A path can make a big difference to your garden, both practically and aesthetically. The type of path you choose, including the material, colour and shape, can have a big impact on the look of your garden. Think about which areas of the garden you need to connect as well as the effect you want to create, whether that’s a formal walkway or a winding journey through your flowerbeds.

Check the source of any materials you use for a garden path – the most sustainable materials to use include mulch, locally sourced gravel, or reclaimed stone slabs or bricks.

Planning a garden path

When planning a garden path there are several things to consider before getting started:

Purpose – paths are used to connect different areas, prevent lawns becoming compacted, make it safer to cross the garden in wet and frosty conditions as well as adding an attractive feature to your garden. Think about the type and width of path you need – do you need to get a wheelbarrow along it, how often will it be used and does it need to be direct or can it meander?

Style – a straight path can make a garden look narrower so avoid this if you have a thin rectangular garden, although in a larger garden straight paths with a focal point at the end can create a formal look. Curved paths can add more interest, especially if you can’t see what’s at the end of the path.

Materials – consider matching the colour and style of your material to the type of house and landscaping you already have.

Budget – the cheapest materials to use for a path include gravel, mulch, such as bark chippings, and bricks (if you can get them for free or have spare bricks that can be reused).

Modern garden path ideas

Slate

Slate offers a contemporary look to a path, either laid flat for a grey-blue finish or placed on their side to create a different effect. Edging the path with a limited plant palette will add to a minimalist style, while pairing with plants such as black lilyturf can add to a modern look.

• Buy slate paving from Paving Stones Direct
• Buy slate paving from Corker

Paving stone path

Using two different materials creates contrast – paving stones on gravel transforms a path into an interesting garden feature, as the gravel provides contrast to the stone. Keeping to a tight curved line and edging with structural, clipped plants adds to the contemporary look. Paving materials can include granite, limestones, sandstone and concrete pavers. Paving stones that are made with concrete have a high carbon footprint, so for a sustainable option consider reclaimed paving slabs or look for ethically sourced slabs.

• Buy ethically sourced paving from Marshalls
• Buy paving from B&Q

Front garden paths

The type of path you choose for your front garden will affect the style of your entrance. A straight path with topiary or shrubs can create a formal look whereas a gravel path with plants such as grasses and groundcover softening the edges is more informal. Think about practical issues too, such as whether it needs to be wide enough to wheel bins along, and how slippery the surface will be in cold weather.

Curved garden paths

Curved paths are a good choice for thin gardens where a straight path can make the space feel more narrow. Curved paths also make a garden feel bigger as it’s not always possible to see what is at the other end of the path. Place paths to encircle flower beds or loop around the edge of a garden to add more intrigue to a garden design. Gravel paths can add a relaxed style to a garden. Edging paths in brick looks neat and prevents gravel scattering on to the lawn.

• Buy gravel from B&Q
• Buy gravel from Stone Warehouse

Natural garden paths

Use mulch

Using mulch for a path is easy and economical, although materials such as bark chippings will decompose over time and may need replacing or topping up every few years. A mulch path is a good option for areas around veg beds or for paths that don’t get huge amounts of traffic.

• Buy bark chippings from B&Q
• Buy bark chippings from Wickes

Mow a path

In meadows or areas where grass is kept longer in your garden, mowing a path is a simple way to create a route through the garden. It has the added benefit of helping wildlife, as keeping longer areas of grass alongside the path will encourage wildflowers to grow increasing nectar sources for pollinators. If the path is not heavily used, flowers such as daisies, clover and bird’s foot trefoil may also thrive in your mown path, if you mow it every four weeks or so.

Edging garden paths

Edging a garden path prevents loose materials such as gravel or bark chippings from travelling into borders, while adding a decorative element to paths. The choice of edging includes bricks, cobbles, treated timber and metal. Which one you choose depends on the style of your garden. For an informal look, try edging path with plants such as lavender, ferns or ornamental grasses.

• Buy garden path edging from B&Q

Lighting ideas for garden paths

Adding lighting alongside a path is not only practical, but looks attractive too. Spotlights can help light the way in the evening if you’re heading to a dining or entertaining area. They’re also useful for highlighting focal plants that are planted alongside the path. Good lights to use beside paths include spike lights, bollards and spot lights. Bear in mind though that too much light in the garden at night can affect wildlife. If you need lights on your path, it’s best to keep to warm, soft lighting rather than bright white lighting, and direct it across the path, rather than up into the sky.

• Buy garden path lights from John Lewis
• Buy garden path lights from Lampandlight

Alternative materials for garden paths

Wood makes an attractive alternative to stone slab paths and if you choose carefully it can be sustainable, too. Cedar wood is a sustainable choice, as it’s harvested responsibly. Look for wood that has FSC certification. Good woods for outdoor paths includes green oak and treated pine, although pine won’t last as long as other wood.

