A wooden fence of any kind will always help create a truly striking look in the garden, while affording you all the privacy you need to enjoy your outdoor spaces without having to worry about prying eyes and passersby. However, over time you may start to see the timber start to show signs of wear and tear. This is entirely natural, of course, since the fence is exposed to the elements at all times, which can give rise to a range of different issues that you’ll need to keep on top of if it’s to stand the test of time. One common concern that many homeowners come up against is a greening effect ..read more

Before you do any landscaping design project, it’s essential to sit down and do some extensive research into the different styles, ideas and approaches you could adopt so as to avoid potentially expensive mistakes later down the line.  Knowing what you like and what you don’t will help make the decision-making process far simpler, ensuring that you’re happy with the end result. One of the most popular garden design trends for 2024 is naturalistic planting, where you veer away from prescriptive, ordered layouts and planting patterns to embrace instead the idea of working with the earth in ..read more

As beautiful as trees undoubtedly are, when it comes to garden landscaping and redesign, it may be necessary to clear some additional space in order to achieve the desired end result. A mistake that people often make is thinking that because they own the land, they’re entitled to chop down any and all trees they like. However, doing so can actually land you in a bit of hot water if you’re not careful, so it’s always best to err on the side of caution and make sure you have the necessary permissions in place before you get the chainsaw out. Always get in touch with your local authority before c ..read more

A large welcoming driveway will always be a beautiful addition to any home, increasing the value of the property, making it look appealing from the outside and giving you somewhere to safely park your cars away from the road. However, if you’ve never embarked on a project of this kind before, it can be something of a minefield and it can be difficult to work out where to begin. To help you get started, here are just some of the more frequently asked questions about driveway installations so you can avoid potentially costly mistakes in the future. If you need any further help or advice, don’t h ..read more

Picking the right kind of wood for your garden fence can be a bit of a minefield and, because fencing can be quite the investment, it’s essential that you take the time to find the best option for you and your home. Factoring in requisite maintenance work, safety and security, and longevity will help you decide which timber would suit.  Hardwood timber, for example, is taken from slow-growing trees like oak, which makes it more expensive and it’s also tricky to treat, so longevity can be a concern. You can use some kind of surface protection but this will likely need to be done at least o ..read more

Naturally, when it comes to home renovations, we put a huge amount of focus on the interiors of our properties, but it’s important not to neglect the outside of the house as well, particularly if you’re keen to add serious value to your home while providing you with all the useable space you and your family need. There are all sorts of ways in which you can add serious wow factor to the external areas of your home, but one option that might be especially show stopping if you have the space to play around with is a wraparound patio or decking area that extends around the entire perimeter of the ..read more

There are various materials to choose from when in the planning and design stages of a new driveway installation, everything from resin and brick to stone, tarmac and gravel, but one enduringly popular option is concrete, famed for its strength and durability, as well as how low maintenance it is. The biggest benefit by far of opting for concrete is just how long it lasts. It represents an excellent return on investment because, when it’s installed properly and professionally, your driveway can last up to 50 years without you having to do much in the way of maintenance work at all.  It’s ..read more

Turning your house into a smart home doesn’t just involve innovative thinking inside the property. You can also use all sorts of amazing technology to transform your garden and other outdoor spaces into smart hubs, helping you keep plants well watered and on top of all the other maintenance jobs you need to do. Smart garden sensors, for example, can be used to set watering schedules to take the pressure off and give you the freedom to go away for days at a time without worrying about your prize roses. You can even set them up so that they know how much water to apply and to which parts of the ..read more

Having a garden at home, big or small, is a very real blessing, giving you the opportunity to spend lots of time outside in the fresh air, reaping the benefits of feeling closer and more connected to the natural world. However, our inner peace can quickly be disturbed by passersby glancing over into our garden, or by our neighbours overlooking the space from their next door property. If this is something you’re keen to avoid, you might want to put privacy landscaping ideas at the top of your priority list, so you can continue enjoying your outdoor spaces without having to worry about prying ey ..read more

There is a wealth of design options available to you when it comes to hard and soft landscaping, but one relatively new concept that might prove of particular interest is that of neuroarchitecture, spaces that have been designed based on notions of healing and happiness, and people’s emotions. Advancements in neuroscience are such now that it is far easier than it used to be to measure and understand how our perceptions can be influenced by different shapes, colours and so on.  You can even use virtual and augmented reality to judge reactions on different design ideas before they’re imple ..read more