When it comes to thinking about what you want from your garden, you can have multiple priorities. One way in which you can fit all these contrasting ideas into a single space is by dividing the area into a number of ‘zones’.
You may have one area which is dedicated to socialising and entertaining, another which is home to your plants and a further one for your outdoor kitchen. Here are some expanded ideas of potential uses for each area of your garden.
Public Area
The public part of your garden is most likely to be the zone around the front porch. This is the area which creates a first impression of your property, so you may decide that this is where you want to position a flowerbed or some colourful potted plants that draw people’s attention.
You also want to think about functionality, so having a clear path that leads up to your front door is a great way to create a welcoming first impression.
Outdoor Kitchen
If you are going to have an outdoor kitchen, you want to ensure that your dining area is upwind of any smoke and fumes. Next, you will want to choose your cooking equipment, remembering that a propane or [amazon_textlink asin=’B003L0EEDU’ text=’charcoal grill’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’mygardening411-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’3ba9edcd-adfe-11e7-9d43-eb9516620324′] is the easiest to maintain. Other extras that you could invest in include a refrigerator and wine cooler.
As for the material that you place this equipment on, you will want something weather resistant like concrete or stone.
Living and Dining Zone
To start off with, you want to think about where to position your living and dining zone. You may want it nearby to the house for convenience or somewhere which gets the most sunlight and shelter from the wind. You will then want a surface, perhaps decking or a patio – take a look at Proficient Patios for some ideas.
Weatherproof furniture is a good idea so you don’t have to constantly take it in all the time.
Recreation
If you have kids, it is a nice idea to create a zone for them to run around and play. Ideally, you will want the area to provide some shade and maybe be sheltered from other parts of the garden.
If you put up some play structures, making sure that the surrounding ground is soft can help to prevent any accidents.
Hidden Nooks
Creating a hidden nook where you can get some peace and quiet is a dream come true for many garden owners. Essentially, you don’t want to be able to see everything all at once when you first look at the garden. You could have a winding footpath that leads onto a hidden alcove with a garden bench hidden amongst the bushes.
These are just five potential functional zones which you could split your garden up into. Even if you just decide to use one or two of these, it is a nice idea to divide your outdoor space so that you are fulfilling various different purposes with it.