Cheap DIY garden path ideas

To save money on creating a new path try laying your own. There are plenty of easy options if you want to do it yourself. Search for reclaimed bricks or free bricks online and build your own brick path, as demonstrated by Monty Don, below. Alternatively, use gravel. Gravel is not as expensive as buying stone pavers and making your own path from gravel is not as difficult as laying paving stones.

Winter is a good time to clean, tidy and reorganise your greenhouse, while it is relatively empty and there are fewer jobs in the garden to take up your time. Cleaning the greenhouse will maximise light levels, clear blocked guttering, banish any pests and diseases. Tidying it will make sure that you have an ordered working environment in time for the growing season ahead.

In the video above, Alan Titchmarsh offers advice on refreshing water butts and boosting available light levels for overwintering plants, so they don’t become tall and leggy. Then, Alan explains how to clean ventilators and clear dirt from the gaps between panes of glass. He outlines the benefits of clearing the guttering and how to prevent stored pots from harbouring pests and diseases.

Get our advice on the essential kit for your greenhouse.

Choose a mild day so that any overwintering plants can be safely placed outside for a while.

In this video, Monty Don shows how he cleans out one of his greenhouses at the end of the growing season, to prevent it harbouring pests and diseases over winter – with a little help from the dogs!

Find more tips on cleaning and organising your greenhouse, below.

Inspired to get started? Our experts have put the best pressure washers through their paces, so you can buy with confidence.

You Will Need

• Broom
• Bucket
• Disinfectant
• Glass cleaner
• Long handled sponge
• Scouring sponge

Total time: 1 day

Step 1

If you’re overwintering tender plants, choose a mild spell to empty your greenhouse completely. Cover plants or take them into the house, if necessary. Brush down framework and staging, then sweep the floor.

Step 2

Once everything is outside promise yourself not to return anything that isn’t absolutely essential.

Step 3

Both the inside and outside of your greenhouse panes will need cleaning. Take a bucket and sponge and long handled sponge, thoroughly wiping over every pane with a solution of glass cleaner to soak and scrub off dirt. Use a stable platform or stepladder to reach the glass in high ridges.

Step 4

Check your gutters for collected leaves and debris, which could filter down into water butts. Brush out the rubbish before it flows into the downpipes. If the guttering needs replacing, read our guide to fixing guttering to a greenhouse.

Step 5

Empty out water butts and clean out any accumulated dirt in the bottom, then put them back into place. Find out why you should empty your water butt from time to time in our Quick Tips guide. If you don’t have a water butt, now is a good time to install one – it will mean that you have a handy water source on hot days.

Step 6

Wipe down surfaces with scouring sponge and wash flower pots and seed trays with disinfectant before thoroughly rinsing. Return everything outside to its proper place in the greenhouse.

Keeping chickens follows a long tradition of poultry keeping that reaches back for millennia. Chickens have lots of character and they’re fairly easy to keep in most back gardens, even for beginners, once you’ve learnt about their habits and requirements. But before you make the decision to keep chickens, it’s important to consider whether you’ve got the time and resources to look after them and if there are any bylaws in your area or specific to your house that set restrictions on chicken keeping. You have a legal responsibility to ensure the needs of your chickens are met.

What does the law say about keeping chickens at home?

In most cases, you can keep chickens legally in your garden. The new law for keeping chickens at home in the UK requires all flocks of poultry or other captive birds – even if you just keep a single bird – to be registered within a month of starting to keep them with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on the Great Britain Poultry Register (GBPR) or the Scottish Kept Bird Register (SKBR). If you live in Scotland and are currently on the GBPR, you should have reregistered on the SKBR. This ensures that you receive any important information about disease outbreaks in your area (such as bird flu), and helps prevent the spread of disease. It’s important to contact a vet if you’re concerned about the health and welfare of your birds.

In some areas or properties there are byelaws, covenants, stipulations in the house deeds, or other regulations that prohibit you from keeping chickens, so it’s a good idea to check before you buy any birds. In other cases, it’s not prohibited, but keeping a cockerel could cause noise level issues with your neighbours.

It’s worth being aware that it’s illegal to feed your chickens kitchen scraps, even if you live in a vegan house. Feeding mealworms to chickens is also banned in the UK. In both cases, these laws are intended to prevent the sort of cross species feeding that’s thought to have caused the 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease.

Noise levels

Keeping a cockerel may be prohibited in some areas. If you decide to buy a cockerel, make sure the early morning wake-up call won’t disturb you or your neighbours. Cockerels crowing for long periods, at unsociable hours or in built up areas are likely to constitute a Statutory Nuisance, which could mean you have to address the noise or face a fine.

How many chickens should you start with?

The RSPCA recommends keeping at least three chickens that get on well together, so these social animals have company. Just make sure you have sufficient room for the number of chickens, including a suitable sized coop and enough room outside for them to roam.

How many eggs can you expect?

Keeping a small number of chickens for eggs is unlikely to save you money, but it does help with self-sufficiency and reduces food miles. It also provides you with the opportunity to collect fresh eggs yourself – a task particularly enjoyed by children.

