Landscape expert Jason Hodges says a change in temperature doesn’t have to force us to adjust how we entertain and enjoy our outdoor areas and gardens. “A little preparation and a few smart purchases can winter-proof your backyard by transforming it into a cosy feature area that will be a family favourite year round.”

Here are Jason’s top tips for getting your garden and outdoor space winter-ready:

1. Build a solid foundation

“To make the most of your yard during winter, the important thing, before we even get to outdoor heating, is laying a solid foundation,” says Jason. That could mean ensuring there’s appropriate drainage to avoid your backyard turning into a muddy mess after heavy rainfall or laying a paved entertaining area to host cosy dinner parties. For functionality, we recommend choosing an area near your back door to pave an entertaining patio, which, if possible, should ideally be large enough to fit an outdoor setting and heating unit.

Another great way to make your outdoor space fit for winter entertaining is by investing in an awning or pergola to shelter it from the elements and create the sense of a dedicated outdoor space.

2. Lawn care

Winter can be a tough time for lawns but there are ways in which you can prevent this through careful preparation.

Choose a slow-release fertiliser and feed your lawn throughout autumn ensuring it is healthy and in good condition coming into winter. The north-east of Australia tends to get less rain than in the stormy summer months so if you experience drier winters, it’s important to keep your lawn hydrated. In the southern parts of the country where there is more rain during winter, you can switch to watering as needed. You’ll know when grass is thirsty by watching for curling of the leaves or the appearance of dry spots.

3. Choose your plants wisely

If you are in the process of renovating your garden, it’s a good time to consider plant and flower choices. Winter tends to be a time for barren branches and slow growth, but it’s absolutely possible to inject some colour and life back into your garden during the cooler months.

While there are a number of fantastic flowering plants that thrive in cold conditions, we recommend camellias, which are not only gorgeous but will flower for over six months a year in the right conditions.

If you’ve got potted plants, take the opportunity to consider their position in the garden and if you can, move them to an area that may be better suited to capturing more morning sunlight.

4. Add some outdoor lighting

With those short winter days, a well-lit garden is essential if you want to keep the good times going while hosting winter soirees.

“Outdoor lighting allows us to create an atmosphere for different purposes whether it’s for late night dinners or nights by the fire pit,” says Jason.

That’s why a practical floodlight is the best and most effective way to illuminate a large outdoor area. Although floodlights are akin to the dreaded “big light”, they are the most effective way to illuminate a large outdoor area. But once you’ve got your floodlights in place, you can then consider adding more subtle and softer lighting in the form of outdoor lanterns, fairy lights, outdoor LED strip lights and small garden stake lights. Don’t forget to look for the IP44 rating for indoor and outdoor use in all conditions when shopping for outdoor lighting.

5. Warm it up

No garden is winter-ready without a source of heat. Opt for a mobile heater to provide flexibility or a stylish yet functional fixed strip heater if you have an overhead pergola.

Backyard fire pits provide an affordable way to add real wow factor and a touch of rustic charm to your outdoor space. You can also test your DIY skills by building your own.

See more on winter gardening

Previous

11 of the most beautiful winter flowers for Australian gardens

Master your garden year-round with these vegetables to grow in winter

How to care for fruit trees in winter

Next

The post 5 ways to winter-proof your garden for outdoor entertaining appeared first on Homes To Love.

If you’re not sure where to go next with your garden or are stuck for ideas establishing a new one, this list of the most common types of gardens is sure to help!

From tropical, indoor and more, these garden design ideas can either take up a whole yard, or a portion of one. If you like, create a garden dedicated entirely to all of the different types of roses. Or, if you can’t commit to one idea (or one flower, for that matter), consider dividing your backyard into zones; a cottage garden with a vegie patch, perhaps?

No matter what kind of gardener you are or the amount of garden space you have, there’s bound to be something here to suit your home and climate among this list of the 31 most popular garden design styles.

How should I lay out my garden?

How you layout your garden depends on the look and style you’re going for, as well as what you’re planning on planting – always check what will suit your location first!

For example, the most basic garden layout for vegies consists of long, north-to-south rows of planting, which allows for the best sun exposure and air circulation. Conversely, if you think your garden will primarily be a space to entertain, you’ll want to plan various ‘zones’ to suit, such as a pergola or outdoor kitchen.

A lot of people also like to include ‘borders’, such as hedges or areas bordered by garden edging.

Wander 31 of the most popular garden design styles and ideas

Accessible garden

Kate Herd’s riverside garden 7km from Melbourne’s CBD is many things: lush, sprawling (it’s over 2.4 hectares) and abloom with an eclectic mix of native and exotic plants. But in addition to these things, it also happens to be accessible. Dry-stone walls and granitic-sand paths designed for wheelchair access wind down the hill to the billabong below.

Balcony garden

In the city, where shoebox apartments and high-rise living are the norm, having a passion for gardening can be tough. But if you’re lucky enough to have even the tiniest balcony, you can still flex those gardening muscles. First thing first: find out how much light and wind hits your balcony during the day and get to work choosing plants that suit those conditions. Here are [three key steps to creating a successful balcony garden.

Coastal garden

Landscaper Matt Leacy says when it comes to creating a successful coastal garden, your plant selection is everything. “Choose plants that can withstand salty and windy conditions,” he says. Both native Australian plants and tropical plants are popular choices. See how Matt transformed this once lacklustre backyard into a coastal oasis perfect for entertaining.

Container garden

Container gardens, or potted gardens, are extremely versatile. Not only are they great for beginner gardeners, but they can be created indoors and out, on the largest of verandahs or the tiniest of balconies. They also have the advantage of being portable. This container garden in Katoomba, for example, is a delight to the eyes. If you like the idea of growing edible plants in pots, here are the best fruit and vegetables to grow in containers.

Contemporary minimal garden

The trick to nailing a contemporary minimal garden is to focus on foliage and texture, rather than masses of striking flowers. Plants are positioned to compliment and echo the architectural features of the home, rather than be the hero in their own right. This contemporary Sydney garden features a mix of bamboo, Buxus plantings and a trio of potted succulents. Champions of this style include Garden Life’s Richard Unsworth and landscape designer Kate Seddon.

Cottage garden

Cottage gardens are the antithesis of ornamental manicured estate gardens. You’ll find no mazes, or created lakes here. Instead, you’ll find densely planted flowers, climbing roses and the fragrance of lavender in the air. Add a herb garden, vegetable patch and a fruit tree and you’ve got all the underpinnings of a charming cottage garden. This cottage garden on the Mornington Peninsula is filled with sentimentality, with many of the plants gifted to the owners by friends and family.

Hamptons garden

It’s no secret that the Australian climate lends itself to Hamptons decorating style in the home, but often forgotten is the potential to extend this breezy coastal style into the outdoors. Part coastal, part formal, part luxury resort, this Hamptons-style garden layers structured plantings with feature trees, lush lawns and well-manicured hedges to create a truly liveable garden style to suit any sized space.

Country garden

Country gardens come in all shapes and sizes. On one hand, there is the formal English-style garden – with exotic plants like roses and wisteria – and on the other, the modern Australian country garden – with native plants and ornamental, drought-tolerant grasses. Whichever way you sway, country gardens are the backdrop to many a childhood memory and are a style that will continue to ensure for generations to come.

Courtyard garden

Courtyard gardens treat the outdoors as an extension of the home. This coastal outdoor bathroom is a great example of how to create an inviting spa-like environment with large-scale feature pots and trailing plants surrounding a luxurious bathing zone, perfect for enjoying a cool summer breeze while reading a book.

Drought tolerant garden

Warmer temperatures, drought conditions and water restrictions mean creating a garden that requires less water – i.e. one that is both drought tolerant and water-wise – is essential. “You can create any sort of garden – traditional, pretty, formal or contemporary – using water-wise plants,” says landscape designer Adam Fisher. Fortunately, in Australia, many of our native plants will easily fit the bill. The best thing about these gardens is that they require a lot less attention!

Formal garden

There are five key elements of formal gardens, two of which are: classic plant choices and water features. Modern Australian formal gardens have begun to veer away from exotic plants for native choices that require less water. Champions of this style are Paul Bangay and Peter Fudge.

Herb garden

Buying a bunch of different herbs at the supermarket can really add to your weekly shopping bill, so investing in some seedlings and growing your own is a great economic choice. Herb gardens can be created outdoors in a garden bed, or indoors in little pots by your kitchen windowsill. Here are 10 easy-grow herb plants we recommend for beginners and some tips for growing herbs indoors.

Indoor garden

If your home is styled to perfection but it seems like something’s missing, then an indoor plant could be the magic solution. Indoor greenery is now the norm in modern homes. That’s because plants purify the air and look fantastic too! Looking for a fool-proof indoor plant to get started? Try one from our list of 15 plants that thrive indoors.

Japanese-inspired garden

Inspired by the gardens of Japan, this surreal space – featuring ceramic rocks and a pond tinted with dye – was created by Geelong-based garden designer Christian Jenkins for Melbourne’s 2018 International Flower & Garden show in support of Beyondblue. Japanese gardens usually include large stones, bridges, ponds, Japanese maple and bamboo.

Low-maintenance garden

Have a garden but hate gardening? Or maybe you travel too frequently to be pottering around the garden every weekend? Then creating a low-maintenance yard from the get-go is essential. Focus on selecting hardy, evergreen plants and establishing healthy soil. Here are [five ways to create a low-maintenance garden that takes care of itself.

Manicured garden

In a manicured garden, expect to find lawns trimmed to perfection and hedges so square you’d swear they were laser cut. But manicured gardens are adored for more than their regal appearance. They’re also practical and enable an expanse of land to be transformed into a series of ‘outdoor rooms’ with their own unique functions. Here, a rocky slope was transformed into a manicured garden that is now enjoyed by the owners all year round.

