Green Shoots

Great garden design will not only add value to your home, it can extend your living area into the outdoors too

- Julie Lucas

‘The result is a place of beauty for people to relax and retreat from their busy everyday lives’

We spend a small fortune on interior design, but often our gardens get overlooked. However, research from mytoolshed.co.uk revealed that an attractive garden can add 20 per cent to the value of a home. “It transforms landscapes and can even transform lives by inspiring people to realize the full potential of their outdoor surroundings,” explains garden designer James Scott of The Garden Company (thegardenco.co.uk). “The result is a place of beauty for people to relax and retreat from their busy everyday lives, or to gather with family and friends.”

Aim to create a space that complements the style of your house and on a practical basis decide how you will use the garden – there may be the opportunity to ‘borrow views’ from the surrounding countryside. Decking and paved areas can help separate the garden into different areas, and a contemporary gazebo will create a focal point.