Choosing your coop

As well as needing an outdoor area to roam in with short grass, shelter, dry soil for dust baths, and food and water, your chickens will need a coop where they can sleep and lay their eggs. Before choosing your coop, you should ensure it provides:

• A warm, dry environment with good ventilation
• Excellent protection against wild animals like foxes and rats
• Sufficient space, so with three chickens, choose a coop that will accommodate four or more
• Areas for perching and nest boxes for egg laying
• Covered flooring – wood shaving or straw (not hay) is ideal
• An entrance that the chickens can use without crouching

Clean and disinfect coops and anything inside them regularly to prevent disease and remove parasites.

Feeding

Chickens need to be provided with food and fresh water every day. Commercial formulated feeds should be chosen based on the breed and age of your chickens. Chickens also require grit, which they keep for a while in their gizzards to help them digest their food. Ensure feeding and drinking dispensers are safe for chickens, and cleaned regularly. Wear gloves, masks and other appropriate protective equipment when cleaning chicken coops and feeders/drink dispensers. Clean outside and always keep cleaning materials away from household items.

Treats Routine

You can feed chickens treats, but they should be given sparingly to ensure they get the nutrition they need from their main feed. Check that food is suitable for chickens before giving it as a treat and don’t feed them scraps from the kitchen, as this is illegal.

General health

Healthy chickens should be lively, bright-eyed and interested in eating, drinking and preening. Get to know your chickens and check them regularly, then you’re more likely to pick up any issues early. If your chicken is hunched up, listless and hides away, check more closely for signs of illness. Always consult your vet if you’re concerned about the health of your chickens.

Hot Weather

Chickens can overheat in hot weather. When temperatures rise, make sure you’ve provided:

• Plenty of fresh cool water placed in the shade
• Areas to dust bathe
• Well ventilated coop in the shade
• Shady places where they can keep as cool as possible

Keep a close eye on your chickens when it’s hot. Signs of heat stress include panting with an open mouth, little appetite and lethargy.

Cold weather

Chickens are generally fairly resilient to cold weather, but there are measures you should take to keep chickens warm in winter:

• Ensure the coop is wind- and water-proof
• Make sure their water doesn’t freeze in winter by checking it and replacing it regularly, and using warm water to reduce the likelihood of it freezing
• Provide extra bedding and change it regularly
• Chickens need to be kept dry or they are likely to become ill in the cold
• Make sure they have shelter outside and access to the coop

Visit the RSPCA and the British Hen Welfare Trust for more information on keeping chickens.

Gardening can be labour intensive, but making changes to the way you deal with watering, weeding and pruning, along with clever plant choices, can make your garden more low maintenance. You can make small changes, like swapping high maintenance plants like dahlias and roses, with easy long flowering perennials or evergreen shrubs. Or make a big change, like getting rid of your lawn and embracing a gravel garden.

The type of garden that is easiest to maintain is one where the plants are as self sufficient as possible, with less need for watering or deadheading, and there are simple plant displays that offer long lasting interest. You can also use mulch, such as bark chippings or gravel, to keep weeds down.

Whether you’re planning a new garden or making changes to an existing one, prioritise what you most enjoy, whether that’s veg gardening or planting up pots. Leave time for these activities and make the rest of your outdoor space easy and quick to manage. Here’s a few ideas of how to make your garden more low-maintenance.

Planning a low maintenance garden

Evergreen shrubs not only provide structure and winter interest in the garden, but they’re also a low maintenance plant. Choose shrubs that are slow growing and don’t need much pruning, such as abelias and pittosporum. Look also for shrubs that don’t need deadheading, such as fuchsias.

• Buy abelia from Crocus

Sowing vegetables from seed is budget friendly, but it can take time, especially if you grow labour intensive vegetables like tomatoes, which need to be potted on several times. Save time by buying vegetable plug plants, which can be planted direct outdoors. For tender veg, wait until the danger of frosts is over. If you only need a few tomato or kale plants, for example, it can be much easier to buy a strip of plug plants.

• Buy veg plug plants from Crocus

Fruit such as strawberries, rhubarb, gooseberries and currants provide a crop every year but need little attention after planting. Choose low maintenance fruit and you’ll get an easy harvest for very little effort. Strawberry plants may need replacing after three or four years, but otherwise they are easy to look after, while gooseberries and currants just need light pruning in winter.

• Buy strawberry plants from Crocus

If bending down is a problem or you are planning a garden for elderly gardeners, raised beds are a good option. This brings the soil level up to a more accessible height, making planting and weeding easier.

• Buy a raised bed kit from Crocus

Large pots will dry out more slowly than small ones, so you won’t have to water them as often. Make a focal point with a big container, using one or two plants that can stay in year round. This will cut down on the amount of seasonal planting you need to change.

• Buy containers from Thompson & Morgan

Choose reliable plants such as hardy geraniums or hebes that don’t need lots of attention to thrive. Look for plants with an RHS Award of Garden Merit, which is given to plants that perform well. Make sure you choose plants that suit the conditions in your garden. This will cut down on the amount of time you spend maintaining plants.