Native Australian garden

After years of shunning our own native flora in favour of traditional and exotic species, there’s finally been a shift. Both professional landscapers and amateur gardeners now prefer to create Australian native gardens not only for their hardiness and drought-resistance but for their beauty. Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew consulted with Wariapendi Native Nursery in the Southern Highlands to create the gorgeous garden at her farm cottage in the Blue Mountains.

Organic garden

Creating an organic garden is perhaps more of a commitment than a true garden style. But it’s a movement that is rapidly influencing gardens all over the country. An organic gardener commits to fighting problems such as pests, weeds and disease with natural solutions. This results in healthier fruits and vegetables has a positive impact on the environment and will keep bees, birds and good insects happy. A great place to start is by establishing a compost and using natural pest control methods.

Palm Springs-inspired garden

With a renewed interest in mid-century modern design has come a resurgence of Palm Springs-inspired gardens. Creating garden beds that echo the angular architecture of the building is paramount. Just as a cottage needs a garden wild with flowers and rambling roses, so too does a mid-century modern home require sparse, structural plantings that are drought tolerant. That’s because Palm Springs – where this style originates – is in the middle of the Sonoran Desert in south California. Cacti and succulents, particularly mother-in-law’s-tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) are popular choices for this style of garden.

Raised bed garden

Raised garden beds have multiple benefits: not only do they allow you to customise the soil without digging up the whole yard; but they will also – depending on how high you make them – save your knees and back. The planter in this urban Sydney garden was constructed from recycled stacked ironbark sleepers for a relaxed, rustic look. It’s also the perfect height for the family’s young kids who love to garden.

Rooftop garden

Rooftop gardens, while the peak of luxury apartment living, present a unique challenge when it comes to design. Not only is it important to get the basics right, it’s also important to think about how you’re going to get the plants up there! Landscape designer Michael Bates of Bates Landscape agrees, saying “Getting the materials up onto the roof [is] a difficult logistical exercise in its own right.” But the result is oh so worth it, as this rooftop garden at a Sydney apartment designed by landscape architects at Black Beetle proves.

Rose garden

Is there any flower more romantic than a rose? These classic blooms – which have become a universal symbol of love – are the backbone of every traditional English, or cottage garden. But rose gardens – created to display all the different types of rose varieties – are a garden style in their own right. Start creating a rose garden and you’ll soon be swept up among a crowd of avid collectors. Keep an eye out for heritage rose varieties, which are 75 years or older and are beloved for their strong fragrance and hardiness. Explore ten romantic rose gardens here.

Sloping garden

From retaining walls and terraces to levelling out the soil completely, there are a few ways to maximise a sloping garden. While gentler slopes can probably be left untouched and simply reinforced with plants, grass and pathways, harsher slopes may require the creation of several terraced zones and the construction of garden steps.

Side garden

So you’re all business in the front and party in the back … but what about your side garden? Even if the sides of your home are shrouded in shade, it doesn’t mean you can’t liven things up with a little lovely leafiness. In smaller spaces, consider going vertical. In wider walkways, start with a few good structural shade-loving plants (agave or agapanthus are a good choice here), some stepping stones and a fast-growing groundcover. Explore 6 stunning side garden ideas here.

Small garden

If you think your yard is too small to create an amazing garden, think again! The trick is to use every inch of space you have available, whether it’s vertical walls or a large pot packed with as many plants as possible. From utilising the council verge to planting a few creepers and climbers, there are so many different ways to transform a patch into a paradise. Explore 25 small garden design ideas here.

Succulent garden

Succulents are popular indoor plants because they’re basically indestructible, but did you know they’re a fantastic low-maintenance option for outdoors too? This outdoor succulent and cacti garden in the Hunter Valley is a case in point.

Topiary garden

Gardening is an extremely creative, yet practical pastime to take up. But if you really want to take things to the next level, you could try your hand at topiary. Make like Edward Scissorhands and create living sculptures from perennial trees and hedging plants such as European box, holly or privet. But be warned, it takes practice and patience. In this central Victorian topiary garden, towering trees have been clipped into interesting geometrical shapes.

Tropical garden

Experience those ‘away on vacation’ vibes every day by creating a luxurious tropical escape in your own backyard. A combination of large leafy plants and sculptural lower-level plantings like agave will have you nailing the look in no time!

Vegetable garden

Vegetable gardens – also known as kitchen gardens, vegie patches or a productive garden – are all the rage right now. Not only are they fun for the whole family (get the kids involved!) but they’ll also improve your cooking tenfold. From salad greens and Mediterranean herbs to garlic the possibilities are endless.

Vertical garden

When you’ve got nowhere to go but up, you’re in a good place! Vertical gardens are on trend right now because they allow you to cover unsightly walls and inject life into an otherwise bland outdoor area. For a vertical garden that is low-maintenance and good-looking, try fast-growing climbing plants. If you’re in it for the long haul, and want something more challenging, why not try one of these 10 plants that are perfect for vertical gardening? For more, read our handy guide to vertical gardening.

Woodland garden

Woodland gardens take years to create from scratch, as the essential ingredient is a canopy of leaves provided by tall deciduous trees. In this cool-climate garden in the Blue Mountains exotic oaks have been underplanted with daffodils and lilacs which thrive in the dappled light. Legendary landscape designer Edna Walling was one of the pioneers of this style in Australia.

The post 31 of the most popular garden design styles and ideas appeared first on Homes To Love.

The Sydney-based couple have two children, Grace, who is almost three, and Hari, who just turned one. Originally from South Australia, Sarah and Arj met at medical school in Adelaide. Their careers as doctors have taken them all over Australia, with a stint in Canada’s Vancouver, but scrolling their home state’s real estate listings during the COVID pandemic inspired a long-term goal to return to Adelaide. Finding Vihara Valley in the heart of the Adelaide Hills set the wheels in motion.

“Even through Facetime, we could tell the place had character and such a beautiful charm. We bought the property without looking at it in person, but my folks did, and they couldn’t stop talking about it,” says Sarah. Her parents, Bob and Penny Hannam (77 and 68, respectively), are the current caretakers of Vihara Valley, which is located 20 minutes from their home in Adelaide’s CBD.

The previous homeowners were an equestrian family who lovingly restored and extended the historic 1860s-era homestead during the 20-plus years of their residency. They also brought structure to the grounds. “The garden was designed to have different things flourishing as the seasons roll through. It’s quite spectacular,” says Sarah.

The family kept horses and built a full-size dressage arena and an American-style barn with multiple stables, wash bays and a tack room. They installed the solar-heated pool by the house, positioning it to take in the postcard-worthy view of the neighbour’s vineyard.

The verandah-wrapped homestead boasts green vistas from every window and set of French doors. The landscaping features the formality of clipped hedges and topiary focal points, the artistry of which is maintained by gardener Barry Godomsk. Hired by the previous homeowners, Barry works at Vihara Valley one day a week. “He is very valuable in helping us understand the seasonality and risks in the garden. We’ve developed a strong relationship working together,” says Bob.

As a retired agricultural scientist dedicated to soil science and agronomy, Bob also brings knowledge and expertise. Hailing from a cattle and sheep farming family in the Adelaide Hills, he is handy with equipment and often works the tractor slasher to maintain the property’s five paddocks. “In addition to that, I am a pretty keen gardener at home, and I like lots of colour. That’s what we are trying to infuse at Vihara Valley,” Bob offers.

Daphne, camellias, salvias and climbers such as jasmine, mandevillas and wisteria promise flushes of colour and an enhancement of the garden’s total sensory appeal through texture, form and fragrance. As for the terrain, Bob explains, “It’s acidic soil, which is quite common in the Adelaide Hills. It’s a sandy loam over solid clay, so it’s not the most fertile, but it’s workable with some fertiliser and plenty of organic matter.”

Many bulbs were already in the ground – including jonquils and daffodils – but Penny planted a mass of daffodils in one paddock to create a bold, chromatic feature. “There is also a very nice creek visible from the house, which we hope to shape into a landscape with beautiful trees,” Bob shares. “We’ve planted claret ash and maple down there already.”

“It’s our family home…where we can eventually watch our grandkids run around the garden.”

In addition, Sarah and Arj talk of putting in grape vines – chardonnay and pinot noir varietals do well in the region – and carving out space for a generous vegetable garden. Gestures like these confirm the family are sculpting a meaningful future at Vihara Valley, visiting as often as their packed schedule allows. “Sydney life is hectic, and this property provides an escape for us. It also gives us something to aim towards when we want to start slowing down,” says Arj. “It’s our family home that we hope to grow old in, where we can eventually watch our grandkids run around the garden.”

The post A “good omen” began a family’s journey with this homestead and its spectacular garden appeared first on Homes To Love.

Design principles in Japanese gardens feature asymmetry to mimic the natural curves — and lack of strict geometry — in nature, as well as symbolism, where a simple rock could represent a towering hill or mountain, while raked gravel could emulate the mesmerising curvature of an ocean wave. A mindful connection to nature is key.

Serenity and balance are achieved through the use of natural materials like stones, water and of course, plants, with their positioning in the garden often mirroring their natural places of habitat.

• Karesansui, or dry rock garden
• Chaniwa/Roji, or tea garden
• Chisen-shoyū-teien, or pond garden
• Kaiyushiki-teien, or stroll/promenade garden

Different types of Japanese gardens

In Japanese gardens, the inevitable waxing and waning of seasons brings out a different kind of beauty to that of others; instead, it’s one that is built and celebrated for its impermanence.

Ageing, damage, and distortion are considered markers of love and the passage of time, embracing the natural cycle of birth, growth, death and decay. Objects are preserved in their natural state, and much of Japanese garden design revolves around this worldview, also known as Wabi-sabi.

What are the essential elements of a Japanese garden?

• Stone: A symbol of eternity and longevity that grounds the landscape and represents the rolling hills and mountains of Japan, stone is arguably the most ubiquitous material used in Japanese gardens.
• Water: A fundamental element of the Earth, water symbolises renewal, tranquillity and repose and is most often represented in Japanese gardens as a pond or waterfall.
• Plants: While it depends on the style of Japanese garden, common plants used are moss, ornamental pines, bonsai plants, and bamboo for a lush, shady effect. For a splash of autumnal colour, consider Japanese maples or gingko trees.
• Ornaments: Bridges, seated areas and stepping stones are some of the common elements in Japanese gardens that evoke transience and reflection.

