The best tonic I find is to have something to plan and look forward to and now is the perfect time to take stock of your garden and think about warmer, sunnier days to be spent outside. (Two poor summers must add up to a good one this year surely?) If you don't use your garden much, ask yourself why not ? The following checklist may help you:

• Is the garden practical and have useable spaces for dining outside, sunbathing, entertaining, children's play?
• Is it overlooked and lacking privacy?
• Is the garden boring without focal points or any nice planting?

Make the garden look good and this will invite you outside. People seem to be good at maximising the space in their homes but often overlook the potential of their garden.

Two tips to get you started. Firstly give the lawn a strong shape. I'm a curvy kind of girl (I'm talking lines here not the shape of my bottom - hubby thinks he's very funny) and circles really work well to define a space. Secondly add a focal point like a pergola or something as simple as a bird bath and place them where you think they look good - that is what garden design is all about. The planting can be more of a challenge but there is so much information available these days in books, garden centres and via the Internet that you really should have a go. And if you really don't feel up to the challenge - you can always ring me!

Happy new garden !

The best tonic I find is to have something to plan and look forward to and now is the perfect time to take stock of your garden and think about warmer, sunnier days to be spent outside. (Two poor summers must add up to a good one this year surely?) If you don't use your garden much, ask yourself why not ? The following checklist may help you:

• Is the garden practical and have useable spaces for dining outside, sunbathing, entertaining, children's play
• Is it overlooked and lacking privacy?
• Is the garden boring without focal points or any nice planting?

Make the garden look good and this will invite you outside. People seem to be good at maximising the space in their homes but often overlook the potential of their garden.

Two tips to get you started. Firstly give the lawn a strong shape. I'm a curvy kind of girl (I'm talking lines here not the shape of my bottom - hubby thinks he's very funny) and circles really work well to define a space. Secondly add a focal point like a pergola or something as simple as a bird bath and place them where you think they look good - that is what garden design is all about. The planting can be more of a challenge but there is so much information available these days in books, garden centres and via the Internet that you really should have a go. Why not try Shoot's garden planner tool to plot out your new garden and to choose your plants? And if you really don't feel up to the challenge - you can always ring me!

Happy new garden !