• Buy hardy geraniums from Sarah Raven

Lay a mulch around and between plants to suppress weeds. There’s a wide range of mulches that can help keep weeds at bay and they have the added benefit of retaining moisture in the soil. These include home-made garden compost, gravel and woodchips or bark. Organic mulches will also release nutrients over time and improve the structure of your soil.

• Buy mulch from Thompson & Morgan

Using ground cover plants is another way to suppress weeds. Avoid leaving bare patches in your borders where weeds can establish and flourish. Low maintenance ground cover plants include Persicaria bistorta, which is quick to spread and also flowers for months, from April to August, or for shade, Ajuga reptans is a good pick.

• Buy ground cover plants from Thompson & Morgan

If you have limited time swap your lawn for a gravel garden – a great choice if you want low-maintenance landscaping. Lawns can be one of the most labour intensive parts of the garden, whereas drought tolerant plants in a gravel garden need little care once established. The gravel should also help to keep down weeds.

• Buy drought tolerant plants from Crocus

Set up an automatic irrigation system for your containers and save time on watering, especially during summer when pots will need to be watered every day in hot weather. Irrigation systems can also be connected to a timer.

• Buy an irrigation system from B&Q

What is insecticidal soap?

Insecticidal soap – also known as soft soap or horticultural soap – is a special kind of soap that’s designed for use specifically on plants. It’s typically made using a potassium salt from fatty acids (the fatty acids can be animal- or plant-based). This creates a gentle foam that works by damaging the cell membranes of soft-bodied insects such as aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, and mealybugs, causing them to dehydrate and die. Be aware it does not discriminate and can harm beneficial insects as well as the ‘pests’ you want to control. Considered non-toxic, it can also help control certain types of leaf fungi, such as sooty mould and honeydew. Some manufacturers also claim insecticidal soap can prevent insect attacks by leaving an unpenetrable film over each leaf.

Insecticidal soap is not the same as hand soap, which is a detergent. Detergents are designed to cut through grease and oil, and could potentially damage plant leaves by harming their waxy coating.

How to use insecticidal soap

To minimise potential damage to beneficial insects, inspect plants first to make sure you are targeting pests such as aphids, and not the species that eat them, such a ladybird and hoverfly larvae. Avoid spraying plants in strong sunlight which can cause scorching to foliage and flowers.

Is insecticidal soap pet and wildlife safe?

While insecticidal soap doesn’t contain toxic chemicals and is unlikely to harm pets as soap is unpalatable, it can have harmful effects on wildlife as soap spray kills both unwanted and beneficial insects. Also, insects like aphids are a valuable source of food for birds and other species such as wasps, hoverflies, lacewings and ladybirds, so think twice before using insecticidal soap on outdoor plants.

How to make homemade insecticidal soap

Making homemade sprays using household products carries the risk of harm to your plants as these are all detergents. The safest approach when using insecticidal soap for plants is to buy horticultural soap as this is suitable for use on plants, usually in a ready-to-use spray formulation.

If you want to make your own insecticidal soap, choose a simple eco-friendly product such as mild washing up liquid, although bear in mind this is still a detergent and could damage your plants. As a guide, use half a teaspoon of washing up liquid diluted in a litre of water, and apply using a clean hand pressure sprayer. Try it on just one or two plants first and wait several days to observe the results before further use.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good alternative to insecticidal soap?

For plants growing outside, the best alternative to insecticidal soap is to establish a natural balance in your garden by encouraging wildlife and beneficial insects. House sparrows, chiffchaffs, ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies and wasps are just some of the species that rely on aphids for food, so leaving them to find and control aphids naturally is the best alternative action. If necessary, you can tackle small infestations by squashing them between finger and thumb or dislodging them with a jet of water from a hose (this may also affect insect predators such as ladybird larvae). Indoors or in a conservatory or greenhouse, you could use a biological control to target a specific pest. This is safe for pets, children, and wildlife.

Can you use insecticidal soap on your barbecue?

Insecticidal soap won’t have the same ability to cut through grease and fat in the way that detergents can. There’s no reason not to use a stronger cleaning product on your barbecue.

Keeping patios clean not only makes them attractive to use and look at, but is also important from a safety point of view – dirt, debris, and algae can build up and make paving dangerously slippery, especially in periods of wet weather and in shady places.

What’s the best way to clean a patio?

As well as regular sweeping with a stiff-bristled broom to remove plant debris, patios really benefit from an occasional thorough clean – spring and autumn are ideal times to do this. You don’t need a pressure washer to clean a patio. While pressure washers can give patios a good, uniform clean, you’ll be surprised how much you can achieve with a bucket of soapy water and a good scrub.

Chemical-free patio cleaning

While there is a wide range of proprietary patio cleaners available to buy, there are simple and chemical-free kitchen products that work well and cost very little. For hand cleaning, use a stiff-bristled brush that could be either long-handled, or a hand scrubbing brush, depending on whether you prefer to work standing up or kneeling down. If the latter, use knee pads or a garden kneeler to protect your joints. An easier – though more costly – option is using a powered pressure washer.

