Cheap and cheerful ways to brighten up your garden

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
itv's Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh: Creation of contemporary garden for Chris Finney, Solardome Industries Limited Solardome Industries Limited Jardines modernos
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A shaded part in your garden – your private little oasis that belongs to you where you can get lost in a novel, catch up with your daydreaming, or just take a breather from the world. 

A shaded garden can be made up of a wide variety of different things: it can be a small corner in your garden that exudes a tranquil vibe and a handful of decorative items for that personal touch. Or it can form part of your patio/terrace that you have embellished and adorned to form part of your private piece of heaven. 

But that shaded oasis where you hide away won’t do you much good if blockage or bad planning turns away natural lighting. Or if gloomy whether or the setting sun transforms it into a dark spot. Some illumination would be required to turn that sheltered spot into an enlightened space for you.

Read on to find out how…

Bring on the transparency

Let’s fit out that secluded spot of yours with some clear material. Using poly house material (polyethylene) for a structure that mimics a greenhouse will allow that natural light to flood your shaded spot. This can be used for the roof, and feel free to allow some creeper- and climber plants (like vines) to slowly grow over it. 

But don’t block out the light – fit a grill on top and allow those climber plants to let the light seep in. Using iron or poly house materials can ensure a sturdy structure, keeping you snug and safe while you spend some “you” time in your garden.

Plants that radiate

homify Jardines rurales Plantas y flores

Your garden is, after all, the space where you house your collection of plants and flowers. So, make use of their lushness (and a grassy lawn) to up the brightness factor of your shaded garden. 

Play with those plants’ luminosity. Use bright colours like reds, yellows and pinks to not only add some colour, but also sparkle. Tall plants with bright green leaves can also add much needed brightness to your shaded spot, so be sure to ask your local nursery for advice on plants and flowers that will make your shaded garden pop with radiance. 

Brightly coloured flowers

Boost those radiating plants even further by planting flowers that will blossom into brightly coloured bursts of scents. And we all know that when it comes to gardens, sprinkling seeds on the ground is not your only option.

Opt for a hanging garden by hanging flower pots from poles. Or suspend them on a wall full of climbing plants to add some bright good looks to your secluded spot. 

Plant light flowers (in varying shades of yellows, whites, purple and pinks) in striking pots and place them around your garden oasis. Sunlight meeting up with a brightly coloured flower adds some dazzling charm to any space.

Tones for relaxation

homify Jardines modernos Accesorios y decoración

As your shaded garden serves as your relaxation spot, we recommend injecting it with some cheerful colours to help you rejuvenate. Colour psychology teaches us that different colours have different effects on us, so there must be something to it, right? 

Well then, stimulate those senses with some pretty garden ornaments, painted pots, eye-catching fences, dazzling décor… anything that brings forth some cheerful colour to make your private oasis the happy place it deserves to be. Your newly added colours can combine beautifully (or contrast creatively) with those colourful plants and flowers you’re adding, depending on the look you want to create. 

homify hint: Seeing as gardens are predominantly green, we suggest adding some spicy orange to offset those cool earthy tones. Garden ornaments or furniture in orange are sure to add some vibrancy to your shaded oasis.

Location, location, location

The same way your interior furniture’s placement is subject to planning, so does the position of your garden plants require some thinking. 

Plant those creepers and climbers at the back of your garden or against a wall, making sure that they don’t block out any sunlight that tries to seep into your garden space. And place shade-giving plants more to the sides rather than up front. 

And when it comes to your flower beds? Choose a spot where they can bathe delightfully in sunshine. They deserve it for spreading so much light and colour throughout your peaceful space. 

homify hint: Got the space? Make your flower beds wide enough to add flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas or rhododendrons (rose trees). Wider beds – at least five to six feet wide – give you more planting opportunities for a lush, layered look. Plus, they’re more attractive!

Make that space glow

Lifestyle, Eva Solo Eva Solo Jardines modernos Accesorios y decoración

What happens when a ray of sunshine hits a mirror or glass? It creates a warm glow. Wouldn’t that look fantastic in that darkly cornered space in your garden?

Using glass and mirrors is the perfect way to bring in some reflections. Sunlight reflecting off an outdoor mirror or glass surface will add some brightness and sparkle, resulting in a magical look that is sure to entice you to spend more time outdoors. 

But like all things in life, don’t overdo it. Be sure to keep mirrors and glass balanced, as a clutter of these materials may lead to a high amount of unwanted brightness and heat.

Decorative lighting

You’re in your garden space, busy with a brilliant page-turner, when all of a sudden – dusk hits. Nobody wants to struggle through a good book with squinty eyes. So, what do we do when natural lighting calls it a day? We opt for the artificial kind. 

This is your chance to add some showy lighting elements to give your secluded spot a designer look. Garden lighting will spread the light and add some classic touches as well. And the best part is you are spoiled for choice, as there is a majestic variety of garden lights available in any colour, size, style, or theme you can think of. 

Opt for some standing lamps that reach waist length. Or how about some decorative fairy lights to hang from tree branches? Be sure to check out our extraordinary range of lights here on homify to help you decide.

Introduce candles and decorative elements

Set the mood in your garden with some candles and ornamental objects that are shiny, or present a slight bling effect. We all know the exquisite vibes that candles bring to a space, but whoever said that their space is limited to interiors? Bring forth an abundance of candles in different colours and aromas to add vividness to your garden. 

Add some style with decorative elements like vases or even pebbles that have bright surfaces and can reflect the light from your candles and lighting. 

With all the elements you’re adding to your garden space, it is sure to become a spot overflowing with personal touch and style. But just be sure to keep an eye on that inflow of elements. You don’t want those man-made materials to overshadow your garden’s natural beauty.

For more garden inspiration, check out these: 14 Avoidable Errors That Are Making Your Garden Messy.

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