How can I design a Japanese garden in an Australian backyard?

“Instead of replicating, we prefer to borrow principles and ideas used in traditional Japanese gardens and apply these to our small space and courtyard designs. Ultimately, it’s about creating a visually beautiful, inviting space that draws you out and into the garden,” says Luke Baldwin, landscape architect & founder of Formed Gardens.

“We’ll use elements like ponds or water features for the atmosphere. Timber and stone benches and steps to sit and reflect within the garden, and small trees to provide scale and shelter. These basic ideas really translate to any style and make for an inviting and successful small garden or courtyard.”

According to the landscape designer, one major challenge for Japanese plants can be hot, dry Australian summers, in which case native species are generally substituted for ones that may look different but still have similar scale and form.

Our favourite Japanese-inspired garden ideas

A potted Japanese maple placed on sleek gravel brings a sense of serenity to this elegant garden in Sydney’s North Shore.

In an ultra-modern residence defined by three types of granite and a subdued colour palette, spherically pruned greenery and delicate foliage bring this urban, Japanese-style courtyard a delightful sense of lightness and ease.

While this inner-city, Australian garden retains the architectural structure of a traditional backyard, elements like the Japanese wisteria give it a sense of subdued, otherworldly calm.

Elements of natural stone covered in soft moss are framed by a delicate crackle-glazed water bowl and lush green foliage in this Japanese-inspired garden in Longueville, Sydney.

This Japanese-influenced garden features a serene water feature along with an array of Japanese maple tree species and natural stone materials to a beautiful effect.

Located in Lennox Head, this tranquil garden incorporates elements of Japanese design like natural stone and traditionally preserved timber that is translated for a classic Australian backyard.

The post 6 serene Japanese-style garden ideas that inspire clarity appeared first on Homes To Love.

There’s nothing Australians love more than kicking back in the summer, entertaining outdoors, and having alfresco meals on high rotation. But as many of us know, finding the perfect outdoor setting that fits your vision, can stand up to the elements and works within your budget is no easy undertaking.

From luxuriously upholstered outdoor couches to insta-worthy hanging chairs, we’ve searched our favourite gardens, the top furniture brands and toured the best showrooms to bring you Australia’s best outdoor furniture. 

From full-fledged outdoor dining settings to versatile seating and a comfy lounge, we’re here with the lowdown on about choosing the perfect outdoor furniture for your backyard, as well as our favourite brands and picks.

The best outdoor furniture brands to shop

• Freedom
• Aura Home
• Outer
• Castlery
• Lounge Lovers
• Olan Living
• King Living
• Eco Outdoor
• Cosh Living

Create outdoor zones

The holiday period is peak time for catching up with family. While that can be wonderful, putting related people together means that things can get awkward and stuff may be said. Handle it by splitting the crowd, literally. A trick of the design trade is to set up zones to create moments and opportunities for conversations in your outdoor space, says interiors expert Shannon Vos. This will help inhibit the craziness that can come with hosting a crowd.

Create multiple spaces for a couple of people to connect and converse, and you’ll have an outdoor set-up that invites people in and encourages them to stay (this may or may not be a good thing).

These zones could be anything from a few settings around a pool, a couple of spots to sit on the deck, or even totally separate zones in a bigger backyard.

How to style outdoor settings

Just like an indoor furniture arrangement, an outdoor zone needs to flow. People need to move around or through your zones, so it’s important to have the set-out and scale just right.

Far too many times I’ve seen giant outdoor lounges (that homeowners fall in love with) crammed into tiny spaces on decks and in yards and they don’t look good.

Work with the space you have and don’t overdo it. On top of that, your exterior aesthetic should flow and complement your interior one, and your patio, deck or yard should be treated like another indoor room.

Similar colours, textures and shapes should be used to create a sense of cohesiveness.

A successful outdoor kitchen, for example, flows from inside to out with similar (if not the same) benchtops and cabinetry as the indoor kitchen.

How to look after outdoor furniture

Outdoor materials have come a long way since the brittle plastic furniture our parents owned, but most quality pieces are either made from timber, aluminium or a plastic-based composite.

That said, all these materials need regular upkeep as the harsh Australian weather can play havoc with anything left outside.

Timber will dry out and split in no time; aluminium bubbles and calcifies almost like rust; and plastics can fade quicker than you can say ‘three-year warranty’.

To properly care for and protect your outdoor furniture, you need to wash it regularly – that means a couple of times each year – to get rid of the salt, dust and grime that creates an environment of erosion.

Timbers, particularly tropical timers, look and perform great outdoors, but they will need a lick of oil every so often, so if you are looking at a teak lounge set, buy a brush as well.

How to create an outdoor setting on a budget

As a general rule, if something is cheap, it probably won’t last, especially if it lives outside. But there are a few ways to save on outdoor furniture.

Consider buying individual pieces one at a time, instead of the entire set at once (checking that the style won’t be discontinued anytime soon).

A new table for alfresco dining can look great, but aged chairs will make it look drab, so restore any furniture you’re planning on keeping to maintain that new look aesthetic.

If you’re an upcycler, timber furniture that has seen a few seasons can be brought back to life with a few rolls of sandpaper, some elbow grease and a decent lick of furniture oil.

As well as that, old and tattered fabrics are easily reupholstered with a UV-stable fabric such as Sunbrella or Sunproof. And remember, rustic is the new chic and stumps make great stools, as long as you source them ethically – no National Parks please!

furniture flops

Don’t wallow in regret over the wrong purchases. Here are our top tips to avoid outdoor furniture disasters.

• Avoid thin legs on chairs if placing them on grass; they will sink into dirt quicker than a stiletto after a rainy day.

• Cover your fabrics and furniture. Or better yet, bring them indoors when not in use. Prolonged exposure to rain and sun quickly ages furniture.

• Use timbers designed for the Australian summer. Non-tropical timbers don’t handle humidity well, so get to know your woods.

• Black furniture and fabrics will absorb every bit of energy and heat from the sun, resulting in burnt bums and faded fabrics.

The ultimate guide to outdoor furniture

Outdoor dining sets

Bring happy hour, barbecues and dinners outside with statement outdoor dining sets for all budgets. Outdoor furniture doesn’t come cheap, so you want an outdoor dining set that will stand the test of time, that still feels fresh come next summer and the one after that.

READ MORE

Outdoor bench seats

There’s nothing quite like spending time in the great outdoors, and being surrounded by nature is even better when there’s a decent place to sit or recline. Enter the outdoor bench seat; a not-clunky, elegant, and versatile piece of outdoor furniture so adored that lovers carve their names in them, poets daydream on them, and you and your family can sit, eat, prop stuff, and build forts on them. Here are the best outdoor bench seats for your backyard or patio.

READ MORE

Outdoor lounge chairs

Those gorgeous days that drawl into magical alfresco evenings are something special indeed – but it’s the smallest touches that make the biggest difference. Case in point: outdoor lounge chairs. Here’s our round up of comfortable outdoor sofas and outdoor lounge chairs that offer beauty as well as durability.

READ MORE

Outdoor dining tables

From rounded outdoor dining tables to wooden tables that fit six – or more if you squeeze in – we’ve rounded up the best outdoor dining tables that will lay the foundation for all your outdoor soirees this season.

READ MORE

Outdoor rugs

An outdoor rug is a stylishly simple accessory that will tie everything together in your outdoor space. Hard wearing and beautiful at once, a rug will also protect bare feet from hot tiles sitting all day in the sun. Plus, they’re the fastest way to cover up a regrettable tile or paver choice, because we’ve all seen those debacles. Choose an outdoor rug that will make your alfresco space cosy in the winter and that withstand whatever weather the year throws at you.

READ MORE

Affordable outdoor furniture

If there’s one thing Australians love more than the extended sunshine itself, it’s alfresco dining. Migrating from the couch and venturing into the great outdoors (well, your backyard) is the best opportunity to spruce up your alfresco living area with some new furniture — and these days the possibilities are actually endless. From market umbrellas to all-weather armchairs, here are some of the latest affordable outdoor furniture buys to inspire your next gathering.

READ MORE

Outdoor furniture sets

We love these Oiside ‘No.12’ wire-frame lounge chairs from Robert Plumb, but there is a vast array of outdoor chairs for all styles and all budgets out there. Here are the best outdoor chairs in Australia right now. Here are the best chairs, tables and outdoor furniture sets to shop in Australia.

READ MORE

The post Outdoor furniture ideas for your backyard setting appeared first on Homes To Love.

Hardy, drought-resistant, and stunningly sculptural, Australian native garden designs are often filled with a harmonious spectrum of native foliage. Did you know that there are over 800 different species of Wattle alone, and some 700 Eucalyptus? Native gardens can attract fauna back into your garden and build thriving ecosystems.

To help you pick the best native Australian plants for your specific area, there are specialist nurseries dotted across the country. One of those is Harvest Seeds & Native Plants in Terrey Hills in NSW, which is run by passional native plant lover, Marina Grassecker.

“Native plants in your garden allows insects and animals to live in comfort, as you are also providing food and habitat for them as well as yourself. They need areas where the plants and native grasses can go wild,” says Marina. And in turn, “protecting and nurturing wildlife will protect us by ensuring pollination of plants and a healthy environment.”

Be inspired by these native garden designs

This garden in the Blue Mountains has to fend for itself most days while enduring blistering summers and frosty winters, so the couple sought advice about hardy, low-maintenance plants from native landscaping experts Wariapendi Nursery in the Southern Highlands.

Walls of stacked stone from the sunken sitting area beside the lake. Fiona Brockhoff incorporated Tussocks and Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ soften the edge of the retaining wall.

The panoramic vistas from this hilltop home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches are matched only by its glorious, true-blue garden.