Before cleaning your patio, sweep off leaves and plant debris, and remove weeds and moss from paving cracks. Remove anything portable such as garden furniture and plant pots so there is nothing in the way while you clean.

How to clean a patio with soapy water

Scrubbing your patio with warm water plus a squirt of washing up liquid can remove a lot of dirt and algae.

1. Fill a bucket with warm water, add a good squirt of washing up liquid, and stir to thoroughly mix
2. Working on a small area at a time, pour the water over the paving and leave for several minutes to soak in
3. Scrub the paving, first in one direction and then the other, to thoroughly work over the whole surface
4. Use a hose or bucket to rinse off the dirty water with clean water and leave to dry. The cleaning process may need to be repeated, especially if the paving was very dirty

How to clean a patio with vinegar

Household vinegar is excellent for cleaning with many uses around the home and can be used on patios for dirt and stains that are hard to shift. Use white vinegar rather than malt vinegar, which has a strong smell. Refill shops often sell white vinegar so you can fill your own large container, rather than buying small bottles. Concentrated vinegar is sold under its chemical name of acetic acid. Note that vinegar is corrosive with the potential to damage plants. Shield plants from vinegar splash and rinse any runoff thoroughly with clean water to dilute it and reduce its harmful impact.

1. In a large bucket, make up a 50:50 mixture of water and vinegar, stirring thoroughly to mix
2. Test a small area of paving first before using it on your whole patio, then pour or spray on the solution to the rest of the patio. Using a sprayer ensures even coverage and makes the mixture go further
3. Leave for 20-30 minutes to soak in
4. Scrub thoroughly with a stiff-bristled brush, first working one way on the diagonal and then the other
5. Rinse with clean water and allow to dry. Repeat on stubborn stains if needed

How to clean a patio with a pressure washer

An electrically powered pressure washer or power washer is an easier and more thorough patio cleaning method compared to hand scrubbing. However, a pressure washer is costly to buy, takes up valuable storage space in the shed and is noisy when in use. It also uses a lot of water, so is not the best option for environmental reasons. Either buy your own pressure washer or rent one from a tool hire business. An increasing number of communities now operate ‘tool libraries’ to share expensive kit, so you don’t have to buy your own.

Before you start, make sure you have a hose and connectors suitable for use with a pressure washer, as soft, flexible or packable hoses aren’t strong enough. Depending on patio size, you may also need an extension lead. Bear in mind, also, that water and electricity have the potential to be a fatal combination – if your home electrical system doesn’t have a build in circuit breaker or RCD, use a small portable one.

Pressure-washing is a wet and noisy job, so protect yourself with wellies, waterproof jacket and trousers, rubber gloves, ear defenders, and safety glasses.

1. Start with the pressure washer on its lowest setting and wet the patio first to soak and loosen the dirt. If your patio is made of porcelain or sandstone which is a soft stone, keep the washer on its lowest setting to avoid damaging the surface
2. Working with the nozzle around 30cm from the ground, go over the paving slowly and steadily, with each pass slightly overlapping the previous one to ensure a thorough clean
3. Use the hose to rinse off any dirt that has splashed up onto anything close by, such as walls, doors, and patio windows
4. If any stubborn stains remain once the patio has dried, treat with vinegar or a proprietary cleaner, rather then re-washing

• Buy pressure washers from B&Q, Karcher
• Rent pressure washers from HSS

How to keep your patio looking its best

Clean or new paving can be treated with a patio sealant to make it harder wearing and easier to clean. However, some people don’t like the slightly shiny finish of a sealant, so carry out a test on a sample piece first before applying to your whole patio.

Regular sweeping with a stiff-bristled garden broom helps avoid leaves and debris starting to rot down or becoming trodden in to create hard-to-shift stains. Hosing down patios with a jet of water from a hosepipe from time to time will shift loose dirt before it beds in.

When eating outdoors, pick up spilt food before it gets trodden in and creates stubborn stains. Scrub off greasy marks promptly using hot water and a little washing up liquid.

Barbecue areas can range from a bench and a tabletop barbecue on a patio to a full-scale outdoor kitchen edging a seating area. The type of barbecue you choose, and how you decide to arrange your outdoor space, depends on how big your garden or patio is, and how often you cook outdoors. There are options to suit most situations with gas barbecues for those who want to be able to start cooking quickly, barbecues on wheels for those who like to put away their barbecues inbetween uses and even hybrid barbecues which combine gas and charcoal.

Here are some ideas for how to design your barbecue area to make the most of your space for alfresco cooking and eating.

Small outdoor barbecue area ideas

Use a mobile barbecue

In a small garden, a barbecue that can be moved into a shed or out of the way is a simple way to save space when not cooking outdoors. There are several types of barbecues with wheels, including larger models with two wheels for easy transportation and smaller round kettle barbecues, which will also save space on the patio.

