fee. Of course, if you do your homework on a site you’re interested in (keep reading), you should be a satisfied and happy customer!

3. Take Note of Shipping Policies and Charges

Shipping outdoor furniture can be expensive. Shippers are now charging businesses by box volume and not by actual weight. Some companies will offer very low prices to snag you early on, only to surprise you with higher than expected shipping charges. Stay away from these outfits. The best online retailers will be up front with their shipping charges or even offer free shipping (while still offering good and fair pricing.)

Most outdoor furniture sellers will offer one standard shipping service through a major national carrier. Don’t fret if you find this to be the case with your chosen retailer. Most customers will receive their shipment within 10-14 business days depending on the online seller, although sooner is becoming more common. If one shipping method is offered and you need your furniture sooner, don’t hesitate to email or call the online store (they’ll have their contact information clearly posted if they’re reputable (see below)) and ask for a quote on faster delivery. Be warned, though. Expedited shipping service can be very expensive.

4. Look for Quality Pictures and Thorough, Descriptive and Grammatically Correct Descriptions.

When you read the product descriptions and look at the pictures, do you get the impression that the online business understands what they’re selling? Is it clear that the business has taken time to present it’s products in the best way possible to its potential customers? You as the customer should have a clear idea of what the outdoor furniture product is, how it looks, and how it may look in your home setting. A business that makes it difficult for you to view and understand the products may not be worth your time. This could be an indication of potential future customer service snags.

5. Read Customer Testimonials

Probably the best way to gage your potential future relationship with an outdoor furniture business, customer testimonials are your window into business practices and product quality. Look for happy customers satisfied with their outdoor furniture purchases. Even more, however, look for those testimonials that may mention a hitch or snag in the purchase process and how that customer is now satisfied with their purchase – perhaps even to the point of recommending that business to their friends and family. This kind of testimonial should carry almost more weight than a whole string of gushing customer comments.

6. Be Sure the Outdoor Furniture Website is Easy to Contact With Questions.

Does the “contact us” link display more than a box for you to enter your email address and question? It should. Look for a physical address and a phone number (preferably a toll free number) when browsing the outdoor furniture website. This information should be easy to find and up to date. You’ll want to spend your money at a business that is unafraid to list its physical address and a customer service phone number. When making a purchase of this size, dealing with an anonymous online seller is tantamount to gambling. Don’t do it.

7. Watch for the “Padlock” When Checking Out.

Outdoor furniture websites worth your time have invested in a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate and will use credit card processing by reputable, reliable companies (Paypal, Google and http://Authorize.net for example). When entering the checkout process from the shopping cart, look at the beginning of the site address. If it begins with “https://” and you see a padlock in either the address bar or another portion of the browser, your information is being encrypted as it is sent, and is secure. If you don’t see this happen, think twice about sending your information.

8. Look for a Site Pleasing to the Eye.

If a site is put together well, it is worth your browsing time. In all actuality, if it looks good to you, you’ll stick around even if you don’t remember this rule! A business that wants your business will make it easy for you to find what you want and set you at ease with the shopping experience. Outdoor furniture websites come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the “mom and pop” small, simple website to the slick, ultra refined furniture clearinghouse. Shop where you are comfortable!

9. Expect Your Email/Phone Questions Answered Quickly and Courteously.

How much does it appear an online retailer wants your business? If they do, they will respond to your questions and requests in a timely fashion. Emails sent to an online outdoor furniture website should be responded to the same business day with either an answer or an acknowledgment that your email has been received and will be replied to shortly. Further, phone calls should be answered promptly or, if a message is left, the voice message is responded to in a timely fashion. You as the customer should always feel that you are the most important person to a retailer, be they around the corner or half way around the world online. The online business that treats its customers well is the business you want to highly consider.

10. Check a Website’s Track Record and Longevity in Business

Although a newer business doesn’t necessarily mean it is less reliable or less trustworthy, finding an online outdoor furniture retailer that has a longer track record can give you more peace of mind when spending large amounts of money on furniture.

There are a few ways you can determine the length of a website’s time in business. Many sites will have a copyright statement in the footer. This is a good place to begin. Another hint to a website’s vintage is to look at the number of customer testimonials or customer comments. Sometimes comments will be date stamped, giving a clue to how long ago purchases were made. You can also look at the “About Us” area of the website for hints to how long a website has been in business. You may find that the website you’re browsing is fairly new, but the company behind it has been around for years and years.

Keeping these things in mind when shopping for outdoor furniture should result in a very satisfying experience for you. Shopping online today has become as ubiquitous as running out to the mall to shop. Armed with the right knowledge and the right questions, you will be happy with the outcome.