Part country, part coastal, this expansive garden on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula uses beds of native plants. Native shrubs are pruned lightly into rounded forms.

During the build, owner Imogen Tutton studied horticulture — she has a background in law and advertising — and so before they did anything she came every day and started laying out the garden. “I was on quite a native garden mission and I had this beautiful canvas to do it on, so it was my shovel, my mower, and my dog and me, bit by bit.”

The fabulous planting scheme for this home on Victoria’s Surf Coast is entirely indigenous, which was a requirement of the local council. Landscaping by Hansen Partnership. Home by FMD Architects.

This Perth garden is a model of sustainability – looking after the environment and the wellbeing of the whole family.

Studying native plants and garden design led Kathleen Murphy to create a water-wise oasis at her home where clients can see her work firsthand. Her stunning garden with panoramic views of the Macedon Ranges features a variety of Australian native plants and a contemporary take on the latest in garden ideas and plantings.

The faded timber of the beach house combined with the silverygreens of the native garden, planted by Kate’s husband Mal who is a landscape designer, gives the exterior a beautiful, rustic air.

Indigenous plantings and a coastal aesthetic help blur the boundaries between a new garden and its beachside location.

Melbourne landscape designer, Sam Cox has shaped his bushland garden to replicate a slice of nature. “The masses of planting, mounding and boulders are balanced with the voids of pathways, ponds and pools,” says Sam. The paths are made from Castlemaine slate.

The post 11 native Australian garden design ideas to inspire appeared first on Homes To Love.

And there are plenty of options on the market, from electic heater solutions, built-in outdoor fireplaces, and DIY fire pits. Even pizza ovens can help heat your outdoor space! There are plenty of ways to ensure your outdoor areas are enjoyable no matter what the night-time temperature.

Of all the options, though, fire pits are the most budget-friendly outdoor heating option, and can be the easiest to install. They come in a range of different sizes and styles, so you can find one that looks great in your space, and even makes a feature of your backyard.

What should you put at the bottom of a fire pit?

When setting up a fire pit area in your backyard, it’s best to put a layer of fire-resistant material at the base to ensure the fire pit doesn’t overheat the ground and is stable. Something like gravel, bricks, concrete or sand would work. It’s always safest to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing a fire pit.

What is the cheapest way to make a fire pit area?

There are plenty of ways to make a DIY fire pit if your budget doesn’t allow for something pre-made. Fire Rings can be purchased from most hardware stores and are typically made of steel and very affordable.

Old bricks, concrete blocks or large rocks can also be recycled and used to create fire pits in your backyard for less. Visit your local tip shop or have a look in the streets during council clean-ups for materials.

Once again, when constructing a fire pit it’s important to consider safety. Contact your local fire department or council for help, and ensure you clear out any flammable objects before lighting your fire.

What do you put in a fire pit to make it burn?

Unlike gas heaters that only require pressing a button to turn them on, with fire pits you actually have to start a fire! You can do this with firewood and kindling — hardwoods like oak, maple and birch are the best. It’s important that the wood is dry and old to avoid creating too much smoke.

Alternatively, you can use things like fire starters and other accelerants, available at your local supermarket and hardware stores.

21 fire pit area ideas to inspire

Being completely off-grid, this mindful home in Kyvalley is all about reaping the free benefits that the environment can offer. Run off solar panels and built using a carefully selected array of materials (including recycled timber and concrete for its thermal properties), the home works entirely with nature, rather than against it – glasses of wine enjoyed alfresco by the fire pit included!

In the yard of this modern farmhouse-style home on the Mornington Peninsula, a perfectly landscaped fire pit zone invites gatherings. Shaded by a bay tree and further enclosed by the surrounding pines and bushland, the area feels intimate and private.

Sitting nestled into a valley outside the village of Buckland, Tasmania, the historic Twamley homestead has been handed down through a total of six generations. Out in the garden, simple log seats surround the communal fire pit, which provides sweeping views across the valley.

This restored 1880s cottage in country Victoria is like something out of a fairytale. While the interiors, full of antiques and charm, are absolutely gorgeous, the surrounding gardens, designed by Darren Spiller, are equally magical. Here, nestled within the pear garden, a fire pit purchased in Bendigo offers the most picturesque spot to sit and relax.

This stunning holiday home in Tasmania has been lovingly named Whale Song, and when it’s not hosting countless Airbnb guests, it’s also home to artist Ingrid Daniell. In the creation of Whale Song, capitalising on stunning natural views was a must for Ingrid, so it’s no surprise that the fire pit is the perfect place to gather and view the ocean.

This lovingly revamped mid-century home embraces sculptural design and smooth curves, so it’s no surprise that this ethos extends even to the outdoor entertaining area. A bespoke curved in-built bench arcs around the firepit, creating a natural gathering space.

This Queensland pool house may be small, but it’s filled with clever design details that have made it the perfect holiday rental. In the beautifully landscaped back yard, a fire pit takes pride of place.

This former sheep property in the Southern Tablelands is home to an eco-friendly rammed earth farmhouse that has been designed to be the perfect home for this family that sought the “simpler, more authentic life” as farmers. The fire pit at the rear of the house is perfectly placed between the primary residence and the guest house.

In the courtyard of this modern family home inspired by Japanese design, grey pavers are paired with grey gravel to create a relaxed zen-style outdoor entertaining area. A beautiful curved fire pit is nestled in the heart of the courtyard and a timber bench provides ample seating.

Inspired by gardens that usually accompany Italian villas, this dual-purpose holiday home features a sophisticated outdoor entertaining zone complete with generous lawns, a fire pit, and an outdoor sofa to boot.

Designed as a passion project for creative couple Johnny and Claire Greig, this relaxed dream home in Freshwater has been lovingly designed with ample stylish and creative touches. Perched on the lawn just beside the outdoor dining area is an elevated fire pit.

Packing a whole lot of function in a compact space, the outdoor entertaining zone of this tropical resort-style home features an outdoor shower, fire pit, ample seating and lush tropical plantings to create the ultimate retreat.

Creating a cosy living space is easier than you think! This outdoor room boasts all the creature comforts you’d usually find in the living room, but a fire pit helps to take it to the next level in indoor-outdoor living.

When it comes to creating the perfect outdoor entertaining zone a fire pit is an easy way to make sure the area is trans-seasonal. Choose a fire pit with a sculptural shape to make a bold statement.

The heritage-listed terrace in Sydney was given a brand new outdoor entertaining zone complete with ample built-in seating and lush plantings. A statement EcoSmart fire pit is the crowning feature.

In the creative home of artists Vicki Lee and Ted O’Donnell a cast iron firepit has transformed their balcony into an entertaining zone that remains cosy all year round.

A trio of country cottages were joined together to create the incredible Bowfield abode. Making its home on the generous acreage, this fire pit has “Bowfield” laser cut into its side, adding a truly personalised touch to the entertaining zone.

This old farm cottage in Tasmania has been transformed into a dreamy holiday home, complete with the perfect outdoor entertaining zone. Log stools and outdoor chairs make gathering around this sculptural fire pit the obvious choice at nightfall.

A more modern take on the fire pit, this Modernist home in Sydney features an in-built sculptural fire pit that has become the centrepiece of the outdoor entertaining area.

This renovated river cottage was designed to make the most of its stunning natural surrounds. Nestled under soaring palm trees, this outdoor entertaining area features rustic timber benches surrounding a fire pit that’s perfect for relaxing around throughout the year.

A Robert Plumb fire pit makes a bold statement in the backyard of this family-friendly beachside home that allows the residents to entertain all year round.

The post 21 fire pit area ideas that make outdoor entertaining easy appeared first on Homes To Love.

Australia is not rich with the facilities for snowman building and sledding, but we sure love our water play. The best outdoor games can involve all kinds of people. Perennial favourites like bikes and ring toss are always a hit, while a gardening set or high-bounce balls are great to have on hand no matter the time of year.

Whether it’s a games of giant blocks or some bright chalk to graffiti our pavements for a massive game of hop-scotch, outdoor games that bring out our inner child and keep kids entertained all day are the ones we will return to again and again and that ultimately stand the test of time.

Any child psychologist will tell you the benefits of letting children run wild, getting dirty and having adventure, so there are more reasons than ever to turn off the screens and inspire them to get outside. Maybe the adults amongst us should follow their lead.

Outdoor games for ages 1 to 100

Multiplayer 5 metre long skipping jump rope

$35.29, Catch

A game to keep you fit as well as entertained, skipping is one for the young and the young at heart. Or, at least, it’s something to get your heart pumping. This skipping rope is long enough to fit a couple of people into the jumping. Use it also to make obstacle sources, to mark the ground for a game of football. This skipping rope is as versatile as they come.

SHOP NOW

Planet Finska wooden tossing game

$74.95, Biome

A classic wooden tossing game, the original Finska is a fun and addictive game based on an ancient log throwing game from Finland. Players use strategy and skill to crate clever twists and be the first to score 50 points. This is one to involve all the family – all ages – in an outdoor game.

SHOP NOW

54 piece giant outdoor wooden block game

$129, Myer

Standing a massive 63cm tall, this “Jenjo” spin-off from the original block-balancing game can be played by taking one block from the bottom of the tower and placing it at the top, so it only grows in size. A toppling block could injure very small children, but for the more sturdy ages this game offers endless fun. Watch six year olds build race tracks for toy cars, and eight year olds build obstacle courses across giant lawns, children using blocks as goals, islands, tightropes and so much more.

SHOP NOW

Lifespan Kids Amazon monkey bars

$649, Temple & Webster

Stretching 269cm across – there’s a 303cm width version as well – this robust monkey bar set up is constructed from fire wood and steel and is designed to last. Each steel component is double galvanised and powder coated for sustained durability. The monkey bars can hold up to 50kg per bar, making it safe outdoor play time for children.

SHOP NOW

Crayola washable sidewalk chalk 48-piece

$10, Amazon

Bring out the future Banksy in your little artist, or just start a game of hopscotch anywhere. There’s everything to love about colouring the pavement, the driveway, the freshly painted walls outside with chalk. This sidewalk chalk is washable, and inspires game after active game outside.

