Here at jmm PR, we have been scouring the internet for our favourite articles of the week.
This week brings ideas for a narrow garden as well as tips on making the most of summer at home.
Image: Annaick Guitteny / Future
Homes & Gardens – Narrow garden ideas – 10 design rules for transforming a long plot
It’s not just small gardens that can be hard to design; narrow gardens, even when fairly sized, can appear much smaller due to their lack of width space. This makes it difficult to arrange furniture or paving, which can make a narrow garden feel even more cramped than it already is if placed incorrectly. This is why we loved this article by Homes & Gardens, which has some neat tips and tricks on designing the perfect narrow garden.
Sensory experiences are great for bringing a calming atmosphere to your outdoor space and these additions don’t always have to be a pond or a large water feature. In this article, Homes & Gardens suggests some creative ideas for small sensory features such as a patch of herbs, a scented hanging basket or even a variety of different unique-looking flowers.
Narrow gardens often have the benefit of privacy, especially when part of a townhouse, which usually have high garden walls. Another advantage to this trait is that garden walls create the perfect environment for vertical planting. If you’re struggling for space when planting flowers, why not try some climbing plants to create a living wall? In general, decorating vertically is a key trick to working with the space a narrow garden provides. Think about arbours, arches, pergolas, obelisks, bowers, and poles, all of these will bring a vertical interest when you’re limited on floor space.
Another trick to making a narrow garden appear more spacious is to opt for a non-linear path. A path that bends towards the more decorated spots of the garden will also direct the eye towards that space, rather than drawing attention to its length with a straight path running from one end to the other. You could also try creating zones in your garden. Use hedges, flower beds or walls to break up spaces and create areas with different purposes, floor textures and furniture to make your garden feel much larger.
Do you have a narrow garden? What techniques have you used to create the illusion of more space? Let us know in the comments!
Image: Cox & Cox
Country Living – How to bring the best of summer to your own garden
Life as we know it has been significantly different since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and, despite restrictions ending last week, many of us are not quite ready to go back to normal just yet. This is illustrated in the research conducted by Homebase, featured in this article from Country Living, which suggests that 78 per cent of British adults have turned down plans and avoided social situations since lockdown rules began to ease. However, if you’re feeling nervous about returning to normal life, this certainly doesn’t mean that you’ll need to miss out on your summer this year! In this article, Country Living provides fantastic tips on recreating the best summer activities in our gardens at home. Whether it’s a trip to your local pub garden, a meal at your favourite restaurant or a visit to the cinema, it’s easier than you may think to make the most of summer without leaving the comfort of your back garden!
The first idea that’s featured in the article is to bring your favourite beer garden to your own outdoor space. By simply purchasing a parasol for shade and a bar cart to store drinks and glasses, you can create an outdoor area that’s perfect for relaxing with a cold drink, without having to queue up at the bar! Or, if you’re looking for more elaborate ideas, check out last week’s blog post, which includes some stunning garden bar inspiration.
The next tip in the article (and our favourite!) is on how to recreate a trip to the cinema in your garden. We love keeping up with the latest movie releases here at jmm PR, and nothing beats relaxing while watching a good film. If, after such a long time spent indoors during the pandemic, a trip to the cinema makes you feel nervous, why not set up your own film screening in the comfort of your garden? All you need is an outdoor screen with a good quality projector, some comfy chairs or a hammock for relaxing, and a rain-free evening! You could also invest in a popcorn maker to recreate our favourite cinema snack.
Elsewhere in the article, Country Living shares tips on planning a summer fête in your garden by setting up a gazebo, baking some yummy cakes and purchasing fun garden games such as boules and croquet. Our favourite thing about the article is that it offers up products you can purchase to help you recreate these outdoor activities at home, guaranteeing that it’s super simple to make the most of your summer. For example, the stunning fringed gazebo from Cox and Cox is the perfect place to set up your DIY outdoor fête, while the navy striped umbrella from Selfridges is ideal for providing a shaded place to enjoy drinks in your garden.
Will you be recreating any of these fun summer activities at home? Let us know in the comments!
Ends
Jess and Steph at jmm PR
30th July 2021
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