During the summer months, there are many different types of gifts that you can give friends and family to help them enjoy the much-anticipated season even more. If your friends and family enjoy hosting barbeques and other outdoor events on their patios, porches, or decks, consider surprising them with solar powered outdoor lights. These lights, along with many other outdoor patio gifts, are great for ensuring that the summer extravaganza’s last all night long.

Solar Powered Lighting

Outdoor lights are extremely useful, and serve as great gifts to give for any occasion. As the multiple different styles of solar powered lights gain energy from the sun during the day, they are able to illuminate various areas of the lawn for up to eight hours of the night. These handy lights will automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn, always being there when you need them.

Solar powered lights are available in a number of different styles. Whether you are interested in regular lanterns that perfectly adorn backyard tables and fences, or you are more intrigued by lights that hang onto and light up flag poles, there are multiple options available when it comes to properly illuminating a lawn area. There is also an array of solar powered lights available that light up walkways and driveways to ensure safety during the evening hours. The solar powered lanterns give off enough light to enjoy the outside area while never increasing the home owner’s electricity bill.

Solar powered lighting options are also aesthetically pleasing. Most products can match any outdoor home décor, depending on the type of lighting you invest in. Consider purchasing a stainless steel fixture that can get put directly into the lawn, or opt for net lighting that can be placed over bushes and trees. For a unique gift, consider PVC solar tube lights. These LED powered lights can either wrap around trees or mailboxes as well as decks, gardens, and walkways. Whichever style you choose for your home, you are guaranteed to obtain a subtle light perfect for evenings out on the deck, porch, or patio.

Other Outdoor Gifts

There are many other types of outdoor patio gifts that your friends and family would be greatly interested in. From themed outdoor presents to useful gifts for that summer party your family is hosting, outdoor gifts can be the perfect addition to any home.

There are many outdoor gifts available for those themed parties that your friends and family host every summer. Help decorate for the Fourth of July party this year with nationalistic flag lights that show off your patriotism. These adorable lights hang on a ten foot long string, and can be wrapped around trees, railings and doorways. If your friends or family are extremely patriotic, they can even leave these lights up all year long!

Summer barbeques and parties would not be the same without a late night bonfire. Nothing will get the fire going like burning money! This summer, get the fire pit started with Money to Burn fire starters. When placed between kindling and light, these slow-burning, wax rolls of money stay lit until your wood catches fire. It is also a great prank to play of unsuspecting family members!

Themed cups, plates, bowls, and other serving items are also great gifts to bring to any barbeque or party this summer. Consider bringing your delicious summer treats to the party in chill containers, great for keeping food cooler for long periods of time. To entertain the children, invest in a condiment gun. This plastic gun triggers fun by giving a shot of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, or any other spread, to any food that requires one! For extremely warm nights, consider surprising your friends or family with an outdoor double fan. This wonderful investment is weatherproof and keeps everyone cool on super hot days. This fan also helps to keep mosquitoes and other annoying pests away.

There are many different types of outdoor patio gifts that you can bring with you to any of the fantastically fun summer parties you plan on attending this season. When purchasing a gift for an outdoor area, it is important to search for something that is durable, weatherproof, and long lasting. Whether you are giving your friends or family members lights to illuminate their yard, or if you are bringing serving dishes to help feed all of the hungry guests, you want to make sure you are giving the recipient something they can actually use and appreciate. Take your time to peruse the items that in store and online retailers have to offer.

Are you a homeowner who is interested in redecorating your home, namely the outside perimeter of it? If you are, there is a good chance that you may be interested in buying new lawn and garden furniture. If you have yet to make a decision, as to what type of lawn and garden furniture you would like to purchase, you may want to examine teak outdoor furniture. Teak outdoor furniture is nice because it is beautiful, strong, and dependable.

If you are interested in buying teak furniture for your outdoor space, your first thought may be to start shopping right away. While this is more than possible to do, you may want to take the time to seriously think about your teak outdoor furniture purchases. This may help to make sure that the decisions you do make are the best ones for you and your home. When it comes to buying teak outdoor furniture, there are a number of important factors that you will want to take into consideration.

One of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when buying teak outdoor furniture is the location in which you are interested in decorating or redecorating. This may play an important role on the type of teak outdoor furniture that you buy. For instance, your garden space may be smaller than your patio space and visa versa. You will want to try and determine, ahead of time, how much room you have for teak furniture and how much space you would like your teak furniture to take up. This will make it easier for you, especially when it comes time to buy your teak outdoor furniture.

