Outdoor Living & Garden

Outdoor Living & Garden

Latest projects, advice and inspiration from our outdoor living & garden team.

A garden can be an attractive extension of your home. Everyone enjoys a well designed space in their home that they can use year round. This section discusses design principles and elements that will turn a patio or a back garden into a space that you want to enjoy year round. Some of it focuses on how to design for protection from the sun and rain and the rest focuses on the materials you use in the garden. Both aspects discuss how to maximize your space.

Most of the protection from the sun and rain elements can be achieved by a structure known as an awning or a pergola. An awning is a simple structure and gives you protection from the sun as it extends from the house and covers the patio. A pergola is a much more advanced structure. It has vertical support posts and an adjustable lattice. It functions more like an outdoor room than a sunshade. Both add value to a space and have differing costs.

Verandas are structures that sit somewhere in between awnings and pergolas. They provide protection from the sun and rain along the length of the house. They are an outdoor room. This section focuses on the materials you use for your structure. Railway sleepers are strong, durable, and economical.

You can even use these sleepers for garden paths. Many people are surprised to learn how cost effective sleeper projects can be. The following articles explain sleeper projects in an easy to understand way and give you the practical detail you need to avoid spending any money on a project you won’t use. In the following articles, find the project that best matches your plan.

Retractable Pergola vs. Awnings

Retractable Pergola vs. Awnings

When searching for functional and stylish shelter solutions for your patio or garden, you may discover both retractable pergolas and awnings. On the surface, they look and sound the same as they both provide shade and shelter. So how do they differ,…

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Improving your outdoor living space

Improving your outdoor living space

During lockdown, many of us spent a lot of time in our gardens as it was often one of the only places, we were allowed to spend time outside. It may be that you realised that you do not make the most of your outdoor space and that it is not very…

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Glass Awnings for Bright Yet Protected Patios

Glass Awnings for Bright Yet Protected Patios

Patios that get a lot of sun are simply stunning. There is often the desire amongst homeowners to keep the lovely brightness of their gardens and get maximum enjoyment from the sun and the great outsiders, but to also have some kind of weather…

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