How to Make a Wow Style Statement Outdoors
Want your friends and family to be wowed by your garden style? Here are some ideas for making an impact outdoors
It’s the time of year when there’s a never-ending stream of private gardens opened to the public, but what sets one garden above the rest, making it worthy of showing off? It’s usually some element of surprise in its focal points – an unexpected design idea, a distinctive way of combining materials or plants, or perhaps one simple but visually dramatic element.
And by choosing one statement piece or idea for your own garden, you too can put your outdoor space head and shoulders above the rest – making it well on the way to being the most talked about garden in the neighbourhood.
And by choosing one statement piece or idea for your own garden, you too can put your outdoor space head and shoulders above the rest – making it well on the way to being the most talked about garden in the neighbourhood.
Go for a grand entrance
You can’t fail to impress your guests with a big approach, so if there’s scope, keep cars well away and get everyone to walk to the front door.
In this garden, simple lollipop trees underplanted with lavender flank the gravel path. You could create the same effect with standard roses underplanted with lavender or even olive trees and Russian sage. Keep it consistent by using the same species all the way.
You can’t fail to impress your guests with a big approach, so if there’s scope, keep cars well away and get everyone to walk to the front door.
In this garden, simple lollipop trees underplanted with lavender flank the gravel path. You could create the same effect with standard roses underplanted with lavender or even olive trees and Russian sage. Keep it consistent by using the same species all the way.
Install a hot tub
Nothing says luxury and party like a hot tub. This one sits comfortably in its surroundings, and I love the way the old tree was incorporated to give some shade across the space.
There are lots of different hot tubs available, from modern to more rustic designs like this one, and you don’t need a lot of space. Some of the lighter ‘soft tubs’ can be stored away in a shed or garage in the winter, while a fixed tub only needs to take up a small, 3m sq corner of the garden.
Choose one that works with your style and wait for your friends to invite themselves around.
Nothing says luxury and party like a hot tub. This one sits comfortably in its surroundings, and I love the way the old tree was incorporated to give some shade across the space.
There are lots of different hot tubs available, from modern to more rustic designs like this one, and you don’t need a lot of space. Some of the lighter ‘soft tubs’ can be stored away in a shed or garage in the winter, while a fixed tub only needs to take up a small, 3m sq corner of the garden.
Choose one that works with your style and wait for your friends to invite themselves around.
Play with colour
A very simple design device for delineating areas of the garden is to mix the floor surfaces.
In this tranquil seating area, the use of a deep, dark slate next to limestone paving not only marks the area out as a place to sit and relax, but also makes a real statement. This is because, from a distance, it creates a pool of striking colour in among this great planting.
A very simple design device for delineating areas of the garden is to mix the floor surfaces.
In this tranquil seating area, the use of a deep, dark slate next to limestone paving not only marks the area out as a place to sit and relax, but also makes a real statement. This is because, from a distance, it creates a pool of striking colour in among this great planting.
Bring in the wild
Instead of sea views or rolling hills beyond your garden fence, you might find that nature encroaches on your garden. If so, embrace it and bring the wild beyond your boundaries into the space.
This garden welcomes in those huge rocks, but adds a human stamp with a peaceful sculpture. The planting is ornamental, but somehow embraces the wild, with hakonechloa and miscanthus grasses planted alongside ornamental pines and cedars.
Instead of sea views or rolling hills beyond your garden fence, you might find that nature encroaches on your garden. If so, embrace it and bring the wild beyond your boundaries into the space.
This garden welcomes in those huge rocks, but adds a human stamp with a peaceful sculpture. The planting is ornamental, but somehow embraces the wild, with hakonechloa and miscanthus grasses planted alongside ornamental pines and cedars.
Make a single colour statement
I love the use of a single colour as a statement in a garden and this one uses bright orange furniture for impact in a small city courtyard.
It’s also easy to make a single colour statement with plants by sourcing only those that fall into a narrow colour band. White gardens are famous because white flowers marry so well against a green backdrop. Or you could even just opt for green foliage planting and play with textures and different shades, from the bright acid green of Alchemilla mollis to the deep dark greens of some ferns and plants such as Rodgersia aesculifolia.
I love the use of a single colour as a statement in a garden and this one uses bright orange furniture for impact in a small city courtyard.
It’s also easy to make a single colour statement with plants by sourcing only those that fall into a narrow colour band. White gardens are famous because white flowers marry so well against a green backdrop. Or you could even just opt for green foliage planting and play with textures and different shades, from the bright acid green of Alchemilla mollis to the deep dark greens of some ferns and plants such as Rodgersia aesculifolia.
Focus on the view
Why fight with the view when it’s like this? Lots of gardens have a great view beyond their boundaries, so if you’re lucky enough to have something easy on the eye, make sure you make full use of it, whether that’s about choosing transparent fencing or varying the height of your garden wall or even creating space for a window. After all, it might be the cheapest way to create that wow factor.
Great views also include beautiful specimen trees in adjoining gardens – for example, a magnolia in your neighbour’s garden will light up your own when it comes into flower, and you don’t even need to look after it!