• Buy a portable barbecue from Robert Dyas
• Buy a portable barbecue from B&Q

Cook with a tabletop barbecue

Tabletop barbecues range from the type of portable model that you could take to the beach, to this type of wood burning stove, which has two ovens but can still be used on a table. Using a barbecue on a table, means you can utilise the area underneath the table for storage, whether that’s for fuel, plates or cooking equipment.

• Buy a portable barbecue from Robert Dyas
• Buy a portable barbecue from B&Q

Create an outdoor eating area

Choose a barbecue to suit your eating space. On a square patio, a rectangular gas or charcoal barbecue can fit neatly into a corner, leaving room for a dining area nearby and making the most of available space. Remember to leave space behind a gas barbecue as they get very hot at the back.

• Buy a gas barbecue from John Lewis
• Buy a gas barbecue from Dunelm

Simple ideas for your barbecue area

Use a prep table

Keep your barbecue area organised with a prep table. If you don’t have the room for an outdoor kitchen, or cook enough outdoors to make one worthwhile, a prep table is the ideal solution. It provides extra space next to your barbecue for preparing food, storing plates or serving up.

• Buy a prep table from John Lewis
• Buy a prep table from Robert Dyas

Cook on a firepit

Use a firepit to keep warm outdoors on a late summer evening, and at the same time make the most of the heat to cook up some sausages, roast vegetables or toast marshmallows. Choose a fire pit that comes with a grill and it couldn’t be easier.

• Buy a firepit from Firepits UK
• Buy a firepit from Primrose

Covered barbecue area ideas

Sheltered barbecue station

If you plan to do a lot of outdoor cooking, it’s worth having a sheltered area for your barbecue or having it installed it as part of an outdoor kitchen. This will give you cover from the elements year-round as well as providing space to prepare food and store utensils and cooking equipment to save on constantly ferrying items to and from the house. Shelters for barbecues range from simple structures to complete outdoor kitchens.

• Buy a barbecue shelter from B&Q
• Buy a barbecue shelter from John Lewis

Design an outdoor room

Incorporate your barbecue into an outdoor room, beneath a pergola or outdoor shelter that can be used for cooking, eating and as a seating area. Adding plants, as above, helps to link an outdoor room to the garden.

• Buy a pergola from John Lewis
• Buy a pergola from Sheds Direct

DIY barbecue area ideas

Build a brick barbecue

Build a brick barbecue yourself and you’ll able to design it to your own specifications. Choose bricks that complement your hard landscaping and house colour. Alternatively, you can buy a brick barbecue kit online.

• Buy a brick barbecue kit from B&Q

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to put a barbecue in the garden?

Gas and electric barbecues both get very hot at the back, so make sure these are placed away from hedges, window frames, artificial living walls or anything flammable. All barbecues should be placed at a safe distance (ideally 3m) from trees, wooden furniture, thatch roofs and the house. This may not always be possible in a small garden, but in this case, consider the size of barbecue when purchasing to ensure it can be kept at a safe distance from flammable items and people moving around the patio.

Check that the area is well-ventilated, especially if you are having a barbecue under a pergola or covered area. Choose a spot for your barbecue that is close to the kitchen, but not too near the back door as smoke will blow indoors.

How big should a barbecue area be?

That depends on your garden size, the number of people you are cooking for and any storage space that’s needed. On a patio a barbecue area could simply include a kettle drum or tabletop bbq, with enough room around it to cook safely, and somewhere to sit. In a larger garden, a barbecue area could include an outdoor kitchen, which can be around 3-4m long, including work surfaces, plus a seating area for guests. The important factor to consider, is how much room you need to cook safely with a barbecue and guests in your outdoor space.

How should I organise a barbecue area?

A few things that make a barbecue area organised include having a table for food preparation, hooks on your work station or bbq for utensils, and an outdoor eating area where people can help themselves to plates, condiments and so on. For extra work space, mobile carts are useful for hanging utensils and providing a place to put plates and cutlery. Having a bin outdoors can make clearing up easier and lighting is a good idea for evening barbecues.

If your garden has clay soil, particularly heavy clay soil, you may feel that you have limited options for growing plants. Clay soil can be sticky, hard to work and is easily compacted. But it’s also nutrient-rich and perfect for growing a range of plants, including roses.

Use our guide to find out how to manage clay soil in a way that enables you to garden better, and learn to see your clay soil as an opportunity, rather than a hindrance.

What is clay soil?

Clay soil is defined as being rich (at least 30 per cent) in fine clay particles. They tend to be heavy to work, take longer to warm up in spring, drain slowly after rain, are easily damaged when walked on and can be wet and slimy to handle. However, clay soils are also rich in nutrients, hold on to more water in a drought and support a range of hungry plants. If you manage your clay soil well, you can have a beautiful garden that doesn’t need watering or feeding as much as other gardens. They key to managing clay soil is to grow suitable plants, add drainage where necessary and help to break up the fine clay particles.

