Tips For Delightful Outdoor Seating Areas In Your Garden

Now summer is here, many of us will be spending a lot more time in our gardens. Creating a lovely place to relax in your garden will make it more than just a place of chores and will incline you to spend more time enjoying the efforts of your hard work and getting some fresh air. Creating a delightful outdoor seating area is about more than just popping a table and chairs on a patio. Here are some tips to help you create a seating area that you and your family and friends will really want to spend some time in:

Positioning and Shade Provision

A successful seating area is one that can provide areas of full sun and the potential for shade when it gets too hot. When considering where to place your seating area, it is important to consider the direction of the sun at different times of day and to consider how your home or other structures will block light at various times. Trees can provide some lovely dappled shade on a hot summer's day and can be perfect on the edges of a seating area. Other natural options for shade include a pergola or porch, or a bower or arbour draped with greenery.

Recycling And Money Saving Tips

Creating a seating area in your garden does not need to cost the earth. There are plenty of ways to create a pleasant place to relax without resorting to buying new garden furniture. It is often possible to find second hand items to use for little or no cost but for more imaginative and interesting seating areas, many people are choosing to use scrap and recycled items to create their dream space. Wooden pallets are often used and there are many imaginative ways to turn these into seating and other garden structures.

Planting For Visual Appeal and Fragrance

Of course the planting around your seating area is what can really make the difference between somewhere you can sit and somewhere you really want to linger. There are several factors to consider when choosing what to plant near your seating area. Firstly of course, you will want something with strong visual appeal. Fragrance, however, should not be neglected. Choose plants that you personally love the smell of. Lavender, lilac, fragrant roses, strawberries and a range of herbs are all good choices. Growing herbs and other smaller edible plants around your seating area will encourage you to look after them well and pick them regularly. Another consideration in terms of the garden's visual appeal is wildlife. Planting close to your seating area should ideally draw in pollinators and other beneficial and beautiful wildlife so you can enjoy watching and enjoying the diversity. Placing a pond close to your seating area will allow you to observe a broader range of flora and fauna.

Your garden should not just be something you gaze at through the window or work in. Make sure you truly enjoy your garden this summer.