PLAN THE GARDEN OF YOUR DREAMS

1 LET GRASS GROW

Including grass in your garden design? Think about whether you want the authentic stuff or prefer artificial turf. While the designs of the past were easy to spot, today’s versions are extremely realistic. You won’t need storage space for a mower, meaning it can be a particularly good option for small gardens. Mud when the weather’s wet and parching during droughts won’t be issues either. Artificial grass can also stand up to kids’ games and the efforts of the dog to dig it up, but you’ll need to prepare the ground and put down a weed-proof membrane. The downsides? It will cost you more to lay than genuine turf and it has a limited lifespan (from around seven to up to 20 years).

If you prefer real grass, you can choose from grass seed or turf rolls. Laying rolls of turf means a new lawn much faster than with grass seed, but you’ll need to put them down within 24 hours of delivery. Turf can be laid from early autumn to early spring. Creating a grassy area from seed will save you money compared to turf, but you’ll have to wait longer for your lawn – until June if you sow in autumn, or until late autumn if you sow