Earlier this month, we caught up with George Riley, from Primrose, to talk about garden enhancements and how you can make a difference to your garden by using screens and adding water features. Check out our interview below:
Our Interview with Primrose
1. What is the simplest way to enhance your garden?
The simplest way to enhance your garden is by adding a focal point that will get your guests talking. Let your tastes lead you to what this might be, but go for something striking and a bit unusual.
If you love entertaining company during the summer, a brightly coloured sail shade adds both visual flair and practical protection from the sun. If you want to impress the neighbours, then a flashy water feature will do the job.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment.
2. What advice would you give to someone looking to buy a water feature?
There are three main things to consider when buying a water feature: space, style and power. Measure up the area where you’d like your water feature to go. Make sure there’s enough room around it so it won’t seem cramped – remember it’s a feature, so give it the space to shine!
The style of fountain will be down to your personal taste and the design of your garden. A bubble water wall or stainless steel tubes will suit a modern aesthetic, but you’ll probably want a regal stone effect feature for a classical garden.
All water features need electricity to power the pump, so it’s worth thinking about how to supply that to your chosen spot. Mains powered fountains will obviously need wiring across the garden, but you can also get solar powered ones that can be placed anywhere there’s sun.
3. What difference does it make to your home if you add lifestyle products to a garden?
Adding lifestyle products is the easiest way to transform your garden into a place you actually enjoy spending time in.
Think about the last time you had people round for a meal outside. Were there enough places to sit? Was everybody comfortable? Was there enough shade? Enough privacy? Enough entertainment for the kids?
Enhancing your home with lifestyle products, like garden furniture, awnings, privacy screening or fountains can improve the time your spend with friends and family outside, for years to come.
4. How would someone decide what garden screening to purchase?
The biggest factor in choosing garden screening will be personal taste. Decide whether you’re going for a rustic, natural look – in which case willow, brushwood or bark screening would be perfect. Or if you’d like something modern and chic then bamboo is ideal.
It’s also worth considering artificial screening. There is a huge range of plastic hedging available, which is surprisingly effective for creating organic-looking enclosed spaces.
All types of screening are good for adding privacy and a more attractive border to your garden, so just see what takes your fancy.
5. What are the benefits of having shaded areas in the garden, and of garden screening?
You know what it’s like when the sun finally makes an appearance – you’re straight out in the garden to make the most of it, only to quickly become too hot.
That’s where having a shady spot becomes essential. It’s perfect for sitting outside and relaxing, without getting overheated or risking sunburn. Especially when you have guests round for a meal, when you need some shade over the table to keep everyone comfortable and the food from spoiling.
Nowadays it’s easy to create some shade on your patio when you need it, with a retractable awning, sail shade or pop up gazebo.
Garden screening brings multiple benefits to your garden.
It’s perfect for smartening up untidy areas or disguising ugly fences. If your current fences are low or leave you feeling too exposed, then fitting them with screening adds an extra layer of privacy. Screening can also act as a windbreak to help cut out those annoying breezes and leave you feeling a whole lot more comfortable.
6. What advice would you give to someone wanting to make their garden the perfect area for socialising?
Keep it simple, keep it comfortable. You want to make your garden the go to place where people can relax and enjoy themselves.
Ensure there are enough places for people to sit in the nicest part of the garden. If you’re going to dress up an area, pick this one.
A bit of screening or outdoor lighting can do wonders for enhancing your favourite eating spot. Also, be sure you’ve got adequate shading for your guests in the form of an awning or parasol. Nobody likes to be left out to burn.
7. How important would you say it is to enhance your garden, for both yourself and others?
A plain garden is fine, but an exciting garden that caters to your personal tastes… now there’s a reason to go outside.
Enhancing your garden falls into two main areas: making it attractive and making it practical.
Adding decorations or prettifying your fencing with screening can easily transform the overall look. You’ll soon be getting compliments from your guests and everyone will be keen to spend more time out there. Fitting a few simple items to make yourself more comfortable outside – like nice furniture or shade from an awning – will add value to every moment you and your family spend in the garden.
So, overall, enhancing your garden is incredibly important for the fundamental reason that it enhances the time you’re outside.
Thank you, George. Here at Shedstore, we know our customers appreciate the importance attached to having a great-looking garden. That's why we also stock a fantastic range of outdoor living products.