Why fight with the view when it’s like this? Lots of gardens have a great view beyond their boundaries, so if you’re lucky enough to have something easy on the eye, make sure you make full use of it, whether that’s about choosing transparent fencing or varying the height of your garden wall or even creating space for a window. After all, it might be the cheapest way to create that wow factor.
Great views also include beautiful specimen trees in adjoining gardens – for example, a magnolia in your neighbour’s garden will light up your own when it comes into flower, and you don’t even need to look after it!
Add lighting for impact
Many of us are spending more time in our gardens, and lighting is a great way of extending your outdoor room’s use, not to mention recouping the investment made. If you install modern LED garden lighting, once you’ve made the investment, the cost of running the system will be very low and there will be almost no maintenance involved.
You can opt for subtle uplighters and just highlight the trees – which always looks striking – but sometimes you just need to go all out and make some magic with feature lighting that’s perfect for summer parties, as in this garden.
Discover more ways to create a magical mood with outdoor lighting
Many of us are spending more time in our gardens, and lighting is a great way of extending your outdoor room’s use, not to mention recouping the investment made. If you install modern LED garden lighting, once you’ve made the investment, the cost of running the system will be very low and there will be almost no maintenance involved.
You can opt for subtle uplighters and just highlight the trees – which always looks striking – but sometimes you just need to go all out and make some magic with feature lighting that’s perfect for summer parties, as in this garden.
Discover more ways to create a magical mood with outdoor lighting
Scatter bulbs for a striking springtime
At certain times of the year there isn’t much happening in the garden, but you can soon change that by giving a seasonal blast of interest with single bulb planting.
It doesn’t have to be costly if you try this idea: plant thousands of snowdrops under trees. They are the first real signs of growth each year and if you plant them ‘in the green’ (in leaf rather than just bulbs) in February, they will establish quickly and spread their magic every year.
At certain times of the year there isn’t much happening in the garden, but you can soon change that by giving a seasonal blast of interest with single bulb planting.
It doesn’t have to be costly if you try this idea: plant thousands of snowdrops under trees. They are the first real signs of growth each year and if you plant them ‘in the green’ (in leaf rather than just bulbs) in February, they will establish quickly and spread their magic every year.
Choose a unique water feature
There are lots of ideas for water in the garden, but often they all turn out to be similar boxes of contemporary steel or stone.
Why not be inspired by this Zen design, which has five spouts of gently cascading water, to create something much more mesmerising? A feature like this would be an ideal focus for a small courtyard and, if you position it to be clearly visible from your home, it will bring the outside – and your statement feature – inside all year round.
Check out more ideas for standout water features
There are lots of ideas for water in the garden, but often they all turn out to be similar boxes of contemporary steel or stone.
Why not be inspired by this Zen design, which has five spouts of gently cascading water, to create something much more mesmerising? A feature like this would be an ideal focus for a small courtyard and, if you position it to be clearly visible from your home, it will bring the outside – and your statement feature – inside all year round.
Check out more ideas for standout water features
Give your raised beds a twist
We all like the idea of growing our own food, but why have boring old square raised beds when you can use industrial piping? This is a maxed-up version of the old idea of using recycled tin cans for growing vegetables. By utilising a modern product for a traditional task, it really sets itself apart.
Office and factory renovations are a great place to start to find these sorts of products, but make sure you know what you’re doing when recycling old factory materials and only use ones you can be sure are not toxic. If it isn’t possible to check, you can also get big pipes like these from commercial hardware suppliers both online and in-store.
We all like the idea of growing our own food, but why have boring old square raised beds when you can use industrial piping? This is a maxed-up version of the old idea of using recycled tin cans for growing vegetables. By utilising a modern product for a traditional task, it really sets itself apart.
Office and factory renovations are a great place to start to find these sorts of products, but make sure you know what you’re doing when recycling old factory materials and only use ones you can be sure are not toxic. If it isn’t possible to check, you can also get big pipes like these from commercial hardware suppliers both online and in-store.
Exploit subdued hues
You don’t necessarily need to go for the big statement colour, size or focus. A subdued palette can create an equally strong style that exudes confidence and class.
In this garden, just a few architectural plants against an unpainted concrete wall, sea-washed gravel and steely grey timbers, make a simple statement. Add to this the Asian idea of a water feature marking the entrance to the garden et voilà – a big style statement with no fuss.
TELL US…
What have you done to your garden to give it the wow factor? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
You don’t necessarily need to go for the big statement colour, size or focus. A subdued palette can create an equally strong style that exudes confidence and class.
In this garden, just a few architectural plants against an unpainted concrete wall, sea-washed gravel and steely grey timbers, make a simple statement. Add to this the Asian idea of a water feature marking the entrance to the garden et voilà – a big style statement with no fuss.
TELL US…
What have you done to your garden to give it the wow factor? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
As the climate gets milder, more garden owners than ever are considering installing a swimming pool. If you’re in a position to go for this level of luxury, and really want to impress, then get a natural swimming pool. You will need a large garden, because it requires some space for both the pool and the ‘treatment zone’, which is where plants are used to treat the water naturally rather than with chemicals.
Install one of these and you will have a crystal-clear pool while helping the environment. Sure, wildlife will want to share it with you, but even traditional pools get ducks flying in. This pool looks completely at home in its country surroundings.