Improving your garden and home

**Collaborative Post**

This spring, whether you’re contemplating a big move or happily staying put, it could be a great time to consider investing in your home and garden. And if you decide to enhance the latter, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. According to one major UK home improvement retailer, the garden is now the third most improved ‘room’, after the kitchen and sitting room.

The firm’s Great Garden Report reveals that more Brits are entertaining in the open air than a decade ago, with garden furniture, fire pits and patio heaters all hugely popular. On TikTok, #garden has become the second-most popular hashtag in home improvement, garnering 46,000 posts in the last few months alone.

And while there was a steep rise in garden improvements during the pandemic, the trend for this ‘fifth room’, as some now describe their outdoor space, has been growing steadily ever since.

Your garden could enhance your lifestyle, your mental health, and your property’s overall value. This area is no longer an afterthought, but an essential extension of the house, providing somewhere to relax, entertain and express your personal style.

Here are some stylish ideas for garden improvements:

Buy a Garden Bench

You may not have previously considered a teak backless garden bench, but a piece like this offers numerous benefits, including its space-saving design and versatility. Additionally, they’re light enough to be easily moved from one part of your garden to another. And you can tuck them under a table, while accommodating a maximum number of people in a smaller space, so they’re ideal if you enjoy entertaining. Use them for dining or just relaxing with a drink. These benches have a simple, clean yet elegant design to suit all garden styles – plus you can pair them with accessories like cushions.

Choose a model like this in gorgeous teak and look forward to outstanding durability and weather resistance – leave them outside in all conditions. Almost no upkeep is needed; this wood just stays looking its best year after year. Finally, because it regulates its own temperature, teak is comfortable to sit on and touch whatever the weather.

Planting Design

You may not have previously considered hiring a professional to take care of your planting design. But this can give your outdoor area clear vision, structure and functionality. Plants will be placed in the best locations, while your garden’s specific conditions will also be carefully taken into account.

You get greater visual appeal, since a designer will consider colour palettes, plant textures and spacing to create a harmonious end result, whatever kind of garden you have. They’ll also know about soil type, exposure to sunlight and so on.

Planting schemes also incorporate elements such as raised beds to create a cohesive overall design.

Exterior Patio Blinds

Exterior patio blinds – also called outdoor shades or patio blinds – are fitted on the outside of a door, window or rooflight to regulate heat and sunlight and offer privacy, effectively forming a barrier between the glass and the sun. Their design prevents overheating and keeps out UV rays so your indoor areas stay cooler in hot weather and heatwaves, of which we’ve been experiencing more in recent years. There’s also protection against wind and rain, although you’ll still maintain your outside views and natural light.

These blinds block sunlight before it strikes the glass, reducing heat gain and glare. They’re often made from an aluminium frame and tough fabric such as fibreglass, for added strength and weather resistance. They can be operated manually or motorised.

Finally, they’re a sustainable, energy-efficient way of cooling your home.