In a flurry of renovation work, it is easy to ignore your home’s most striking feature – the garden area. Who doesn’t like sitting outdoors with a cup of tea in the pleasant spring evenings? Even if you haven’t thought about sprucing up your garden till now, take the initiative and get started! Unlike when one is getting the bathroom tiles changed or getting the bedroom walls painted, a garden makeover is a significantly less disruptive project.
ACTUALIZE YOUR GARDEN INSPIRATIONS
The ideal lawn inspirations can come from literally anywhere – from the Mughal splendor of Shalimar Gardens to the botanical spectacle of London’s world-famous Kew Gardens. There is so much you can do in a garden. If you are a ‘pinner’, you might have come across a suitable landscape design on the Pinterest app. Do you see beauty in chaos? There is always the option to create a storybook English garden by planting wildflowers like daisies, geraniums, black-eyed susans and butterfly weeds. There can be various kinds of flowering trees or you can embrace the sleek minimalist look by pairing freshly-shorn grass with wooden patios, decks and river stones for accent.
Assemble your garden design research into one place, no matter the origin, by saving it in a digital folder on the desktop or in a physical folder on the desk. You need to know exactly what you want in order to explain the design to the architect with minimal blunders. It’s always a good idea to consult a well-reputed architectural design firm in Pakistan before starting any major structural renovations in the garden. If you are investing both your time and money in a makeover project, make sure you absolutely love it!
A DASH OF COLOR
There is much more to a garden than just a flowering plant or two. From the type of marble or granite tile on the patio to the varnish tint on the gazebo, you can spend hours deciding between shade cards at the local hardware store. If you want to keep your costs down, keep the paving simple and mix marble slabs in with gravel or stone chippings.
Going for the rustic, lived-in cottage garden look? You will need to select irregularly-shaped stepping-stones for the grassy pathway. Make sure to use only durable, weatherproof materials during the renovation process.
Garden design specialists recommend using non-toxic paints to update the lawn furniture, from the hammock stand to the rattan outdoor sofa set. Colors make a strong impact, so try using earthy greys, deep honey-browns and dull reds where ever paint is required.
ALL SET FOR A TEA PARTY
A prize-winning garden requires hours of smart planning from the homeowners and the landscape architect. One key step is buying comfortable lawn furniture so you can spend hours reading or chatting in the garden.
There is so much you can add to your garden: bird feeders, welcome pots, wind chimes and even decorative white picket fences. A simple fence going around the garden will highlight the area while keeping it safe from larger animals or pets. Even though decorations look gorgeous once installed, you also need to know when to stop. There is a thin line between it looking like a well-manicured garden or a scrapyard.
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
A custom-built BBQ corner or a brick oven for pizzas is another possibility. Nothing beats entertaining friends and family members while serving up your signature grilled burgers and hot potato salad meal.
You can dedicate part of the grounds area to the kids by building a treehouse, a swing set or even a small swimming pool. Keeping safety in mind, its best to line the activity area with soft flooring made out of recycled tires. Those with a persistent green thumb can cordon off a section just to grow their favorite herbs, vegetables or even start a mini-orchard.
A meticulously-maintained lawn, much like the cherry on top of a cupcake, isn’t a necessity but we love the idea of it. It is important to conduct sufficient research before hiring a reliable architect in Pakistan to produce your dream garden. Remember, you are only limited by your imagination!