How to find out if you have clay soil

Take a handful of soil and roll it into a ball. If it’s clay, it will roll easily, feel smooth but also slightly sticky. If you then roll it into a sausage it will again roll easily without cracking. The heaviest clay soils will then become shiny if you rub the surface.

Tips for working with clay soil

Only walk on, or work clay soil when it’s dry. If worked or walked on when wet, clay soils lose their structure and become puddled and compacted. This can then take a long time to fix. If you need to work wet soil for sowing or planting, for example on an allotment or veg patch, you can cover areas with plastic sheeting. This will prevent rain from penetrating the soil, which can help it to dry out and make it workable.

However, remove any covers if frost is forecast, as frosts help to break up large clay pieces. Traditionally, clay soil was dug into narrow ridges, which helped expose the clay to frost.

Sow seeds later in spring than is conventionally advised, or start them indoors to plant out after all risk of frost has passed. You can also use cloches or clear plastic to warm soil up sooner, which can take up to six weeks. Use a soil thermometer to find out what temperature your soil is before sowing – most seeds won’t germinate if soil temperature is below 7ºC.

If planting shrubs and trees, plant them on slight mounds so their roots don’t sit in waterlogged soil. If planting perennials, throw gravel into the planting hole to aid drainage.

Use stepping stones on lawns with heavy soil to prevent compaction.

Make raised beds to aid drainage and to reduce compaction. Make sure the beds are small enough so you can reach the centre from either side, so there’s no need to stand on the soil.

Consider adopting a ‘no-dig’ approach to growing, which involves adding layers of organic matter over cardboard each year to suppress weeds, and sowing direct into the organic matter. This works well on clay soils, especially in raised beds.

How to improve clay soil

Dig in plenty of bulky organic matter such as home-made compost, well-rotted manure or composted bark, as this opens up the structure of the soil and makes it much easier to work.

Apply organic matter as a mulch around trees and shrubs, to conserve moisture and stop the soil drying out in summer.

You may want to experiment with adding calcium, lime or gypsum to the soil. Different clay soils respond to these minerals differently, but all can help to ‘improve’ soils to make them more workable, and can help to break down clay soils faster then other measures. Always test a small area first, to see if it works on your clay soil. Most clay soils are alkaline, but for acidic clay soils, adding lime can reduce the pH, which can help prevent the clay particles from sticking together.

Adding sharp sand, or grit to the lawns on clay soil can make them less susceptible to compaction, while adding stepping stones can reduce footfall on the lawn itself. Elsewhere in the garden, adding grit and sharp sand to clay soil can make it easier to work but this is not as effective as adding organic matter.

Plants for clay soil

Many plants work well in clay soils, thanks to its high nutrient content and water retention. Browse our list of features on which plants to grow in clay soil, from flowers to trees and shrubs.

• Flowers for clay soil
• Five plants for a clay soil border
• Trees and shrubs for clay soils

Frequently asked questions

Which plants can I grow in clay soil with poor drainage?

If you have really poor drainage it’s best to try and improve this by digging to loosen the soil, adding grit to the base of plant holes so plant roots don’t sit in water, and mulching annually with composted bark, which helps to break up clay soils. Then choose plants that thrive in wet soils such as dogwood, loosestrife, hemp agrimony, apples, hollies and roses.

How can I improve drainage in a clay soil lawn?

Aerate the lawn by using a fork or core aerator to loosen compacted soil and create holes in the lawn. This will relive compaction and aid drainage. On very soggy soils you can fill the holes with horticultural grit, sand or gravel, which will create more permanent drainage channels and help keep the lawn dry. If the lawn remains boggy you may consider digging a drainage ditch to one side, and using French drains beneath the lawn to channel water into it.

Gravel gardens are an attractive way to transform part, or all of the garden, into a drought tolerant, low-maintenance display. The planting style is soft and informal, often with no barrier between planting and paths. They are ideal for Mediterranean plants that thrive in free draining, sandy soil, such as lavender, cistus, eryngiums and phlomis, as well as bulbs and grasses, which complement these sun-loving shrubs and perennials.

Gravel gardens are low maintenance because a thick layer of gravel helps to suppress weeds. Plants that are suited to the growing conditions of a gravel garden also tend to be drought tolerant, which saves time on watering, while the gravel itself conserves soil moisture. The best place for a gravel garden is in a sunny area with sandy, free draining soil. It’s hard to create a gravel garden on heavy clay soil, as gravel garden plants don’t grow well in these conditions. For heavier soils, dig in organic matter and grit to improve drainage.

Gravel gardens are suitable for any size of outdoor space. Here are some simple gravel garden ideas to get you started:

Use contemporary planting

Use airy, see-through plants and differing heights to create a modern gravel garden. Planting in a gravel garden doesn’t need to be dense and tends to have a more informal look. Gravel can also be used to complement features such as rockeries and water features.

Gravel garden ideas with pots

Gravel acts as a foil for plants and also looks attractive beneath container displays. The neutral shades of gravel are an ideal backdrop for colourful seasonal displays. Pots can also act as focal points in gravel gardens. If you’re limited on space and only have room for one container, try creating a miniature garden in a trough or container, with plants like sedums, cacti or alpines surrounded by gravel.