Your preference is also another factor that you should take into consideration. Teak outdoor furniture is so beautiful, especially because of its natural wood look and feel. That wood look and feel is what makes it so that many people can automatically envision teak outdoor furniture in their gardens or on their patios or in their pool areas. If you are able to envision teak outdoor furniture around your home, what do you see? Better yet, what do you want to see? While you may not necessarily end up buying your preferred piece of teak furniture, it is something that you may at least want to examine. Many times, you will find that your first thoughts or first impulses are the best ones.

Cost is another one of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when looking to buy teak outdoor furniture. Teak furniture can be considered expensive, depending on your current financial situation. Although teak outdoor furniture is more than worth the costs, you may be looking to outfit your garden, patio, or pool area while on a budget. If that is the case, you may want to think about starting out small and only purchasing a few teak outdoor furniture pieces at a time. Of course, you can also carefully choose where you shop. By doing business with a furniture supplier, instead of a traditional retailer, you are often able to get factory direct prices, which are significantly lower than retail prices.

Speaking of where you can buy teak furniture from, it was previously stated that you may want to think about buying teak furniture from a supplier that offers factory direct prices, which are also commonly referred to as discount prices. Of course, though, the decision as to where you want to shop is yours to make. For that reason, you should also know what your alternatives are. You may be able to find outdoor teak furniture available for sale at one of your local retail stores, like a home and garden store, as well as being offered for sale by online retailers.

If you are interested in buying outdoor teak furniture for your home and if you would like to save as much money as possible, you may want to checkout TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com. With quality, yet affordable teak outdoor furniture, you are sure to find exactly what you were looking for with TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com, plus some. To help keep the costs down, you they also offer free shipping if you reside on the US Mainland.

ePatio Place

Wicker furniture is made from thin, slender branches woven around a frame to create variously shaped items. The wicker itself can be made from any number of materials including willow, bamboo, rattan, reed, or synthetic materials. Its soft feel is a rarity for outdoor furniture options. Wickerwork doesn’t require the same level of skill as, say, fashioning wrought iron, but it does involve intricate craftsmanship. Basic wicker furniture isn’t that hard to create, but the best pieces out there can only be made by experienced wickerwork artisans.

The Appeal of Outdoor Wicker Furniture

Outdoor wicker furniture has a lot of things going for it. It’s lightweight but sturdy, creating durable but easily moved outdoor furniture. It’s also considerably cheaper than either metal or wood furniture. Of course, you could always go with plastic, but plastic lacks aesthetic appeal. Outdoor wicker furniture has many of the same benefits of plastic, but looks a whole lot better on your patio. And to top it all off, wicker furniture is among the most comfortable outdoor furniture there is.

Outdoor Wicker Patio Furniture Maintenance

Outdoor wicker patio furniture isn’t going to fall apart you after its first storm, but taking good care of your outdoor furniture will increase its lifetime exponentially. By taking some or all of the following measures, you’ll keep your outdoor wicker patio furniture looking like new. For basic sheltering, buy furniture covers to keep your furniture from the elements as much as possible. You could also store your wicker furniture when you’re not using it, but this is an unnecessary inconvenience. Your covers should be easily removable but still keep your furniture relatively protected.

More than just water, excessive heat can also damage your outdoor furniture. Too much heat will dry your furniture out, making it brittle and easily frayed. As much as possible, place your outdoor patio furniture in the shade where you can keep it from the heat and provide a more comfortable sitting space for yourself, too.

If your outdoor wicker patio furniture does fray and crack the varnish, you’ll need to recoat it. Without a sealed varnish, significant damage can come to your wicker furniture rendering it unserviceable. Plus, recoating your patio furniture will help keep it looking like new.

Indoor Wicker Furniture

Wicker furniture is most commonly placed outdoors, but it has its place indoors as well. Wicker storage chests and baskets can be a great idea for your bathroom, for example. Also for inexpensive and pleasing furniture in kids’ rooms, wicker furniture is the perfect blend of style and usability. You don’t have to go with the traditional look of wicker furniture, either. It can be painted to match the decoration in your kid’s bedroom. Be it storage chests or miniature furniture, most homeowners find some use for indoor wicker furniture. Naturally, indoor wicker furniture requires considerably less maintenance than its outdoor counterpart, but it’ll still need the occasional dusting.

Gardens appeal to the senses through pleasing structural layout, formal or natural, and the effective use of colour, scent and features. But by also being practical and comfortable, pleasing and refined, helps to create calming surroundings that one loves to enjoy.