SHOP NOW

Kathmandu four-player wooden croquet set

$40 (usually $99.98), The Iconic

New Zealand brand Kathmandu believes that spending time outside makes you happy inside, and we can’t argue. This wooden mallet, balls, hoops croquet game is ready to play and comes and in a handy green case with a clear front so you can constantly be reminded what’s in there and that you should start up a croquet game quick smart.

SHOP NOW

H2OGO! Battle Bomber Raft

$29, Target

A throwback to the bomber planes of yesterday, this blow up boat is made for gentle river rides or lazy days in the pool. The inflatable floor provides an extra layer of comfort. For safety (and fun), there’s a grab rope with built-in grommets that runs all the way around the boat, making it easy to climb back inside from the water.

SHOP NOW

Sunnylife cork roll-up backgammon game

$37 (usually $74.99), Myer

Out of the playroom and into the garden with this beautiful game for all ages. There’s checkers on one side and backgammon on the other of this portable game set. Children can play for hours in the shade outside then roll up the game and pack it away with ease. We love that this sweet little game set is made from natural cork, which has been harvested without harming the tree.

SHOP NOW

The post 8 outdoor games for kids and adults appeared first on Homes To Love.

Designed to fulfil many functions – pool house, home office, guest room, party pad – it’s fully self-contained with a vibrant blue-hued bathroom, compact kitchen and fold-down bed. With full-width sliding doors opening to a paved area and steps up to a lush garden and pool, it feels light years away from a poky granny flat.

When owners Charlie Clifton and his wife, Camille, bought the main house, a semi-detached home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, they were pleased that it already had development approval for a secondary dwelling.

As a builder and co-owner of Robert Plumb Fix, the renovation arm of the Robert Plumb group of companies, Charlie knew how valued these kinds of spaces had become, particularly post-Covid with more people working from home.

As the couple were thinking about having a child, they also had an eye to their own future needs in terms of visiting family and babysitters. Charlie and Camille worked with architects Buck & Simple to tweak the DA to suit their style, and Charlie brought on board frequent collaborators Briony Fitzgerald Design and landscape designers Dangar Barin Smith.

Camille, a doctor, was happy to leave the decision-making to Charlie; her only request was a swim jet in the new pool, installed by Award Pools. “It was a bit dangerous, because if she didn’t like something, it was all on me,” jokes Charlie. “Fortunately, she likes it all!”

The studio is set on the rear boundary and lowest part of the slightly sloping block, with access only from the front. While that challenge was overcome with the temporary removal of a boundary fence, a greater obstacle remained: water.

Biblical-level rain for weeks, plus a newly discovered natural spring flowing onto the block; no stormwater system; an existing sewer system to encase and protect; and solid rock below the surface. Mud was the name of the game for some time.

“We basically had a swamp,” says Charlie. “It could have been as simple as laying a slab, but it turned out to be about three months of groundwork, including a new stormwater retention tank and pumping system. But that’s the nature of building – there are a lot of unknowns.”

With the slab down and burnished to create the floor (thereby saving on time and materials), work could continue on the more visually satisfying elements. The materials palette is simple, befitting the small space, with timber cladding the front of the pitched roof and used to create the folding door screens.

“It’s the first time we’ve used Fijian mahogany in this way and it’s held up really well,” says Charlie of the sustainable plantation timber. “The idea is for the cladding to silver off and eventually go to a natural grey.” The couple have plans to renovate the main house, so the design was considered part of the overall project.

“The idea is that the screen detail will be mirrored in the front and rear gable of our house,” he adds. The internal layout was planned with the kitchen and cabinetry along one wall, leaving plenty of room for a dining table and separate sitting area.

A good-sized fold-down bed is set into the rear wall so as not to impinge on the main space. The bathroom is entirely clad in blue mosaic tiles, with the ceiling painted the same hue. “I guess the whole idea was to have the structure look and feel nice and light and fun and open,” says Charlie of his playful choices, including the colour-flecked terrazzo benchtop and pink Venetian plaster splashback in the kitchen.

Natural light flows in from the sliding doors, and also through a large skylight, cleverly framed to appear round. “When I was building, I was a bit concerned that the space was quite low in the ground and would be dark, but it actually feels filled with light when you’re in there,” says Charlie.

All the furniture and fittings are clean-lined and modern, with subtle colour and texture to add interest. “The thing Briony does really well is to make a new build feel like a home,” says Charlie. “At the end of the day, it’s

built for a family, and it feels genuine and warm.”

While the studio is small in size, Charlie sees it as transformative to the couple’s life. “We probably spent more than we had to, but we’ll get plenty of enjoyment out of it because we’ll be here long-term. I’m happiest about the way it transforms the whole house. On weekends, we sit outside and relax by the pool, which feels really nice.”

Robert Plumb Fix is at robertplumbfix.com.au

Buck & Simple is at buckandsimple.com

Briony Fitzgerald Design is at brionyfitzgeralddesign.com.au and @brionyfitzgeralddesign

The post A colour-drenched, mosaic bathroom is just one of this poolhouse’s inviting surprises appeared first on Homes To Love.

two hectares offer the couple an experience to savour in every season.

“I love those mid-winter afternoons with friends around the bonfire,” says interior designer Melinda, the founder of Melinda Hartwright Interiors. “Whenever we’ve got a big pile to burn off, we get friends around. Everyone brings camp chairs and we sit around the fire with bottles of champagne and bowls of soup, all rugged up, as it gets dark.”

But it’s in spring and summer, when the flowers are in full bloom, that Melinda can wander among her most beloved blossoms. “We didn’t have a single hydrangea in this whole garden when we arrived – it must have been one of the only gardens in the Highlands that didn’t have any,” she says. “And as it’s my favourite flower, Tom planted and propagated a lot.”

The blooms even shape how the family uses the space. “Now you can sit down and feel like you’re more a part of the garden,” says Melinda of the hydrangeas, which flower until May, when “they start going rusty red. I have great joy in picking and cutting the flowers Tom grows. We get baskets of hydrangeas all through summer, which is wonderful. I never, ever have to buy flowers.”

With its pin oak, silver birch and London plane trees, those hydrangeas, entertaining area, sparkling pool, orchard and tidy vegie patch, this garden is an indispensable part of life for Melinda and Tom and their children, Charlie, 15, Poppy, 12, and Amelia, nine.

However, when they moved here from Sydney’s Northern Beaches in 2013, the outdoor spaces were almost bare. “It was a pretty vacant block,” explains Melinda.

“There were some established trees and a few hedges, but not much else.” A major renovation of the traditional-style home began six months later – the first of three, the last of which was recently completed – and the garden “has been a work in progress”.

The first step was earthworks to make way for a lawn beyond the front verandah, create a level field for the orchard and relocate a dam. “That went on for at least a month,” says Tom, who recalls it resembling “a battlefield” at first with “mud and twisted earth everywhere”.

But the couple knew exactly what they wanted. “We have a love of English gardens and American gardens, which goes hand in hand with my style of decorating,” says Melinda, who drew inspiration from a “very dog-eared” Paul Bangay book. “We only wanted a green, white and blue garden.”

After early, unfulfilling consultations with landscape designers, Tom and Melinda set to work themselves, and self-taught gardener Tom led the charge. “I dip my toe in now and then, but all the hard work and the grunt, the elbow grease and blood, sweat and tears is Tom’s doing,” says Melinda of her English-born husband. “He’s out there, rain, hail or shine, in a ‘mad dogs and Englishmen’ kind of way.”

Tom credits YouTube for his gardening skills. “It’s my passion,” he says. “It’s not just gardening – I like being outside. In winter, even when there’s not much going on in the garden, there’s always logs to split and trees to take down, bonfires to light. Autumn is sweeping up leaves, and spring is fertilising and getting ready for a new start.”

Producing food was part of the couple’s wish list. “I love houses with orchards in England, so it’s something I always wanted to plant,” Tom explains. “We’ve got pears, plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines, cherries, apples and figs.” In the parterre-style vegie garden, he’s planted carrots, spinach, strawberries, onions, kiwifruit, figs and mint.

“We did a lot of research and looked at a lot of designs to come up with the shape that we wanted,” says Melinda. “I said to Tom, ‘It needs to look as formal and designed as everything else.’ It’s now a really lovely asset and attractive feature.” With its time-honoured lines, classic palette and wisteria-draped French doors opening to Melinda’s beloved verandah, the home enhances the garden’s beauty, and vice versa.

“Theme, scale, perspective, balance, proportion – all those things in the garden are the same as they are in the house,” says Melinda. “It’s nice if there’s a seamless flow between your interiors and your outside.”

For Tom, documenting the journey on Instagram helps him see how far they’ve come. “It’s like children, the garden,” he says. “You don’t notice them growing up around you – then you look back at photographs to realise how much they’ve grown. It’s the same with the garden.”

But like children, eventually you have to let go of what you love. The family will soon move to Noosa – but they’ll always remember this garden with affection. “Coming here was finding paradise,” says Melinda.

Visit melindahartwright.com and follow on Instagram: @tomsgardenpath; @melindahartwrightinteriors.

The post A bouquet of beautiful blooms envelops this lush garden in NSW’s Southern Highlands appeared first on Homes To Love.

And while the teams of landscapers did a good job of levelling out the ground around The Block houses, nothing could make it a level playing field. While Leslie and Kyle were throwing their entire remaining budget — a measly $40,000 — into it in hopes of finally being able to take out a win, neighbours Steph and Gian had close to $140,000 left to spend.

In an effort to boost budgets, there was a great “Block bucks” swap between houses. Then there was drama. There were threats of an audit. Fingers pointed. Promises retracted. Tears. More tears. Yet somehow, there were still five outdoor spaces — each fitted out with a complimentary Plungie pool — delivered to the judges come “tools down” (which was yelled by a Make-A-Wish Foundation recipient) on Sunday.

