If you are looking for a warm inviting look to your garden then garden decking is a good choice. Decking can be installed anywhere within your garden so is highly versatile. It can be installed at the bottom of your garden if this is the area that attracts the most sun or directly leading out from your back door as an additional dining area for family meals or entertaining. An unused corner can be transformed and the area brought alive with a new decking area installed. It also works well as an option if you have just completed building work on your house like an extension where the garden can be left in a bit of a mess after such a big project and decking can be easily installed to take care of this. If you are looking at wooden decking then you can choose to have either softwood or hardwood decking installed. Here at C&J Landscapes Ltd we work with both. We also install additions to our decking projects and discuss these further here: Handrails and Spindles These really finish off the look of a decking area and there are many different options available to personalise the look of your decking space and really make the look your own, from rope or wire handles to wooden spindles and handrails to glass panels. They look really great and also provide a safety feature to your decking. We install these on both level and raised decks. Steps We build these for our raised decks and these can be installed with or without handrails and spindles. The raised decks work really well in a garden with different levels or in a sloped garden. We find decking to be very popular in sloped gardens enabling a flat space in the garden to entertain and relax. Seating We build all types of seating into our decking. A popular choice is the benches that we make that have the option of providing storage too. Ideal for hiding away cushions and garden games. The seating also allows you to add colour to the space by adding a bench cushion in a bright colour or some cushions for colour and comfort. The seating also creates a great space always available to sit down so that you can grab that fifteen minutes of peace in the garden with a hot mug of tea or if a little later in the evening a nice glass of wine or beer. We often incorporate both seating and planters in our decking projects with a bench in the middle and planters either side. Pergolas Adding a pergola in the same wood as your decking creates a streamlined look and a nice finish to a project and gives the feeling more of an outdoor room. Once installed you can choose to grown climbers through the pergola for a burst of colour and to attract wildlife to your garden or let the beauty of the wood speak for itself. Planters These can be built into the decking design for a streamlined look or as a separate landscaping project, for example raised planters made out of sleepers or rendered concrete. Another opportunity to add colour and wildlife to your outdoor space. When building as part of the decking design we often incorporate seating at the same time. Sandpits These can be installed into the decking to allow your little ones to have lots of fun in the garden under your watchful eye whilst you sit close by and relax on your decking. Lighting Adding lighting to your decking allows you to stay out relaxing in your garden long after the sun has gone down. You can have lighting installed directly into your decking or can choose to have string lights woven through spindles or handrails or across your pergola. If you would like to discuss a decking project please get in touch via our website www.eastlondonlandscapes.com or email office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413. We provide landscaping services in East London . We provide a free initial consultation and quote.
Decking Design Ideas
Here we look at decking design ideas. Decking is such a great addition to a garden. It provides a brilliant entertainment space and is so versatile it can be built anywhere in your garden. It doesn’t have to be laid right outside your back door and if there is an area at the bottom of your garden that attracts the sun a decking space there would work perfectly. Corner decking is also very popular with our clients. Decking can be laid at different heights and levels which works really well if you have a slope in your garden or the ground is uneven with different levels as decking allows you to create a flat surface for a seating area for your chairs or garden dining table. You can also look at what shape your decking will be. No longer does it have to be a standard square or rectangle. Curved decking is very popular and will create beautiful lines in your garden. If you already have an established flower border in your garden then you don’t have to dig it up. The decking can be installed to provide an edge around the border creating a frame for the plants. The decking can be laid in different configurations to create a different look. Either vertical or horizontal. One softwood that we work with regularly allows you to choose whether to have the decking laid with a grooved or smooth finish. A popular method is to mirror the flow of the flooring inside your home if the decking is going to be laid right outside your patio doors. This allows the flooring to flow from the inside out. Decking also looks great against paving and grass so mix up the elements that you use to create a beautiful and well useable space and create different zones in your garden. If you have a colour scheme in mind for your new garden design then the decking boards can be painted or stained to fit into your scheme. When having your decking installed you can also look at adding in built in planters to create a beautiful flower display, seating areas with storage space, sandpits for the littles one to play in under your watchful eye whilst you are relaxing on your decking. These are just some of the options as there are many more. Handrails and balustrades not only provide safety but also add further design to add to the look of your decking. There are many different options available to personalise your look. It doesn’t need to only be used for raised decking as it looks so good it is regularly used on level decking too. Lighting also allows you to personalise your deck and can be built into the decking or hung as string lights between the balustrades or if you have a pergola installed then twisted through. This allows you to stay out later in the evening long after it has grown dark. We love decking here at C&J Landscapes Ltd and are experts in our field so if you would like to discuss a project please get in touch via our website www.eastlondonlandscapes.com or email office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call us on 020 3633 6413 to arrange a consultation to discuss your next decking project. We cover East London .
Winter Decking. A Good Choice For A Family Garden
Garden decking provides a good choice for a family garden. Even though the weather is getting a little colder our children still love to be able to play outside and we want to encourage them to be out in the fresh air. Yet it can be hard keeping an eye on young children roaming around the garden, while you try and do tasks inside the house. Many gardens incorporate water features and small ponds and these can be very dangerous for young children. Installing a decking area adjacent to the house is a perfect answer. Decking areas can be installed quickly and will blend into any garden and house design. Best of all, you can add some railings and a little gate so that children cannot stray too far. This solves the problem posed by water features. Children can play happily outdoors in safety. Decking provides a flat surface on which children can drive pedal cars, play a little football, and run around in safety. Properly installed by a contractor, decking offers a safe and secure surface. Wood is quite forgiving if little children fall on it, so there will be no nasty accidents or tears. Consider building in a little sandpit. Children love playing with sand and if you place a cover over it, after use, it keeps the sand clean and fresh. Once the children have grown up, you can always turn the pit into a small water feature by installing a pre-formed pond base or covering the pit with a special liner. It is worth considering adding a covered section within the decking area as this will allow all year round use. After rain or periods of ice and snow, decking can become a little slippery. This is easily dealt with by using an anti-slip treatment. Talk to your installer about the best anti-slip treatment to suit the wood you have chosen. It may be possible to build in anti-slip strips which can give that little bit of extra grip. Best of all maintenance is simple and easy. All decking needs is a brush and a wash down of the surface when required. This will keep the surface clean and hygienic. Once a year, use a timber treatment to keep the wood in good condition. Decking will stay looking good for many years making this a wonderful way to improve your home and garden. If you would like to discuss a decking project please get in touch via our website www.eastlondonlandscapes.com or email office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413. We provide free quotes and advice.
Autumn Is A Good Time To Install A Fence
Autumn is a good time to install a fence. There is no need to wait until the Spring to get your fence installed. Autumn is a great time to carry out this work and there are a number of reasons why: Speed of Service Spring is a popular time for getting your garden ready for the Summer so there may be a bit of a wait to get your fencing project booked in with a fencing contractor. If you look to have this work carried out in the Autumn you beat the rush and also have your fencing installed and your garden ready for when the Spring arrives allowing you to get full use out of it straight away when the sun arrives. Saving Money Fencing contractors are very busy during the Spring and Summer so you are more likely to get a better deal by approaching them in the Autumn or Winter to carry out your project. You can then use any savings made in your budget to either get the project completed at a cheaper rate or use the saving to spend more on the materials on your project creating an even more beautiful fence. Having Your Garden Ready For the Spring By having the work carried out in the Autumn that is one project you have completed before the Spring arrives allowing you to enjoy your garden and the sunshine as soon as it appears and have fun in the garden with your family straight away. Friendly on Your Landscaping Carrying out your fencing project in the Autumn is a good idea as much of the landscape will be dormant so it will be less damaging to your plants. If you have bushes or roses that are near where the fence will be installed, they can be trimmed back or even relocated during their dormancy without causing long-term damage. If you do need to replace some plants or re-landscape areas where the fence was installed, getting the fence project done during the Winter will give you a head start in getting new plants in the ground come Spring. By getting them in early, you’ll ensure they are well established before the Summer heat causes stress that can harm immature plants. Your Fencing Will be Ready for Winter If your fence is looking worse for wear now would be a good time to replace it before the Winter takes hold. We have had some cold Winters recently and a strong new fence will hold up well against the cold, snow, and sleet. If you would like to discuss a fencing project please get in contact by email at office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or by calling the office on to arrange a free consultation.
Fencing – Wooden or Concrete Posts?
Wooden or concrete posts? Choosing your fencing is a big decision to make. You need to decide on what you are looking for from your fencing. Is it for security or for design purposes? Your fencing can totally change the look of your garden and home so it needs to be thought through properly. One decision that you might need to make is whether to install concrete or wooden posts with your fencing. Here we take a look at the pros and cons of both: Wooden Posts Wooden posts are not as heavy as concrete posts so they are not as difficult to install which makes them more cost effective than concrete. Timber fence posts create a far more natural warmer look than their concrete counterpart. Wooden posts will match the wooden fencing or fence panels and can be easily matched to your fencing, creating a seamless boundary around your garden. They also blend in with trees and hedges creating a natural look throughout. If you have wooden decking installed in your garden then wooden posts and fencing really look great together. Looks great with pergolas too! Wooden fence posts allow the fencing to be fixed to the fence posts. Sometimes fence panels can rattle in the wind and by having them tightly fixed to the post alleviates that potential problem. Fixing fence panels to the posts can also make the fence more secure. One of the most common ways items or pets are stolen from a garden is by lifting the fence panel out of its slot. You can add fence post caps to wooden posts which adds an elegant finishing touch to your garden. They also add another step for a thief who would have to remove the post caps if they want to remove a fence panel out. You can personalise the fence posts with paint or varnish. Concrete Posts The posts are heavier which makes them more difficult to install making them slightly more expensive than wooden posts. There is little upkeep required with concrete fence posts. To keep them looking fresh just a quick wash with warm soapy water. Concrete fence posts provide a sturdy support for your fencing giving you peace of mind that your fence is robustly supported. Concrete Fence Posts are slotted, which means that if your fence panels need to be replaced you can simply slide out your existing panels and replace them with new fence panels. The decision is yours entirely to make and everyone has a different opinion. If you would like to discuss a fencing project and get some advice then please call us on or email us at office@eastlondonlandscapes.com
Time For a Garden Makeover
Now could be the time for a garden makeover. It’s been a hard Winter. The ‘Beast from the East’ hit gardens just as the first signs of Spring had begun to appear. Bitter arctic winds played havoc with fences, while blankets of heavy snow followed by the impact of rain and thawing snow compounded any existing problems with patios, paths and decking. As the ground surfaces dry, the results are now becoming apparent. Fences may have become unstable, decking wood might have been damaged, paving stones dislodged. Worse still, the sheer amount of water in the ground and encountered over the past few weeks could well be the last straw for fence posts that had begun to rot in previous years. A slight push or a strong March wind can easily bring down such fences. It is not just the existing hard landscape that will be looking a bit sorry for itself. Trees, shrubs, flowerbeds and lawns will also be suffering. Walk on a lawn and often you sink into the ground or find yourself slipping on muddy surfaces. All this makes it an ideal time to consider a garden makeover. Replacing problem areas that have arisen as a result of the hard Winter is essential for the security of your property, as well as the pleasure of having a nice garden. But while doing so, it is worth considering whether paths ought to be re-routed to make access easier, fences totally replaced, or whether a new patio or decking is required in a different spot which would make cleaning, maintenance and relaxation much easier? Perhaps you are thinking of doing some entertaining this summer? Extending an existing patio area could make it much convenient by providing additional seating space that can be used all year round. After all, gardens are flexible areas and often need adjusting as your personal requirements change. The arrival of young children can lead to a need for safe play areas, while less able householders may need safer paths to decrease the risk of falls. Calling in a specialist contractor such as C&J Landscapes Ltd can make this task much easier. Not only will they be able to undertake the work quickly and efficiently, they can call on years of experience to provide the advice and information you need. They can make recommendations on just how to transform your garden to suit all your requirements. If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch by calling the office on or emailing office@eastlondonlandscapes.com. We provide a free initial consultation.
