What would your dream garden look like?

Have you ever paused to think about what your dream garden might look like? When one firm in the garden improvements sector put that very question to hundreds of Brits in a survey, the results were revealing.

Photo by Tim Mossholder: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-concrete-floor-tiles-1525937/

Bird feeders, pizza ovens and wildflower meadows were among the 25 most-desired garden features.

The company also reported that more than three-quarters of us (77%) spent up to 20 hours a week in our gardens during the summer, so it’s hardly surprising that we want them to look their best.

So what made the cut for the top five – and would these things be on your list?

1.) Patios
These were at the very top of the list, and it’s easy to see why. After all, patios are versatile, low-maintenance, and can seriously push up the value of your home. At the same time, you reduce how much grass you have to mow.

Don’t forget that, with the right furniture items for your patio, you create a relaxing atmosphere and the perfect place to entertain family and friends or unwind after a long day. After all, if you’ve put a lot of work into your garden, it’s rather wasted if you can’t sit back and enjoy it on occasion!

As well as chairs, tables and maybe even an outdoor sofa, consider a teak stool to complete the look. (A piece like this also doubles up for use in the bathroom, thanks to teak’s superior ability to shrug off the effects of water.) It lends an elegant accent to any space, plus you can buy a folding version to use your patio even more flexibly, and which you can carry around easily. Equally, you can perch on them or use them as a handy place for resting towels or books, papers and magazines.

Teak is, of course, an excellent choice thanks to its natural beauty, durability and high oil content which gives it its weather resistance. Its close grain gives it its strength, allowing it to endure many temperature variations without warping or similar damage.

Another thing to consider to complete an area like this is slot drains for patios. These give outdoor surfaces excellent yet practically invisible drainage, with a 3cm gap or slot maximum through which rainwater runs. It flows into a broader gutter, concealed under the stones. Affordable, durable and high-performing, these solutions protect your patio from water damage so that you enjoy uninterrupted use of your outdoor space.

2.) Pathways
These connect different zones of your garden, stop lawns from compacting, make the ground safe when it’s wet or frosty, and add an attractive feature to the space at the same time. Before you start building your pathway, think about its purpose, the materials from which it will be made, its style and your available budget.

Purbeck stone is one option, especially for edging. This cream limestone from Dorset’s Jurassic Coast is ideal for shaping garden features like pathways and rockeries.

3.)Best of the rest
Also among the top five in the recent survey were real grass, seasonal flowers and bird feeders.

So – what would your dream garden look like?