Make the most of your outdoor space

Careful landscape planning will ensure you get the very best outdoor space for your home. Find out how you can maximise the appeal while maintaining the budget with our outdoor area checklist.

Consider the four seasons when planting

In smaller spaces, structure is even more important, so you need something that will still hold that structure even when the plant is bare of leaves. Think about branch shape and structure for winter, blossom in spring, foliage shape in summer and colours in autumn.

Do your landscape design in stages

Concentrate on the space closest to the house to begin with, then extend outwards. Or perhaps establish some patches around the property with specific features - like benches, rock gardens, water features, pergolas or arbours - which can eventually be linked up to form a coherent whole.

Choose the right landscape professional

A professional should listen to your landscaping ideas and employ them if they're realistic. But they should also explain to you when your ideas won't work and why. 

Give your outdoor space a 'wow' factor

Some of us will do anything to impress our guests. If you're like this, consider the 'wow factor'. A feature - whether a plant or a hard landscaping element like a water feature or a sculpture or some spectacular outdoor lighting - will draw the gaze and provoke gasps of admiration or envy.  

Hooray for horticulture 

One of the many reasons why it's wise to consult an expert in plants is that they have at their disposal a vast list of possibilities for your garden. They'll know what will work where, how much maintenance it will need and how much it will cost. It will save you time and money in the end.

Work the web

A good way of researching designers is to check out their work online. Use keywords like 'landscape', 'design' and the name of your home city in a search engine and see what comes up. Often you'll discover quality designers and be able to view their work and decide if it suits your needs.  

Contact a landscape professional in your are to find out ways you can make the most of your outdoor space: