With the season of garden improvement now upon us and BBQs and outdoor gatherings on the horizon, it’s time to consider how even limited garden space can be transformed
Did you know that the colour of your garden fence can play a massive role in creating the illusion of a more spacious outdoor area? As we step into the season ripe for garden sprucing, with barbecues and alfresco socials on the cards, it’s prime time to think about how even a cosy garden can seem grander with just a dash of paint.
It’s worth taking a moment to ponder the perfect shade because slapping on lighter, neutral tones can magically make your space seem larger by bouncing back more light, while bold or dark colours might do just the opposite.
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For green-fingered enthusiasts eager to enlarge their outdoor haven this summer, gardening guru Fiona Jenkins from MyJobQuote has dished out her top five colour picks to help Brits revamp their gardens.
Opting for light grey can seriously boost the sense of space. Light grey isn’t just a popular choice among British homeowners; it’s also a clever trick to give your garden an expansive feel.
Fiona advises: “Light grey softens and blurs the frame of your garden, making it look much bigger than it is. Lighter colours such as grey tend to reflect more light than dark colours, making it feel much brighter and open, enhancing the perception of space.”
If you’re more of a green thumb who favours lush greenery over blooms, picking a fence in a light shade could be your ticket to an enchanting garden escape.
As one gardening expert explains: “It’s a great option if you have more foliage-based plants rather than flowers throughout your garden, too, as the contrast between the light hue of the fence draws the eye outward. This makes the boundaries of the garden appear less constrictive and enhances the sense of spaciousness.”
In fact, adopting a soft sage hue for fences isn’t just trendy, it’s practically genius for expanding your outdoor scene visually.
It turns out that opting for fencing in gentle greens can meld seamlessly with your verdant borders. Not only does it envelop your space in continuity, but it also plays down those pesky garden walls making everything feel all the more expansive.
For those with an artistic flair in their plant choices, tones like beige and ivory might just be the perfect backdrop palette.
Garden guru Fiona highlights how these neutral tones are particularly beloved in gardens channelling a Mediterranean vibe, explaining: “Neutral tones, a particular favourite in more Mediterranean-themed gardens, serve as a neutral background that allow other elements such as colourful plants to stand out.
“The lack of visual distraction can make the garden appear larger, keeping the focus on other garden features and thus making it feel more expansive.”
But that’s not all – these understated hues can also ooze minimalism and radiate simplicity, encapsulating a modern gardening trend sweeping through current landscapes.
Fiona adds: “Not only that, but beige and ivory tones have a minimalist feel which emphasises simplicity and openness, a contemporary garden trend that we’re seeing a lot of right now.
“By keeping the colour palette as simple as possible, they create a clean and uncluttered look that creates a spacious feel in the garden.”
And for those aiming to conjure up an illusion of grandeur within their grassy retreats, consider this: a fence donned in light blue may just be the trick to unlocking a seemingly boundless garden Eden.
Move over, neutral fence colours – it’s time to think blue skies and summery vibes. “Not all fence colours have to be neutral colours, either. Light blue is often associated with the sky on a clear, summer’s day and by painting fences light blue, you mimic the colour of the sky, creating the colour of an expansive overhead space.
“Not only that, but the contrast of the light blue with any greenery makes vegetation stand out more prominently, therefore casting the eye upward and creating a sense of depth and openness in the garden.”
Soft pink fences could be your go-to for south-facing gardens, according to Jenkins’ advice: “If you’re lucky enough to get sun in the garden through all points of the day, a soft pink may be the colour option for you.
“South facing gardens boast beautiful sunshine all day long and the soft hues of sunrise and sunset can cause gardens with pink fences to look much bigger.
“It can also evoke the sense of natural beauty, creating a serene environment which feels expansive and inviting.”
“Fences with high contrast colours or include busy patterns and intricate designs can overwhelm the visual space and make the garden feel smaller, as they break up the continuity of the garden space,” warns Jenkins.
He adds that opting for brassy oranges, red-tinged browns or bold yellows might just squeeze your open air escape, making it appear more crowded than calming.
