A garden gate not only marks off where a garden begins. In places all around Britain, garden gates help add value to a property, define and delimit outdoor spaces, as well as serve as an access control point. Whether it is a gate that secures a cottage garden or one that opens a sprawling estate, it is undisputed that garden gates can enhance any area.

Material Selection

In terms of British gardens, wood is their most quintessential choice. For British gardens, oak, cedar and pine are ever popular. While oak is the most expensive option, it does provide unmatched durability. On the flip side, cedar does offer some benefits by naturally resisting rot and insects. While pine is reasonably priced, it does require regular treatment to prevent weathering.

Aluminium, modern steel and wrought iron bring lightweight, longevity, rust resistance, ease of operation and reduced maintenance alongside security and an elegant appearance. These do come with a set of disadvantages, but when it comes to adding value and beauty to a garden, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Each gate comes with their own set of advantages and disadvantages but offer a unique twist on a British garden.

Installation Challenges

Gate installation is significantly influenced by ground conditions. Gates positioned in clay soil are at risk of being shifted out of alignment over time. Post-installation is difficult in rocky ground. Careful planning is needed for sloping ground, otherwise, hanging the gates will be an issue.

Selecting the wrong post type will damage the gate and significantly decrease its lifespan. Concrete posts are the most durable but look the most unappealing. Wooden posts blend very well with garden settings but require constant maintenance. Metal posts are stronger than wooden posts but with less impact visually.

Maintenance Schedule

Every type of gate has its specific forms of maintenance. Wooden gates need preservative or paint every year. While oiling all the movable components, check all latches and hinges for signs of wear and rust. Protective oil should be reapplied every two years.

While metal gates might not need as much attention, it is still critical for them to be cared for. Remove rust as soon as it appears. Inspect all the welds and joints for any fractures. All the hinges should be lubricated to prevent any unwanted squeaking.

Planning Permission

Most domestic gates don’t require planning permission; however, there are some cases with planning restrictions. Gates over 2 metres high around highways will require planning approval. Listed buildings tend to have restrictions based on the style and material of the gates, and design in conservation areas may be limited.

It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to confirming requirements, especially when dealing with boundary walls or public areas to avoid removal orders later.

Garden gates symbolise an investment in access control, seclusion, beauty, and the value of a garden. With careful selection, a gate can stand the test of time, continuing to provide reliable service for many years while also complementing the outdoor spaces through seasonal changes.

A patio is one of the most popular ways in which people go about enhancing their garden. It offers a great space to create a transition between the inside and the outside of your home. Not only this, but you also get a great space for a seating area where you can spend your time when the sun is shining, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of being outside while in relative comfort. With all this, you might be feeling pretty good about the idea of a patio installation, but there are some pretty easy steps that you can take to enhance the space even further. With a few small changes here, a few things added on there, you can convert your patio into a much superior space for entertaining guests and enjoying yourself.

A patio is a space situated on the outside of an exit from the home. It is created by paving a section of the space outside of an exit from the house, typically the back porch. Sometimes you’ll find them installed in the front of the home, although this is usually something location dependent, and you’ll find many more homes in suburban areas have them placed outside of the backdoor of a home, helping to kind of blend the internals of the house with the house, so that you can enjoy some of the benefits of both environments. What makes a patio is the paving that is done over the ground right next to a home, which creates an ideal place for putting a seating area, and they are sometimes used as a location for using a grill and doing barbecues.

The first thing that you can do is actually to develop the plant life in the surroundings. Although a patio is, to a certain extent, an extension of the building, it is also outside, and therefore it can always benefit from a bit more greenery. You can’t actually plant anything in the ground of course, as a patio is paved over, however you can use a variety of potted plants. Another option that you can look at is putting trellis’s up on the edges of your patio space, where you can grow a range of plants to enhance the space. Some examples that you might want to consider are Jasmin and Hydrangea, however you can also look at a range of fruiting climbing plants if they are more your style, such as grapes and blueberries. Not only will this add a flair of nature to the space, but the added foliage will also enhance your privacy and provide an additional windbreak.

Another thing that you can look at is installing a fabric awning for patios on your property. An awning can be a great product that can extend the use you get from your patio massively, by allowing you to enjoy it regardless of the weather conditions. They are a great option for those that are undecided on whether they want to develop their patio into a veranda, as a garden awning is undoubtedly a cheaper alternative that will accomplish much of the functionality. With a patio awning, you will also benefit from retaining the ability to retract the feature so that you have a standard patio, which is a very common function in most awning products that you will be able to get. A veranda canopy is generally sturdier and longer lasting, they are also more of a permanent feature, more expensive, and requiring of more construction work in order to install. In comparison, a fabric awning for patios can be installed relatively painlessly, and will only have a very small footprint on your property, while also being significantly cheaper.

One more thing that you should look at is providing a heat source for the space. There are massive number of ways to do this, but the best in our view, at least stylistically, is with the fire pit. This is a product where you can start a small fire outside with relative ease, creating a central feature that will not only heat the surroundings but also add some light if you choose to use the patio late into the night. A fireplace can be a great central feature for a seating area, and there are many furniture sets that are designed around this idea. These are great products that you can use to help to extend the usability of your patio, so that you can continue to enjoy the outdoor space of your home well into colder points of the year.

One of the first things you learn when you’re interested in DIY home renovation is that different types of materials come with different price tags. So it’s no surprise that decking comes in many varieties; most popularly, cheap softwood boards and expensive hardwoods like teak or treated pine. There are also composite decking boards which are made from a composite of recycled plastics, so there are lots of types for us to explore in this article.

We’re about to give an opinion on which solution might be best for your decking project, but before I do, let us quickly go over some background info. When using wood (instead of synthetic decking boards), one reason why people choose softwood over hardwoods is that they assume it will be cheaper. This can be true for certain projects, but not always. It really depends on where you buy your supplies from and what quantities you buy. A really big advantage of using hardwoods though is that they are naturally more weather resistant than softwoods.

What must be considered before you begin shopping for your decking boards? If you plan to use composite products, make sure it’s a good one with no plasticisers added. Do not buy any product containing more than 1% polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some companies might claim their product contains only small amounts but if anything over 1% has been used there will be stability problems long term and this usually shows up as cracks in the end product which means the finish will start flaking off after about 3 years or so. You should also try and stick to either European or North American brands when buying composites.

What about oak?

Oak decking can be a great choice in some situations, however, you need to understand that it can warp. It’s also very susceptible to weather changes and it accepts stains differently than other wood types. If you want to be absolutely sure about no cracking or warping, make sure you choose a product that is specifically advertised as ‘protected’ (which basically means the top layer of the product has been infused with resin).

Oak can look great though and if done properly will last for many years – not only that but its main benefit is that it will be much cheaper than most premium decking materials. Make sure you are ready for this though because even protected oak takes at least 14 months before it looks finished!

If money isn’t an issue then go with composite or pressure-treated pine. They are both easy on the eye, tough enough to withstand most weather. So there you have it, these are just a few of the main types of decking products available on the market. With all products, it’s best to choose a high-quality decking supplier with plenty of experience delivering top quality products.