Create a gravel front garden

Incorporate a gravel garden into your front garden or driveway. It will have a softer look than hard landscaping, it provides more places to add plants and if you choose plants that attract pollinators it will also be good for wildlife. Choosing gravel over a stone driveway is also better for drainage.

Make a seating area 

In a gravel garden, plants can be dotted around, in loose arrangements and planted in between path pavers. This can help to create a beautiful space for a seating area, surrounded by views of plants in all directions. Gravel can also be useful in tricky shapes where there isn’t room for traditional flower beds as well as a seating area.

Gravel garden for wildlife

Add a pond to your gravel garden to help attract wildlife such as birds, frogs, newts and dragonflies. Gravel is an attractive background for silver-leaved plants such as sage and the bright magenta flowers of rose campion.

Make a small gravel garden

Make the most of small areas of gravel by planting herbs such as thyme in the gaps between paving stones along a path. Choose low-growing plants such as creeping Jenny, Corsican mint or ground cover sedums.

How to make a gravel garden

1. Prepare your planting area, removing any weeds and stones. Lay out your plants before planting to see how the display will look.
2. Dig a hole that’s roughly twice the width of your plant’s rootball and deep enough so that the top of the plant’s rootball is level with the soil’s surface.
3. Remove your plant from its pot and tease out the roots. Place it in the hole.
4. Mix some gravel into the soil that you have removed from the hole – this will help with drainage. Add the soil around the plant, firming it in well.
5. After planting, you can wait for a few weeks to see if any more weeds emerge, then weed again before adding a 4-5cm layer of gravel around your plants.

Frequently asked questions

What should be laid under gravel?

There are two options. It’s fine to create a gravel garden on bare soil. You may get more weeds at first, but you will also get seedlings from self seeding plants such as eryngium. To help suppress weeds you can lay landscape fabric over your soil before laying the gravel. You can then cut a cross in the fabric and insert plants through it.

Bear in mind that most landscape fabric is made from plastic and some can disintegrate into the soil, increasing its microplastic load. What’s more, landscape fabric can prevent water and air reaching the soil, and earthworms are not able to reach the soil surface. If you want plants to spread and self seed, don’t lay landscape fabric. For an environmentally friendly option, try eco mats, which are made from organic material, bio-degradable and have the benefit of allowing more water and air through, as well as suppressing weeds.

A garden canopy can provide much-needed shade in a sunny garden, along with shelter from rain and a snug space to curl up and read a book. There’s a variety of canopies to choose from, from rigid, permanent structures, frames on which you can grow plants so your canopy blends into the garden, and temporary canopies you can pull out when you need them.

Use wood or other materials to make a pergola and grow climbing plants such as wisteria, roses and even grapevines for a rustic look that blends in with the rest of your garden. Using scented plants will provide additional interest on summer days, while night-scented plants will delight your senses in the evening.

Looking for a waterproof canopy? Fix a waterproof, retractable awning to your pergola so you can pull it over when you need to. This will double up to provide additional shade when sunny.

A sail canopy helps to create temporary shade when you need it, but doesn’t take up valuable space when you don’t. You can buy a simple sail in a variety of colours, and fix it to eye hooks in the wall, trellis or even freestanding poles to create shade exactly where you need it – and you can buy a waterproof sail to provide additional shelter in wet weather. A sail is a great garden canopy idea for a small garden and where you don’t need a permanent solution to shade. It’s also easy to make yourself – simply choose your material, measure up how big you need your sail to be and cut to size. You’ll need a sewing machine to create an even hem and a grommet press to insert eyeholes.

Garden parasols are cheap and flexible, as you can move them around your space to create shade where you need it. They’re a perfect garden canopy idea for small gardens as they can be stored in the shed when you’re not using them. Like a sail, parasols come in a range of different colours, so you can choose one to suit the colour scheme of your garden.

Awning offers a semi-permanent structure but takes up less room than a traditional pergola, and many are retractable, meaning you can fold or roll them away when you don’t need them – perfect for small gardens. Adding awning to a house wall can help cool the house as well as provide shade in the garden, and you can choose from a variety of colours and styles to suit your home and garden.

It’s well known that trees provide shade and also help to cool hot areas, while providing food and shelter for wildlife. Good options include low-growing trees such as crab apple ‘Everest’, or something like a birch, which filters light and creates dappled shade, rather than blocking light completely.

A timber framed canopy can be built over your seating or patio area to provide shade, You can do this yourself if you’re handy with carpentry. Consider adding a piece of fabric to further enhance the shade provided by the arbour, or grow a plant up or near it to block or filter sunlight.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a canopy and a pergola?

A canopy provides overhead protection and comes in a range of shapes and sizes, from sails and sheets, to umbrellas and retractable awnings or the natural canopy of trees. A pergola is a permanent structure built in one area of the garden to provide year-round shelter. It often has walls and occasionally a floor.