By the time winter ends, gardens can take on that all too common but disappointingly jaded look, some can be distinctly uninspiring whilst others show signs of neglect. But as spring time approaches, and daylight hours slowly extend, now is the ideal time to take a hard look at the garden and identify how to rejuvenate the outdoor living space.  

Where to start

At a basic level, garden areas should be clean and clear of clutter. Beyond this a range of annual remedial works might be required, for example, is the fencing and paved areas in good condition? Are trees and shrubs neat and tidy? Are lawn areas green, groomed and refreshing or simply jaded weeded patches?

Apart from the remedial works, the rejuvenation of the garden area will ultimately be scoped by the attention to details such lawn and patio areas, tree and shrub planting, as well as water features and lighting etc which will collectively determine the value of the overall experience and how we enjoy the ‘outdoor room’.

Lawns – should be in good condition, evenly cut with crisp well defined neat edges, weeded and clear of all fallen leaf and grass cuttings. Pale looking lawns can be restored to vivid green with the application of fertiliser. If problems are more serious and lawn is infested with weeds, consider removing old lawn and re-sodding area with new roll turf. Whatever the area size, a well maintained level and groomed lawn makes very striking impression whilst coordinating all the other aspects of the garden area.

A natural stone cobble edging (set in sand and cement and approx 25mm below ground level) not only provides a practical mowing strip but clearly defines lawn profile.

Patios – sometimes particularly in north facing sites which tend during winter periods to be shaded and damp, results in ‘greening’ of paved areas. This greening along with any residual grime, moss, and weed etc can be removed by power washing to restore the stone like new. Also available now are very environmentally friendly stone treatments that can be applied annually to prevent the greening effect. For some added visual interest to Patio areas, a few strategically placed colourful planters can have a dramatic effect. For optimum colour, probably best to use locally available seasonal planting. Other areas that would benefit from some colour include recessed areas which can be overlooked, driveways and entrance/exit points.   

Fencing – repair or replace broken boards or panels. A fresh coat of paint will work wonders for overall appearance. Colour here can be used creatively, light colours for natural or discreet backgrounds or ebony black can be used as a very effective foil to emphasise plant forms and colour and provide a more contemporary/urban look. 

Shrubs, Trees and Herbaceous Flowers – dead head i.e. remove faded blooms old flower heads, trim and prune trees and shrubs, especially low hanging or overgrown branches around windows or over footpaths etc. If there are obvious or unsightly gaps amongst the existing plants, consider carefully the importance of colour when selecting possible replacements. To bring out the bets in colour and impact, consider planting in groups (block planting). Do not overlook the importance also of scent within the garden, some areas for simple but effective ways of experiencing scent throughout the garden include at patio areas, near windows and along footpaths. Popular scented plant varieties include Lavender, Rosemary, Santolina, Helichrysum, and Daphne.

Water Features – water adds a new dimension to any garden, and there are now a wide range of styles and sizes from which to choose. Although ponds require much more regular maintenance and upkeep, all water features should be in good working order and clear of any debris. Water features are always eye catching and because of the mesmerizing appeal of and soothing qualities of running water, water features can be an invaluable addition to any garden. Best position for locating water features tend to be where people sit and congregate i.e. Patio where all the beautiful sight and sounds can be enjoyed. Also with the addition of some architectural planting and subtle lighting, water features can take on a different role at night and using garden light to illuminate water gently cascading over stones can make for a stunning focal point during darkness.

Garden Lighting – it is possible to eco–friendly and to illuminate the garden areas. Despite there low lighting capability there is a relatively small role for Solar lights, but for more impact albeit at low energy usage the popular choice for accent lighting at trees or shrubs are the energy efficient CFL bulbs and/or equivalent GU10CFL. Incandescent lamps should all be replaced with CFLs. For more general lighting LEDs are increasingly becoming an alternative to more conventional choices. Colour lamps can be used creatively to highlight particular plant forms or colourways, For gardens with large mature trees, cool touch metal halide lights which are recessed at ground/soil level can be used to uplight tree with dramatic effects.

Garden Design – most people enjoy gardens, for very a small minority gardens are places almost like museums, where plants can be enjoyed, fortunately for the vast majority of people, gardens are outdoor rooms or living spaces where plants, trees and shrubs are structural elements of a greater dynamic of environments for relaxing and living with families, entertaining with friends and playing with the children or pets. It is very important that before undertaking any rejuvenation of the garden area, that the design clearly defines the area in terms of structure, form and character throughout the year. Otherwise any improvements might just be piecemeal and incremental and an opportunity for greater enjoyment and lasting satisfaction lost.