They say an Englishman’s home is his castle, and we are certainly very protective of our own little area of the world.  Perhaps that is why fences and trellis panels are so prevalent in our gardens to set up demarcation lines with neighbouring properties (remember than all your posts and fencing must lie in your garden), and for privacy and security.  However, increasing numbers of modern housing estates have stipulations that front gardens must be open plan in design – with no fences.

Although an instant impact may be achieved with a fence or trellis, they can’t be erected and then forgotten about.  Maintenance is required to prevent rot.

There are two main types styles of fence: solid or open.  Solid fences usually comprise of wooden panels (mainly pine or larch) that have interwoven or overlapping slats of wood attached to frames.  These panels are available in a range of sizes and may or may not have spaces between the slats.  You need to bear this in mind when making a choice, as panels with no gaps between the slats create greater resistance to the wind and are therefore more likely to be blown down in high winds.  If your garden is in a particularly exposed windy site, I would opt for something that offers more tolerance of the wind.  Another popular type of solid fence is panels of bamboo lashed together.  These fences are inexpensive, afford great privacy and shield some wind, but their longevity is limited.

Open fences include picket (vertical boards fixed to horizontal rails) most often seen in suburban front gardens.  Post and rail fences are inexpensive and strong, with two or more horizontal rails fixed between posts, but aren’t the most attractive fences unless covered by shrubs and trees.  Perhaps the most expensive option is railings which are usually made from cast or wrought iron.

A trellis can be used as a design feature on their own, a boundary marker or a support for fledgling plants and flowers.  They come in many shapes and sizes (and colours too!) and are quite inexpensive but can give dramatic effects.  Trellises are also good at concealing ugly buildings or outhouses.

Before you even start creating your lovely new garden it is worth thinking about all the tools and equipment you are going to need, and importantly where you are going to store it.  Unless you have a fairly large garage that is not taken up with your car, the family’s bikes, tumble dryers and freezers, you are likely going to need to consider investing in a shed or other storage container.

Sheds are ideal for storing garden tools and are relatively cheap.  They will keep the rain and extremities of weather from your tools and don’t look out of place in a garden.  We’ve chosen a windowless shed here for the simple reason that prying eyes won’t be able to see what goodies you have locked away, and therefore we feel they offer a little bit more security for your valuable tools than a shed with windows.

This BillyOh tongue and groove shed is available in 5 different sizes and comes with a 10 year warranty against rot, fungus and insect attack, and FREE Delivery (to mainland England and Wales – additional charges for delivery to Scotland).

Itching to create that perfect garden?  As with everything, careful planning and setting foundations need to be laid before you start.  You will need to consider:

What do you want your garden to be?  Do you want it to be an outdoor room for entertaining, a place to grow fruit and vegetables, an area for the children to play safely, or just a basic lawned area which is easy to keep tidy with a few potted plants?  The answer to this will need to be combined with other ideas before you can even begin to create your dream garden.

You should also have an idea about what is your style.  Are you into a minimalist gardens with carefully structured designs incorporating specially chosen rocks set in gravel or little in the way of plants and grass?  Or is a wildflower garden more your thing, or a cottage-garden inspired theme?  Perhaps you prefer a classic formal garden with its symmetrical arrangements of plants and paved areas and immaculate lawn.

Answers to the above questions may also need to take into consideration the size of the space you have available, what is the garden like at different times of the day?  Which parts get the most sun?  Where is the wettest and windiest spots?  Is the area flat or sloping?  If the area is large, it is often best treated as a series of compartments of individual areas of interest.  Small sites don’t necessarily mean you are limited  in ideas of beauty and fantastic gesture.  Differing levels around the space and the inclusion of trees and shrubs from neighbouring gardens all add interest and structure.

You will also need to think about the general climatic atmosphere of where your garden is located.  The range of plants you will be able to grow will be dramatically influenced by rainfall, temperature and wind.  Even within a garden there are pockets of differing micro-climates.  For example, the bottom of a sun-baked wall will be very different from a frost pocket, and therefore the ability of various plants to grow will be marked.  The nature and drainage of your soil will also have a major impact on what you can place there.

Once you have thought about the above, and feel you are armed with a mass of information, one final, and very important factor needs to be considered – cost!

What is your idea of a garden?  Commonly it is thought of as a place where plants, flowers and grass grow, but often it is more complex than that.  To some people, the idea of spending hours tending their carefully planted foliage is their idea of bliss.  To others, having a low maintenance area for outdoor living is more their bag.  Whatever your idea, we hope Gardens2enjoy will bring you plenty of ideas, inspiration, hints and tips to help create a personal creation that will bring you years of pleasure.

Over the coming months (and perhaps years) we aim to develop the website to include sections on where you can buy plants and seeds, vegetables, gardening equipment, garden furniture and toys.

We also welcome feedback and your hints and tips.

Over the coming weeks, months and years we will bring you ideas and tips on how to create the perfect garden for you.  This will be an ongoing endeavour that will evolve with time so there will always be something new to find.  We will also bring you good sources for items you need to create the perfect garden, from books, equipment and even plants and seeds themselves.

We hope you will come to enjoy and find useful this site.