The judges brought The Block‘s resident landscaper Dave Franklin on board to help score the outdoor spaces this week, offering the potential for the winners to walk away with $50,000 if they got four 10s. We were keen to hear what he really thought of the backyards, so invited him to help write this article.

So let’s see what all the judges had to say.

HOUSE 1: KYLE AND LESLIE

The stakes were high for Kyle and Leslie this week, who threw mud (their entire budget) at the wall (their backyard) in hopes that something would stick. They’ve had a gnome up their sleeve for weeks now, but haven’t ever found themselves in a close enough position to play it.

Drama ensued over their decision to lock in a fixed-fee contract with landscaper Troy Lovett, it felt like nosy neighbours Leah and Ash spent almost more time in Kyle and Leslie’s backyard than their own this week. They couldn’t seem to wrap their heads around the fact that the travertine tiles, custom raised stepping stones, crazy paving, lush planting and shower/water feature over their plunge pool (plus the absolute army of landscapers) was only costing the couple $40,000.

But they needn’t have worried. The space, unfortunately, got a mixed response from the judges. While it was all ooohs and ahhhhs to begin with, things quickly unravelled. While Marty had no doubt the spectacular floating steppers up to the pool would photograph well, he added “if I had my kids here, I’d be stressing 24/7 of them falling off left, right and centre.”

Darren loved the rust-tones and undulating edge of the stone tiles that transition into crazy pavers around the fire pit. (“It’s quite a bold move doing that,” added Marty.) They weren’t too sure about the second seating area tucked around the corner, though. “Acoustically, would you plan a seating area next to an air conditioner,” asked Darren. Probably not. And while they did have two skinny raised garden beds for vegetables, we think it was a missed opportunity not to make this space a designated market garden.

Similarly, while the no-mow grass area was aesthetically-pleasing, when considering the excess space wasted on a weirdly-positioned pool fence and exceptionally deep garden beds, we also have to ask, where do the kids play?

Cash spent: $41,800

Score: 33/40

What Dave Franklin had to say…

“The pool looks amazing and has massive wow factor and the floating steps will definitely make for a great front cover, but the BBQ area felt like it wasn’t properly considered and built into the design, and they could have side-pinned the glass fence to the pool to make the backyard bigger.”

HOUSE 2: LEAH AND ASH

Will she get her Camerich furniture? Will she not? It was an emotional week for Leah and Ash, who planted themselves in the midst of a conflict with one of The Block’s loveliest couples. But aside from all the bold accusations, backstabbing and budget woes, the headstrong couple delivered a 180sqm garden that reflected what they “have going on” inside, as well as their quirky, curved exterior.

“Look at that pool,” Marty said of the iridescent green tile-clad Plungie pool. He also thought that the arched structure over the BBQ area made it feel like an outdoor room and “alleviates the issue of the inside feeling a bit small”, while Shaynna felt the flow from indoors out was seamless. Darren was disappointed there was no heating, but you can’t really blame them for that — they’re from Queensland.

Shaynna could already see kids running around the beautiful cedar tree (we’re not sure how long the garden beds around it will survive, though…) and making the most of the lawn. They love how the curved bench around the firepit provided the perfect spot to take in the house, with Dave noting: “This is a perfect example of when landscape design meets the architecture of the house.”

And then there was the decked pool area, cleverly tucked into the corner of the garden. “There’s no wasted space,” said Marty of the overall layout, with all of its separate zones. “This is so liveable.” As for the Camerich day bed that caused quite the kerfuffle this week: it was a hit, with almost all the judges managing to comfortably squeeze on at once.

“The material palette, the forms, the colour, I said it before in kitchen week that I was besotted, and I think I’m besotted again,” summed up Darren. If only Ash had played their gnome; they could have taken out the win, but alas, he’s keeping that for next week when there is a car up for grabs.

Cash spent: $46,360

Score: 37.5/40

What Dave Franklin had to say…

“This backyard has a real sense of calm. It’s more of an organic landscape and isn’t over the top but has just enough features to make it great — the pool zone, the beautiful tiles on the BBQ benchtop and the pool face. They’ve also lucked out with that sensational existing tree. It’s at least 50 years old and the centrepiece of the garden.”

HOUSE 3: KRISTY AND BRETT

Struggling — whether strategic or not — to work out which of their gardens was the front versus the back was the least of Kristy and Brett’s worries this week. The controversial couple found themselves constantly at odds with their rather fiery landscaper, who, among other things, forgot to order plants.

But they finished. And the first impressions from the judges were great: “yum,” Darren said of their Shou Sugi Ban (burnt ash) cladding on the outdoor ceiling, “and what a contrast to the actual original 50s bricks,” added Shaynna. Cool, but didn’t The Block‘s architect Julian Brenchley pick both of those?

“It’s very rare to nail turning a front garden into an entertaining space,” said Marty of Kristy and Brett’s unique back-to-front block layout. But they all agreed, they’d done it. It felt private (from the street and neighbours), spacious (with by far the biggest pool), and best of all, was flooded with full sun in the middle of winter.

But as for the actual expert in garden design Dave Franklin felt “bored” by this space. “There’s no actual design that I can see in anything here,” he said. He didn’t love the stripes of travertine tiles running through the lawn, or the “plain boring” concrete backdrop to the BBQ area. He was irked by the 45-degree angle on the pool fence corners, thought the plantings were “sad” and didn’t hold back on how much he hated the pebble mulching. We could go on, but why not let him do that instead…

Cash spent: $40,649

Score: 28/40

What Dave Franklin had to say…

“Well…there’s not a lot to say about this one. It’s neat – or at least passable – but it really offers nothing. It was a fail in both design and construction. The layout is all wrong, the fire pit set up doesn’t invite people to sit, the pool fence sits at an angle, there’s a lack of plants. This space says they have run out of money and it looks like the landscaper was brought in late. To be brutal, the best thing that you could do to this landscape is completely change it. It’s a well-sized yard, and with a few great design choices, you could rescue it.”

HOUSE 4: STEPH AND GIAN

WINNERS!

Even though Steph and Gian had $138,000 left to spend on the final two weeks of The Block, it was by no means an easy week for the young couple, with both of them tragically losing their grandfathers within the space of a few days. But determined as ever to do them proud, they pushed on and delivered the winning backyard this week — evening scoring a 10 — meaning they walked away with yet another $20,000 to add to their budget.

Believe it or not, the nearly $72,000 that the cashed-up couple dropped on their 230sqm backyard isn’t even the most spent in The Block history. Back in 2021, Kirsty and Jesse scandalously spent over $86,000 on their rear garden. It worked for them, and it worked for Steph and Gian.

“What an amazing add-on to this house,” said Darren, walking out into their decked alfresco dining area. Marty quickly noticed the automated blinds wrapping the deck, which effectively block out the elements; “you drop those and this is a whole secondary living space,” he said. “If there was ever a debate about it,” said Darren of Steph’s earlier — highly controversial — choice to switch the living room, dining room and kitchen in her floorplan, “the debate is over.”

Shyanna wanted to swear it was so good, but instead settled for words like “lush” and “spacious” and “elegant and classy” and “like a rooftop in Beverly Hills”. The Japandi aesthetic of their interiors certainly carried through into their garden, through both material palette and plant choices. Dave rattled off a few names, and noted that this was definitely a “gardener’s garden” and that a lot of thought had gone into it.

He also liked how the BBQ area didn’t feel forced, and thought the bar stools and bench were a “cool” addition, especially how they overlooked the pool. Marty liked how the deck was elevated and allowed you to take in the whole garden, and how much lawn their was for kids to play. “This is a family home,” he said. “This is ticking all the boxes.” He continued, saying he believes Steph and Gian are well on their way to breaking the house price record in Hampton East. Well, no pressure now.

Then they checked out the fire pit area. And the spacious sauna with double seating. And the pool with a view. And the private dining space around the side of the house with small vegetable garden and “pizza kitchen”. Steph and Gian had said earlier that they thought there was something for everyone in this garden, and it seems the judges agreed wholeheartedly.

Cash spent: $71,704

Score: 38/40

What Dave Franklin had to say…

“This is the biggest backyard on The Block and has to be the best layout so far, still with ample space. And wow — the plant selection was perfect. You can certainly tell they got a horticulturist to help out. The only imperfection was the paving in the pizza oven area which was at an angle and the seat wasn’t square to the house.”

HOUSE 5: ELIZA AND LIBERTY

Not only did they have the smallest team of landscapers this week — with just two people: 21-year-old Ryan and 18-year-old Ruby — but Eliza and Liberty also had the smallest backyard to present, at just 160sqm. (Still sounds big!) Eliza described their garden as a “lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely space” with “no weird statues or structures getting in your way.”

“You had me at festoon lights,” said Darren, looking up as he stepped into their outdoor space. Dave’s gaze, on the other hand, was firmly fixed on the ground. “That is what we call burnished concrete,” he explained, after Shaynna asked if it was finished. “And there’s a lot of it.” They all agreed something like crazy paving would have been a better option.

Shaynna felt the other elements in the space — the James Hardie cladding, the pergola, the pool, and the timber door frames — didn’t quite work with such an industrial flooring. She also felt like a different tile around the pool would have softened it.

And the knocks kept coming. They noticed the bifold doors of the studio space couldn’t open all the way because of the lighting choice, and Dave thought the built-in benchseat around the firepit was a bit high (“Definitely for me!” said Shaynna, her legs swinging off the ground). He also felt like the planting felt “rushed” and could have done with being a bit more spaced.

Marty felt like, considering how open-plan and spacious the inside of Eliza and Liberty’s house is, buyers could feel the garden was cramped, and might even wish they’d forgone the pool for more lawn.

“Everything I’m looking at is hard and angular and structured, and there isn’t really a lot of softness or tactility here,” said Darren. This was also the case, unfortunately, in their BBQ and outdoor dining area, which, “while [the judges] liked the fact there was a heater,” recounted Scotty, “wasn’t enough to warm up the space.” In fact, Marty felt like he was standing in a shed. Ouch.

