How To Really Make Your Garden Part of Your Home

You always mean to spend more time outside in the garden that you have always wanted but somehow, it happens far less than you ever intended. Time, the weather, dark evenings, all these limit the amount of time you spend outdoors. Your garden should be an extension to your indoors living area, but you hardly spend any time wandering between the two. Don't worry, you are not alone. All too often the garden is forgotten, a rarely used space that people sometimes feel guilty about and sometimes think of as a chore. The good news is that there are a number of ways to bring your garden back to life and really make your garden part of your home, rather than just saying that it is.

A lovely outdoors seating area may seem like paradise in the August heat but how often outside the summer months can you actually use it? Take away all the rainy days in summer and you may be surprised how many days good enough to sit outside in the open there actually are in the UK – not enough! By all means prepare for the sunshine and warmth, but consider how you can expand the use of your garden into other weather too. A simple covered structure big enough to sit beneath can be constructed very simply in a range of different ways.

You might have a simple covered porch or pergola directly outside your garden door, you might make a teepee, a gazebo, or a charming summerhouse (which can be used in the shoulder seasons too, to keep off the elements). A simple hint, however, think about the placement of your covered area – ideally it will be adjacent to your home, so you do not have to brave any weather to reach it. This can also help to blur the boundary between inside and outside and really bring your home and garden together.

There are so many beautiful ways to create a simple covered area which, even if not heated, can still greatly extend the length of time you are able to be out in your garden. But will you really want to sit out to feel closer to the wind and the rain in your sheltered seating area? Rain chains, wind chimes and other beautiful garden additions can help to make it more appealing to head into the garden come rain or shine.

Another way to make sure you really are using your garden to the fullest is to consider growing your