With more time spent at home, we've had to re-look at how our spaces work for us, and that goes for any outside areas we might have too. If you think about the exterior as an extension of the interior, you’ll be able to get a lot more out of how and when you use it.
Outdoor living: A few important things to consider
• First, how do you want to use your outdoor space? It can be so much more than just a barbecue or sunbathing spot on a sunny day. Whether you want to create a dedicated space to sip a morning coffee, or a location for a kitchen herb garden, give it plenty of thought and take the time to plan and zone your space well.
• You don’t need to be blessed with a large outside area. Even a small balcony or courtyard can become an extension of your home if planned and styled well.
• Set yourself a budget. While there are lots of lovely things you could splash out on, some clever planting, a tin of paint and some low-cost accessories can equally transform a garden, so decide how much you want to spend, then work out what's possible.
• Don't worry if you feel you're not the green-fingered type. When it comes to plants and gardening, the internet has more resources than you can shake a stick at, so read up on some failsafe options for the size of your space and amount of sunlight it gets and then get cracking.
Key ingredients for outdoor living
• If you're planning a major overhaul, it's worth investing in outdoor lighting to help zone your garden and create a lovely Mediterranean atmosphere. Festoon lights, battery-powered lamps and lanterns will add a magical touch.
• In the areas of your garden where you want to sit and relax or eat, think about adding textiles to soften the look and feel. These days there's a fantastic choice of outdoor rugs and fabrics available, all designed to withstand our changeable weather.
• Think about the connectivity between indoors and outdoors – continuing the same or similar flooring between the two can create a seamless flow that makes your garden feel like an extension of your living space.
• Outside doesn't need to mean out of bounds when the temperature drops. As well as layering up with warm clothes, throws and blankets, you could invest in outdoor heating.
Where to head for smart accessories
Connox: The Flowerpot lamp by &Tradition is super-stylish and as it comes with a rechargeable battery you can use it indoors and out.
Jennifer Newman: Buy well, buy once, with the Angle outdoor dining range in recycled aluminium. The Saffron colour adds instant sunshine.
Benuta: Pop an outdoor rug under your garden furniture for a chic alfresco spot. The Morty range from Benuta is great value and comes in six colours.
Nest: Set the scene for a cosy evening outdoors with the Skagerak Helios firebowl with steel grid, perfect for the garden, terrace or patio.
MADE: Make a statement with this beauty. The sculptural lines of the Lorita plant stand will raise your plants to a whole new level.
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21 great gardening books for tips on plants, design and wellbeing
Adam Frost's practical, no-nonsense approach will help you plan and build a garden that works for you. The Gardeners' World presenter takes you step by step through the whole process, whether you have a window box or a charming veg patch.
Struggling to keep your houseplants alive? Wondering why leaves are turning yellow? This is the book for you. Sarah, also known as @theplantrescuer, is a self-taught houseplant obsessive who fills each page with her top tips on how to revive wilting plants. It has been described as a book to 'help your plants not only survive but thrive'.
Gardening for Mind, Body and Soul celebrates the benefits of gardening — and how nature can boost our wellbeing. Highlights include learning about birdsong, exploring which plants release scents to soothe the mind, and how we can all promote feelings of balance and calm.
Slip on your gardening gloves...Francis Tophill's book is packed with everything the modern gardener needs. You'll find plant advice, plant-based recipes, and tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint. Create a space that looks beautiful and attracts wildlife.
The National Trust GROW: Fill your world with plants (National Trust)
Whether you want to create a mini wildflower meadow or make the most of your houseplants, this beautifully illustrated book from the National Trust is a fresh take on gardening. Plant lovers, this one is for you...
Nancy Birtwhistle's The Green Gardening Handbook does what it says on the tin. Featuring over 100 tips to help you grow with confidence, chapters include composting, seasonal recipes, guides to freezing, storing and preserving, and basic gardening equipment. It also features clever tips that will help you save money and reduce waste at home.
Isabelle Palmer shows you how to make the most of every little space with a series of projects for small gardens, singular containers and window boxes, that can be completed in a day or weekend. Perfect for novice gardeners, Modern Container Gardening offers beautiful photography and clear step-by-step instructions.
The National Trust employs over 500 gardeners with an extraordinary wealth of expertise. And now, in this in-depth guide, they pass on their wisdom and provide the answers any new and seasoned gardener is looking for. This book is intended to give you inspiration and confidence to make the most of your garden, without being overwhelmed with unnecessary technical detail.
Veg In One Bed explains how to build your bed and grow from seed, as well advice on planting, feeding, and harvesting. YouTube gardening star Huw Richards shows how to guarantee early success by starting off young plants on a windowsill and suggests what to grow in each part of the bed.
Create a beautiful wildlife haven at home with the RHS' Little Book of Wild Gardening. Divided into sections for different areas — including lawns, flower beds, edibles, trees and water features – you'll find tips, tricks and helpful ideas for every space.
The Practical House Plant Book by the RHS contains a dozen step-by-step projects to help you assemble an eye-catching terrarium, create a floating kokedama 'string garden', or propagate succulents. Complete with 175 in-depth plant profiles, this is an essential practical guide for indoor gardeners.
A small garden space – an urban patio, a tiny backyard, or even just a pot by your door – doesn't have to sacrifice style. In Small Garden Style, garden designer Isa Hendry Eaton and lifestyle writer Jennifer Blaise Kramer show you how to use good design to create a joyful, elegant, and exciting yet compact outdoor living space.
Charles Dowding, innovator of no dig, teaches you everything you need to know about this method of organic gardening. With 19 chapters, you'll learn how to use no dig on different soil types, recognise and massively reduce the different types of weeds, know the difference between soil and types of compost, and grow an abundance of vegetables using the no dig method.
Get all the inspiration you need for planting cut flowers, and fill your home with colour and the gorgeous scent of the garden year-round with In Bloom. Clare Nolan reveals her secrets for growing a bountiful harvest as well as styling spectacular homegrown displays in this beautifully designed book.
The RHS' Complete Gardener's Manual will help you choose plants that will thrive in your space, design a border for year-round colour, grasp different pruning techniques, discover how to protect your veg patch from pests, and make the best compost.
Do you want to attract more bees, birds, frogs and hedgehogs into your garden? In Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything, Kate Bradbury teams up with the Wildlife Trusts and the RHS to help you discover how you can make your garden, balcony, doorstep or patio a haven for garden wildlife. You'll find handy charts, practical projects and fact files.
Gardener and TV presenter David Domoney is a firm believer that indoor plants can make 'a practical and emotional contribution to our wellbeing'. In this book, David explains the hard science behind the positive effect of the humble houseplant on wellness, and provides expert tips on how to keep your plants thriving, plus shares his top 50 life-enhancing houseplants.
If you're looking for new garden ideas, the RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design will guide you from planning to planting, such as choosing the correct materials for your structures and assessing your drainage, to laying patios, making ponds, and planting perennials.
This planet-friendly book is filled with ideas for creating your own eco garden on any scale, from a small courtyard to a large garden or allotment. Discover organic techniques that improve biodiversity, learn the value of using recycled and reclaimed materials for landscaping, and take on simple projects such as making a pond and a wildlife hotel.
Drawing on expert advice from the RHS, this best-selling reference book – organised by colour, size, and type, rather than as an A-Z directory – will help you select the right varieties for your outdoor space.
Joyce and Ben Russell have devised 30 kitchen garden projects, devised to either extend the season, protect crops from pests or improve yields. These projects transform your vegetable plot into somewhere more productive, more attractive and more secure.
