5 easy ways to a beautiful garden | Stylish London Living

When we moved from our London flat to our current home in the lovely Kentish countryside one thing we had to get used to was having a garden! Neither my husband or I have particularly green thumbs so it has certainly been a learning experience.

If you are like us and not very garden savvy it can be stressful to keep a garden maintained and looking good throughout the year so why not consider these 5 easy ways to keep your garden beautiful without the worries.

Add some colour

If you want something quick and easy to improve the look of your garden then why not add a splash of colour with some paint? From pots and furniture to fences and garden signs it’s easy to add personality to an outdoor space with some colourful paint and give your garden a new lease of life. Choose from block colours or have fun with stripes, dots and other designs to add eye-catching features which can be conversation starters at your next BBQ. I recently painted an old wooden table and chair set with purple paint for a colour boost! Check out Pinterest for some inspiration.

Artificial Grass

Having to mow the lawn can be a nuisance, so if you still want your garden to be green without the hassle consider swapping out real grass for artificial grass as a low maintenance, hard wearing and long-lasting alternative that won’t need trimming! With artificial grass for the garden, there’s no need to drain precious water resources to keep it looking good which is an added bonus in the hot months when water may be a ban on hosepipes. Artificial grass can also be laid on a balcony, decking or even have your own patio grass. Even your canine pal will love artificial grass, as it is soft on their paws!

Light it up

Lights are not just for Christmas! Brighten up your garden with creative use of simple and cheap fairy lights which will add something extra to your outdoor space. Wind some lights around tree trunks, string across between fences, arrange through a shrub or hang along a fence. I love to use solar hurricane lamps and solar string lights to add a lovely glow. Placing lights along the side of a path is a great way to add interest as well as practical lighting to help you find your way in the darker hours.

Add Gravel

If you don’t fancy artificial grass then why not consider another cost effective, low maintenance and super stylish option: gravel! Gravel is a great way to give your tired a garden a little lift is one of the quickest and easiest ways to diversify and beautify your garden. Gravel comes in all sorts of colours so choose one that compliments the brickwork of your home or contrasts nicely with your decking or garden furniture. As well as on driveways and paths, gravel can also be used for general landscaping projects or to provide a nice contrast when sprucing up patio borders or flower beds around the garden.

Planting

Of course, the obvious way to update your garden is to add some new plants. For a budget-friendly option purchase perennials such as geums, astrantia and hardy geraniums which you can divide for added coverage, planted together they will create herbaceous and mixed borders, which peak in interest in summer and early autumn. Add colour with herbs and vegetables such as chives (purple), spring onions (white), dill (yellow), thyme (pale pink to purple), basils (white or purple), pineapple sage (red) and rosemary (purple), rocket (white). As a bonus insects and pollinators will be attracted to these plants and will pollinate and remove unwanted pests for you. Get a downloadable checklist of plants for pollinators from the RHS website here.