Cash spent: $55,893

Score: 27/40

What Dave Franklin had to say…

“This backyard fell short for me. The layout is fine but has too much concrete. When you’re doing honed concrete it should be a feature, not the whole backyard. They needed to add some natural stone to break it up and introduce some more plants and greenery. It could have been done with more pots and furniture too. But the build quality is there and it would be an easy fix.”

CATCH UP ON WHAT YOU’VE MISSED FROM THE BLOCK 2023

• Kids’ bathrooms

• Kids’ bedrooms

• Master ensuites

• Kitchen, butler’s pantry and laundry

• Master bedrooms

• Living and dining rooms

• Downstairs bathrooms

• Working-from-home spaces

• Self-contained guest studio

• Studio guest bathrooms

• Disney-themed kids’ bedrooms

The post The Block 2023: backyard and swimming pool reveals appeared first on Homes To Love.

With a bit of creative thinking (or, let’s be honest, a little help from a landscape designer), you can turn your outdoor space into a beautiful backyard – no matter how large or small your garden. So be inspired to make your outdoor area summer or winter ready, by perusing the luscious lawns, stately trees and flower beds of these stunning gardens – here are 22 of our favourite backyard ideas from across Australia.

22 inspiring garden and backyard ideas

Thanks to full-height sliding doors, the backyard of this new home in Sydney’s northern beaches is allowed to bleed inside. Rugged bush surrounds have been honoured, while an expansive and well-kept lawn provides plenty of space for the owners’ son to run around.

The garden attached to this converted warehouse in Sydney’s Newtown is lush, rambling and full of variation. Also within the outdoor courtyard is an inviting swimming pool. The owners say their backyard is an “incredible place of peace and quiet”, despite being in the inner-city.

The expansive and easy nature of this backyard in a mid-century inspired Torquay home perfectly suits its owners, a family of five. Being north-facing, it enjoys protection from from southerly sea breezes thanks to the house.

This tropical retreat belongs to a Brisbane family home who’s design is something of a contemporary take on classic Queenlsanders. Here, a large internal courtyard has been built around a Canary Islan ddate palm, taking up the space between the front and rear of the home. At the side of the pool, Heliconias line the raised garden bed.

Perhaps the hero of lovingly restored and renvoated Bundara Farm in Berry is this festoon-lit pergola, which is fully set up for entertaining and lazy long lunching. The pergola was an addition by the property’s former owner, Anna Fraser, over which a climbing grapevine cascades.

The path to the main door of this modern Southern Highlands farmhouse is lined with buxus and oakleaf hydrangea. At the rear of the home, a ornamental grapevine climbs over the pergola, giving the deck a Mediterranean feel.

Natural stone was used for the paving and landscaping of this low-tox Byron hinterland home. The tones and shades of the locally sourced limestone are echoed in the home’s interior, which heavily features northern beech timber floorboards.

White Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’ and Rosa ‘Soaring Spirits’ climb over one of the beams that gives the Arbour Walk its name in this stunning formal garden on Mount Tamborine. Along the walk are weeping Japanese maples, hydrangeas, irises, lilies and violets.

Working with a large sloping site, landscape designer Claudia Nevell shaped a many-layered tropical wonderland at her home on the New South Wales’ North Coast.

Studying native plants and garden design led Kathleen Murphy to create a water-wise oasis at her home where clients can see her work firsthand. Her stunning garden with panoramic views of the Macedon Ranges features a variety of Australian native plants and a contemporary take on the latest in garden ideas and plantings.

Indigenous plantings and a coastal aesthetic help blur the boundaries between a new coastal native garden and its beachside location.

This rooftop garden in Sydney features a custom barbecue, tandoor oven and an evergreen tuckeroo tree as a focal point. The open fireplace can be lit at a moment’s notice with logs of wood kept nearby.

Strategic placement of plants to complement the existing mature trees and climbers, which include wisteria, bougainvillea and star jasmine, created privacy and depth in the garden of this updated Georgian-style home.

Once its pebblecrete stepping stones were removed, this Sydney garden could be rezoned into equal parts lawn and outdoor living. Sandstone stepping stones mark the transition from lawn to paved terrace.

‘Renae’ climbing roses, hydrangeas, orchids and white crepe myrtle enhance the lawned central courtyard of this Italian-inspired Palm beach villa.

Sculptural hedges and graved paths designed by Paul Bangay created a perfectly manicured courtyard garden in this restored Italianate mansion in Toorak.

Every spring, this historic property in western Victoria comes alive as thousands of daffodils dance at the feet of mighty river red gums, in orderly tiers of gardens.

The horizontal surfaces in this garden designed by William Dangar reflect some of the regimentation of the architecture – a plane of grass, a Japanese courtyard of white Cowra pebbles, the rectangular pool of aqua water.

Brothers Tom, Ned and James (from left) make the most of their spacious garden and tire swing. Take the tough of this renovated country-style Queenslander.

Landscape designer Matt Leacy of Landart Landscapes cleverly split this large garden in north Sydney into a series of leisure zones.

An outdoor fireplace ensures this rooftop terrace remains a destination, even in the cooler months. The cantilevered L-shaped bench, clad in limestone offers abundant seating around the warmth.

A pebbled path in this stately Ballarat garden serves as a partition between the oval and square lawn ‘rooms’.

The post 22 beautiful Australian backyards with lush ideas to take for your own appeared first on Homes To Love.

Jonavan Roux, architect and designer at Shipping Container Pools (SCP), has installed over 500 shipping container pools over the past several years — including one in Sticks and Wombat’s backyard on The Block 2017 and another one on The Block this year on Rachel and Ryan’s sprawling country property.

When Jonavan first began a little side project of building a container pool next to his shed, he was also working on conventional in-ground pools with his father.

“Every time anyone came over to look at the in-ground pool designs and finishings, they showed more interest in the container pool. We even tried to cover it up in some cases!” Jonavan laughs.

With sustainable building on the rise and budget-friendly renovations forever on-trend, we’d never cover up a shipping container pool. Here are five reasons why.

1. Quick and easy install

“The pool is delivered in the morning, the customers have a water truck show up and fill it up in an hour or two, and the kids are in there by the afternoon and all having fun. That’s really unheard of in the pool industry,” says Jonavan.

The transport’s a no-brainer, given a shipping container’s initial purpose. They only need to be craned into the backyard, which will only take up to an hour.

2. Your budget won’t sink

Homeowners often forget that the costs of installing an in-ground pool can escalate beyond their expectations. If the site is unsuitable for digging or requires jackhammers, installation costs will grow. Add a few more bills once plumbers and electricians get involved.

Shipping containers need only sit on the ground, and many are designed with in-built plumbing, heating and electrical systems. “It’s usually a massive commitment to get a pool on your property, but we’ve removed those commitments,” says Jonavan.

3. Custom designs and personalisation

No matter how awkward a pool may seem in your backyard, shipping container designs can be personalised, like SCP’s classic six-metre plunge pool and larger 12-metre pool. The side of the container also becomes a creative space where homeowners can paint murals, apply patinas or even use acrylic panels to cut windows into their pools.

“It’s amazing to see people swimming inside,” says Jonavan. “And if the parents are busy in the kitchen, they can look through the pool window and see the kids. It really gives them a sense of safety and awareness.”

4. Low-maintenance and durable

The guarantee of a shipping container is that its welded steel body can really take a beating, from bearing huge loads to being pushed around different ports. When prepared for home installs, shipping containers like SCP’s are lined with fibreglass (which is also often used to protect yachts).

“Customers are getting an actual pool, not just lining a container with corrugations inside the pool because that would be a nightmare to clean,” says Jonavan.

5. A pool that comes to you

A shipping container can come with you when you move house.

Jonavan recalls, “We had people buy a pool who were living in a rental, and actually bought one of our pools with the intention of moving it once their house was built after two years. It can become a mobile, moveable product. The concept of a pool as a structure dug in the ground with pavings or tiles around it has never changed, but these pools have flipped the industry.”

How much do shipping container pools cost?

The cost of a pool from SCP starts at $35,000 for a 3-metre size, and for the 12-metre pool it’s from $45,000. Considering on average, Australian homeowners spend $50,000 installing a swimming pool in their backyard, so all in all that sounds like a done deal. Be mindful though that those quotes only cover the pool itself, as getting it to you and into your space will be different for everyone, and attract different costs.

What are shipping container pool dimensions?

The size of shipping container pools, as you can imagine, is the same as the standard size of a shipping container! You can choose between 6 or 12 metres in length, with a depth of 1.3 metres to swim in.

Unfortunately, their shape can’t be modified, as they’re built around the container shell, but the plus side of this is that a generic shape keeps the costs down.

The post 5 reasons to consider a shipping container pool appeared first on Homes To Love.

Having net one of the biggest wins in The Block history with their Palm Springs-style renovation in 2020, the dynamic duo are known for creating some of the most exciting rooms that the judges have ever seen on the show. The Block judge Shaynna Blaze wrapped up the pair’s design ethos perfectly in the 2020 season: “Jimmy and Tam know exactly how to build a space that makes your heart sing and makes you happy.”

The creative duo has now turned their efforts to renovating their own dream home. Based off their success on The Block, it’s easy to see why the breathtaking transformation of their backyard has left fans in awe.

Maximising space, functionality and elements of modern design, Jimmy and Tam’s makeover is nothing short of a visual masterpiece, crafted with a meticulous attention to detail and a clear passion for bringing their dream backyard to life. When designing the space, the pair said that they wanted it to be an “entertainer’s delight.”

“We live in Queensland and knew that we would spend most of the time outdoors so it made sense to incorporate a large deck and make it a comfortable living space as well.

“Before the renovation there was a 360 degree verandah around the house so we couldn’t entertain with a larger group of people,” the pair explains.

A unique challenge for Jimmy and Tam was their backyard’s slope. Wanting their outdoor living area to flow levelly across the space, the solution involved a lot of excavation and the installation of retaining walls.

