7 min read

How to show your garden some love!

14 September 2022

Already show your garden some love? Or vowing to improve it this spring? Whether you have a small yard, or a lawned area, whatever size or existing landscaping, there are simple tricks you can do to make it the sanctuary you’re dreaming of. Now is the time to think about what you need, and get busy in time to catch those summer rays.

Get On Trend

Pergolas are all the rage in 2021 and there’s a reason for that. Our range of Forest Garden Green Pergolas are perfect for shielding seating areas from neighbours, breaking up summer sun for a relaxed al fresco lunch or enhancing a route as an arch or just shielding an unsightly corner. Our pergolas come flat packed for easy assemble with instructions that are simple to follow and easy for novices too.

Using pressure treated and FSC certified timber the Forest Green pergolas come with a 15 year guarantee against rot and fungal decay. These useful structures come in a range of shapes and sizes and can be sunk into the ground for stability in more exposed areas.

How to Dress Your Pergola

Whatever the size, pergolas offer a structure that can be decorated in the style that suits you. On trend are dripping your timbers with fairy lights. Always use appropriate lights for outdoor use and ensure your electrical supply achieves the full safety requirements for outdoor use. A clever tip is to add a water proof timer so your lights are on when you return home or turn on at dusk, and go off when you choose. No more quick dashes outside to turn off those lights in the rain! Alternatively battery operated outdoor fairy lights can work if the pergola is located in an area where the battery can easily recharge during the day – summer or winter. Different colour lights can add a fun element, but we love the soft white light look which combines beautifully with the natural timber colour. Even if you’re not using the pergola, the structure will look beautiful at night and brighten a dark area, giving your garden a perception of distance.

How to Add Life to Your ‘Garden Room’

Other options include creating a decked area underneath so you can place planters and pots around your pergola as well as provide a smooth base for your garden furniture. Train your plants to climb the vertical posts (ultimately to the top!) or check out our timber planters to create a ‘room division’ giving your space a snug feel. Your pergola can also be surrounded with fragrant plants ideal to give you a relaxing ambience on a warm summer’s night.

Plants, when cared for, don’t just add fragrance, but can further enhance your privacy and ultimately give you additional shade.

Perk up your Pergola!

Varieties of Clematis, Honeysuckle and Jasmine are quick growers and can make a difference within a few months. Wisteria and climbing roses may take a little longer, but who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by those glorious scented flowers? If your pergola is sunk into the ground, then climbers can be embedded direct into the soil for optimum growth.

For quick summer coverage and easy care, try sweet peas in our timber planters. You’ll be amazed by their scent and they are quick growers. Even vegetables can do well against our timbers. Beans are a fun way to decorate your pergola and encourage children to eat their veg, and varieties of chilli can work well in planters in sheltered areas. Alternatively, go with the whole caboodle: lights, veg and flowers, and reap the rewards of your efforts. It’s a quick win to perk up your pergola!

5.H2 Heading

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©2021 Tom Nicholson. 12/04/2021. St Austell, UK. Gripsure decking installed at Bluebells, Boswinger, St Austell, Cornwall. Photo credit : Tom Nicholson

Gripsure Decking lifestyle shots for Homebase at Bluebells, Boswinger, Cornwall, Britain on 8 August 2016.

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