Gardening is easy,right:plant a few daffodils,mow the lawn,bit of white plastic garden furniture,done.
But while that might do for an outdoor area to scrabble around after a football in with the kids or unwind in a deckchair on a rare sunny day,there is a little more art to creating the perfect outdoor space-and you don't even need to be green fingered to achieve it.
According to interiors design guru Abigail Ahern,transforming a garden can be a simple case of establishing a strong,contrasting colour palette-and in this case,dark,slate greys and deep musty blues clash artfully against the lush greens of an English summer garden in full bloom.
"Everybody knows that stuff just looks better when it's framed against grey or dark hues,"she writes."This is because it stands out more,it packs a visual punch which you wouldn't get otherwise.
"If you restrict the colour palette,your look will immediately feel more cohesive,sophisticated and edgy.Dark furniture,dining chairs,lounging chairs,stools or pouffes-against these pieces some intoxicating foliage,from the lime of bamboo to grasses to darker evergreen species.
"If you're decorating inside obviously you will want a few more hues than this,but if you're a bit stumped with outside you won't go wrong with keeping it green."
When creating an outdoor space,it's important to combine textures as well as colours to provide a lush feeling,even in the sparse winter months.
Garden furniture is especially important for that-rather than a standard petrol-green or off-white plastic set,invest in hardy bamboo or wicker furniture,or,if you're feeling flush,designer pieces in a host of dark and brooding colours.
And to enjoy your garden space throughout the day,outdoor lighting is vital,too.Outdoor wall lights provide illumination without encroaching on your artfully designed outdoor space,and with LED bulbs available,you can be green while keeping your garden well lit.