In terms of the most important elements of the design, the pair say that low-maintenance and an engaging entertaining space were key. “The most important things to us were a pool, an outdoor kitchen and a low-maintenance backyard that can be enjoyed all year round.”

Lush greenery and carefully curated plants have been strategically placed to create a seamless connection between the interior and exterior spaces.

Gorgeous timber joinery and natural accents make the entertaining area more homely than ever. The pool area is a standout, with luxurious tiled features and quirky striped outdoor lounges from TH Brown adding to the lavish charm of the space.

As for whether their hard work has paid off, the answer is an emphatic yes. In their own words, “the new space has allowed us to enjoy entertaining and making memories with friends and family.”

The post The Block’s Jimmy and Tam reveal their breathtaking new backyard and outdoor entertaining area appeared first on Homes To Love.

Trees are an invaluable asset that not only enriches the look of a landscaped garden but can also significantly elevate the desirability and marketability of a property. If they’re the right type of tree, that is. 

While trees do a lot of good, they can be a maintenance nightmare if poorly selected, planted too close to a building or if they block access or a view. When choosing trees for your garden, opt for named varieties that grow to a known height and width to make the available space in your garden. 

Deciduous trees — those that lose their leaves in autumn and winter — allow sunlight to filter into gardens during winter so are a great choice for suburban gardens. There are even some kinds of trees that protect homes from bushfires. 

Below, we explore seven tree varieties that will likely add value to your property, and three types to steer clear of.

Tree varieties that are likely to add value to your property

1. Frangipani tree

Frangipanis are small succulent deciduous trees with fragrant white, pink or apricot flowers in summer and autumn.

They grow best in temperate to tropical climates and will reach 3-5 metres in height.

2. Crepe myrtle trees

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), is deciduous in winter with long-lasting colourful flowers that bloom from late spring to late summer.

They will grow up to 5-7 metres in height.

3. Maple trees

Japanese maples are particularly likely to add value to your home.

Try Acer palmatum or the larger japonica.

These compact deciduous trees have vibrant autumn leaves but are best in cool to temperate gardens and will grow up to 2-5 metres.

4. Evergreen ash trees

Evergreen ash (Fraxinus griffithii) is a compact evergreen with light ferny leaves and tassels of flowers.

It will grow from 3-5 metres in height.

5. Magnolia trees

Named varieties of evergreen or deciduous magnolias are elegant trees.

Evergreen magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) flower throughout the year and grow in most areas; deciduous magnolias (such as M. x soulangiana) flower in late winter and are best in cool to temperate zones.

Size varies depending on the species of magnolia.

6. Ornamental cherry trees

There are many ornamental cherry, peach and plum trees (Prunus spp.) to bring that breathtaking cloud of pink or white spring blossom.

In warmer zones substitute bauhinia or tabebuia.

7. Citrus trees

Citrus trees such as lemon, lime, orange or mandarin will be a hit with most buyers.

Everyone likes a productive tree and while many do well in gardens (apples, pears and even nut trees such as macadamias) citrus is universally appreciated.

Trees that can decrease your property value

Not all trees add value. These three varieties are likely to have an adverse impact on your property value:

1. Evergreen conifers: Conifers, especially the tall and fast growing Leylandii cypress

• Gum trees: Gum trees of all kinds are a worry particularly to homes in fire-prone locations

• Liquidambars: Liquidambars will not add value as they are viewed as costly either in terms of removal or ongoing

  maintenance.

The post How the right trees can add value to your property appeared first on Homes To Love.

Best for: The traditional backyard

MOST POPULAR: Rotary 58m Clothesline

“If you’re looking for that classic Australian look, you can’t go past the Hills Rotary Clothesline. A modernised version of the iconic Hills Hoist, the 58m Rotary Clothesline is perfect for larger families and those with a bit of extra yard space. Made with galvanised steel this clothesline will stand the test of time, just like the Hills Hoist you might remember growing up with!”

Best for: Metro living

MOST POPULAR: Folding Frame Double 26M (2.2m x 1.3m)

“One of our more popular clotheslines for metro areas, or when you want to fit some drying space in smaller areas. Folding Frame clotheslines can be effortlessly raised and lowered with just one hand and are colour matched to Colourbond steel colours.”

Best for: Space efficiency

MOST POPULAR: Retracting 47m 7 Line clothesline

“If you’re after a clothesline that will blend elegantly into your space you can’t go wrong with our 7 Line Retracting Clothesline. Providing a massive 47m of drying space in this small unit, these fit perfectly in tight spaces while still capable of holding a king sheet across each line.”

Best for: Indoor and outdoor drying

MOST POPULAR: 21M Portable Clothesline

“If you’re looking for a mobile drying solution, the Hills Portable Clothesline offers complete flexibility for all your drying needs. Fully weatherproofed so it can be used indoors and outdoors without rusting and with enough drying space for a medium sized family, it is the ultimate drying solution that can be easily folded away when the washing is dry.”

The Hills Clotheslines range is available at Bunnings Warehouse, Mitre 10 and all other leading home hardware stores.

Brought to you by Hills.

The post These are the four most popular clotheslines appeared first on Homes To Love.

In The Series

Homes To Love has teamed up with Bunnings to inspire your next renovation, starting with the ultimate kids backyard. Keep an eye out for more exciting tips and tricks in our series:

* The secret to multi-purpose living spaces that work

This beachside Sydney home combines kid-friendly features with adult sophistication. The landscaped backyard features an array of zones that work together to create functional spaces the whole family can enjoy – from a classic tyre swing to the relaxing fire pit.

This cottage renovation in Perth is a lesson in indoor-outdoor connections, as the modern kitchen seamlessly opens to a gorgeous pergola. A bench seat and classic white stools by the servery window provide a comfortable spot for the kids to sit and enjoy afternoon tea or take a drink break from outdoor play.

When it comes to the ultimate kids backyard, you can’t look past climbing equipment. In this suburban garden, a cubby, swings and climbing wall are visually tied together with a consistent lick of white paint and playful pops of yellow and blue.

This entertaining space was created for Bunnings’ Make It Happen series, where the team from Bunnings help D.I.Y. novices transform a space in their homes. To discover more great advice, watch the full series here.

The laidback outdoor zone of this coastal weatherboard home in Byron Bay is ideal for family life. With lush gardens, a hanging chair and a pool, this backyard strikes the perfect balance between relaxation and fun, designed to be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike.

A vegetable garden is a fun and practical addition to any backyard. In this expansive garden, a veggie patch made from wooden sleepers is positioned in a sun-drenched spot. Along with an abundance of seasonal produce, a veggie patch provides the perfect opportunity to teach your children how to grow and prepare food.

Brought to you by Bunnings.

The post 5 beautiful backyard designs the whole family will love appeared first on Homes To Love.

If you find your outdoor space lacking in its current state, take a style cue from interior stylist Steve Cordony.

1. Consider scale, season and space

According to Cordony, the ultimate patio is based on three key ‘S’ words: scale, season and space. “Make sure the scale is correct so the setting isn’t so big or small that it looks out of proportion,” he says.

Keep environmental and seasonal factors top of mind too. “If the space is or isn’t under cover, it could potentially affect the materials you choose.” If you want year-round upholstery, look for a fabric that’s UV and fade-resistant, easy to clean and designed to resist mould. Try Broadcloth by Sunbrella at Eco Outdoor. The lightweight fabric is ideal for outdoor cushions.

“Also map out how you want the space to function.” Weigh up its primary function and factor in other practical elements such as whether outdoor storage and lighting are necessary. How you intend to use the space, and how frequently, will ultimately steer the design direction.

2. Accessories improve any aesthetic

“The biggest mistake I see with outdoor patios is not accessorising and creating a finished space,” says Cordony. He recommends taking a similar approach to interior styling.

“Outdoor rugs, greenery and planters, lighting, scatter cushions and table accessories are elements we use with our interiors, but sometimes fail to utilise in outdoor spaces,” he says.

If in doubt, opt for a monochrome colour palette and all-weather materials such as rattan and bamboo — which have the added bonus of being cost-effective. Cordony also lists hurricane lanterns, towels and stylish storage solutions for cushions and tableware as his outdoor styling essentials.

3. Extend the indoors outside

Your outdoor space — be it a garden, patio or balcony area — is an extension of your property’s interior, not a separate entity, so treat it as a continuation when choosing furniture and accessories.

“The outdoor space should definitely work with the interior setting in terms of colour palette, materials and style,” says Cordony. “If your interior space is contemporary with clean lines, then your outdoor setting should reflect this style.”

4. Durability and design are not mutually exclusive

Outdoor seating may be used less than interior sofas and armchairs, but the fabric has to work twice as hard to battle the elements, while still ticking style and comfort boxes. “Durability, price and design aesthetic are some factors to consider when choosing outdoor fabrics,” says Cordony. “There are different fabric groups and weights ranging from light residential use to heavy commercial grade, plus a range of UV levels and stain resistance.”

He also recommends looking for fabric that has proven experience in dealing with moisture and mildew levels, as well as sun exposure. The new range of Sunbrella fabrics for Eco Outdoor boast all three and balance durability and design. They have a chic colour palette across a range of fabrics that can be used for curtains, outdoor cushion covers, furniture upholstery and, as the name suggests, umbrellas. All of the fabrics can also be cleaned with bleach while retaining their original colour ensuring they last summer after summer.

5. Try emerging trends

Whether you pride yourself on having the most up-to-date homewares or can’t quite decide if a new trend is for you or not, your backyard is a prime space to road-test new trends. “Texture is a huge trend as we head into summer,” says Cordony. “Look for fabrics including bouclé, linen, velvet and terrycloth paired back with raw timber, natural timber and ceramics.”

European motifs and graphics are also an emerging trend to try this summer. Find them on cushions, tableware and accessories.

Brought to you by Sunbrella. Experience Sunbrella’s leading outdoor upholstery in Eco Outdoor’s new fabric story.

The post 5 outdoor patio ideas to inspire appeared first on Homes To Love.