Styling Your Garden for Year-Round Enjoyment

It may be too chilly for barbeques and sunbathing but don’t give up on your garden just yet.  While we tend to use them most in the spring and summer months, with a little planning there’s no reason you can’t enjoy your outdoor space all year round. And when it comes to getting started, there really is no time like the present.

While a YouGov study for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) reported that 68% of people believed spring to be the most important season in the year for gardening, they were quick to highlight that autumn is actually the best part of the year for gardening. The weather is usually mild, the soil is damp and warm – perfect for planting spring bulbs, shrubs and perennials – and it’s a great time to get on top of the weeding and other tasks that often get overlooked during the summer. 

So, if autumn is the time to prepare and plan, let’s take a look at the elements of your garden you can focus on to create a comfortable and inviting space through all the seasons. 

Don’t skimp on planting

According to Gardeners’ World, the key to creating year-round interest is to have a strong backbone of shrubs and trees. These sturdy plants are especially valuable during the winter when herbaceous perennials are dormant below ground. Choose a variety of plants that will look good in different seasons, producing spring blossoms and rich autumn foliage.

Look for plants with multi-season interest, such as Amelanchier, which offer spring blossom, wildlife-friendly edible berries in summer and gorgeous autumn colours. Whatever you choose, be generous; pack your garden with as much greenery as you can afford. You won’t just have a spectacular garden in the spring and summer but one that brings pleasure all year. 

Create garden ‘rooms’

Designer Maryline Damour tells her clients to think of their gardens as an extension of their homes and decorate their exteriors as they would their interiors. Solar-powered lights – or electric ones if you have a power source – are a fantastic way to add atmosphere and make it easier to enjoy being outdoors as the days get shorter.  

Damour also recommends creating designated garden ‘rooms’. Keen cooks might look into building a fashionable outdoor kitchen, which allows you to create meals in the fresh air. Why not introduce a dedicated outdoor dining or entertaining area by installing an attractive structure such as a pergola or pergoda? The continuing popularity of these elegant garden features, which comprise a latticed or beamed roof on supporting posts, is partly due to their versatility. Style them with fairylights, cushions and outdoor rugs for sophisticated summer soirees. Likewise, just by adding a patio you can instantly transform an external space and carve out an inspiring new zone. As the weather starts to cool it’s easy to pull a roof across and introduce a heater or chiminea to enjoy cosy autumnal evenings with warming hot toddies. 

Add structural interest

Further structure and shape can be added to your garden with the addition of hedges, sculpture, paths and walls. These elements are often key to planning the ‘bones’ of a garden, as they tend to be more permanent and offer a framework within which you can work. 

“Every garden should include structure in one form or another, softened with beautiful planting, to create a harmonious and elegantly finished garden,” says landscape designer Nicholas Tripp. 

Evergreen hedges are a great addition to a garden, and especially during the winter when little else is growing. Hedges lend strength and character to a garden design and provide a form of permanent vertical structure that adds a sense of scale and interest. 

Topiary and parterres – formal gardens made up of enclosed beds – can also look fantastic in the right house. Parterres look stunning dusted with frost in winter and equally good framing spring, summer and autumn planting.

Bring the outdoors inside

Sometimes it’s just too cold to be outside. But daylight is important and especially in the winter when we need to keep our vitamin D levels topped up. What’s more, fresh air is a great way to boost energy levels and banish winter lethargy. 

Perhaps this is one of the reasons conservatories have never gone out of fashion. Blur the boundaries between outdoors and indoors by choosing a design with bi-fold doors that allow you to make your garden a part of your home. The sturdiness of these glass structures means you will be able to snuggle up on a sofa while looking out on a winter landscape.

The light and warmth conservatories offer also makes them a great environment for plants. Extend your garden into your house by filling your conservatory with floral arrangements, succulents and tall plants to give every inch of your space the wow factor. 

Cultivate a healthy home-grown pantry outside

Don’t just think of your garden in visual terms. One of the most effective ways to keep it working for you throughout the year is to create a kitchen or pantry – a garden stocked with fresh fruit, veg and herbs to enjoy from season to season. Focus any initial efforts on reliable and easy-to-grow crops like tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and beans. These will provide a base for your store cupboard as well as being useful to throw into recipes on a day-to-day basis. 

Choose varieties known to grow well in the soil of your area and in the British climate. Think about buying a few fruit trees if you have the space. By planting a variety you’ll find your fruit bowl remains well stocked even beyond harvest time. Home grown means you know exactly how it’s been produced and it’s more eco friendly too.

Remember to keep practicality in mind when deciding where to plant your kitchen garden; labour-intensive crops such as tomatoes, which require frequent checks and watering, should be close to the house for easy access. Herbs too are best planted near the back door so they are close to hand when you need a few stalks for your cooking.

While it can be easy to neglect a garden as soon as the leaves on the trees start to turn, a little investment now will pay dividends in the coming months and turn your garden into an evergreen delight.

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