Planning your garden on a budget

Often, when moving into a new build home, the garden will be a blank canvass on which you can make your mark. To help you on your green-fingered journey, we have put together some helpful tips and advice that will help you to turn your outdoor space into a green haven in no time. We’ve also got some tips for those of you who are less ‘green inspired’ on how to maintain a simple-to-manage garden.

Planning
When you buy a brand-new home, as standard, the front garden is usually turfed. The back garden is left untouched except for top soil.

For some, this bare and open space might seem rather daunting, but it needn’t be. As with most new projects, preparation is key so get out the pen and paper, laptop or tablet and start researching. Ask yourself what kind of garden would you like to create? What will be the main requirement for your garden? Do you want a large planting area to show off a wonderful variety of flowers and colour? Do you want to grow your own fruit and vegetables? Maybe you want somewhere for the kids to play safely.

For a family home, most people will opt for a lawn because it creates a safe and soft place for the kids to play. If your new property only has top soil, make sure you check the quality and then you can start to turf and create a lovely lawn. Seeding is cheaper than turfing, but it takes longer to get results.

When designing your garden, think about how much sunshine it gets and at what time of the day. Make sure you do plenty of research and get good advice – experts at your local garden centre are often happy to help. You can find an abundance of magazines, blogs and websites that will both inspire and offer practical advice. The Royal Horticultural Society website is full of ideas and inspiration.

What should I plant in my garden?
You need to make sure that you choose the right plant for the right place. Some plants/flowers are much happier with a little bit of shade whereas others will quite happily flaunt their petals in the sunshine. Do you want the garden to be full of colour in spring but also have some presence of life in the autumn too? Think about what works well and when. Again, the RHS website is a reliable source of help and inspiration.

How to create a safe place for the kids in the garden
Children love playing outdoors. Your garden should give ultimate freedom for them to run around and be complete loons, but you must make sure you take precautions in your garden so that they stay safe.

Safe Kids.co.uk is a very informative website that highlights the dangers in the garden. From trampolines to barbeques, kids’ safety needs to be paramount.
How to create the perfect garden space for entertaining
If you want your garden to be an extension of your home, entertaining al fresco will be at the top of your garden priority list. There is a fantastic choice of garden furniture and accessories to suit all budgets.

How to create a simple-to-manage garden
Not everyone can or will want to be out in the garden every day tendering, pruning, watering and trimming! If this is you, you will want a garden that can still be enjoyed but with little maintenance.
If this is the case, you are best having a nice lawn with a few plants that require little water so that you don’t have to be out there daily during the summer months. Hardy evergreens, once established, will require little care.