Your Garden in Autumn
Your garden in Autumn. What to do now. Here we look at how to plan ahead. Now that the kids are back to school and days are getting shorter, gardens are being used less. It is a perfect time to stand back and think about work that needs to be undertaken in the garden. There may be fences that need a little maintaining – it can be less expensive to replace part of a fence than face replacing the whole fence, and possible deal with security breaches as well. There may be broken sections of decking or damaged flagstones in paths. Taking quick action in dealing with loose boards in sheds, or replacing shed roofs will prevent further decay over the coming winter. If you are unsure about the extent of the damage, it is worth talking to a landscape contractor like C&J Landscapes who can advise on the best course of action. Yet it is not just time for maintenance checks – this is the ideal time for dealing with those issues that have arisen over the summer. How often did you think – perhaps having a slightly wider patio would be useful when entertaining? Or that path really needs replacing with a better, long lasting material? Or that decking project you have always dreamed of with the build in bar? Or how a gazebo in a sunny corner of the garden would have improved your enjoyment throughout the summer? Taking action now means that you still have time to enjoy those new features before the onset of winter. It also means that you can choose the best landscape contractors to undertake the work since most people leave this type of project until the last minute, and then find that good landscape contractors are often fully booked. The project then has to wait until the contractor is available. Timescales are always important. With the British weather, no one can ever rely on having a long period of sunshine, or simply a period of dryness during which work can be carried out quickly and efficiently. Sudden heavy rain can cause unexpected delays. Calling in the landscape contractors now means that you can take advantage of the drier autumn days, when the ground is still firm and work can be carried out with the far less mess and risk of winter delays. A good landscape contractor can ensure that your project is completed quickly and efficiently so that you can enjoy a Halloween or Bonfire Night party in your garden without worrying about space or safety. If you would like to discuss a project please do not hesitate to get in touch to talk through your ideas www.eastlondonlandscapes.com. We provide landscaping in East London .
Garden Decking Extras
Garden decking extras. Adding a few extras to your decking such as built in seating or planters can make a tremendous difference to your garden. Such features immediately enhance the beauty and functionality of your decking, while maximizing available space. Why not add in some pretty timber benches along the sides? This helps the transition from house to garden, while providing valuable additional seating that is perfect for al fresco entertaining. Inbuilt seating takes up far less space than a conventional table and chairs, and also has the advantage of being able to seat more people at any one time. Wooden benches evoke a sense of age less tradition, and look brilliant with any house style. A contrasting shade of wood can be very eye catching, while co-coordinating shades makes the space seem even larger. Darker tones can add a sense of warmth on cooler days. Existing features such as trees besides the decking can be enhanced by placing built in benches around it. Some built in planters provide an ideal way to grow sweet smelling and culinary herbs, or colourful annuals to brighten up al fresco dining. Built at waist height, planters can avoid the need for bending making it easier for anyone who is disabled to enjoy their garden. Steps provide additional interest and allow the installation of multi-level decking. The number of steps depends very much on the gradient, especially if your garden is sloping. Safety is obviously paramount as it is essential to avoid anyone falling down the steps and hurting themselves. Handrails are essential, while different shading at the edges of steps will help distinguish where one step ends and another starts. Contrasting textures are another way of combining safety with visual interest. At night, LED lighting beside each step will provide safety as well as creating a very pretty, twinkling, eye-catching image. End posts and handrails provide lots of opportunities for individuality, creating curves or shaped ends. Adding a fir cone shape or a circular globe gives hints of heritage, of age, as they are traditional garden styles. For something more contemporary, try squares or blocks. No one ever has enough storage space, no matter how big your house and garden. This is where built in decking features can really make an impact. Just consider the amount of space that exists underneath steps or under benches. If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch via email on office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call our office on to arrange a free consultation.
Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring
Getting your garden ready for spring. With the strong winds and storms we have had recently spring might seem a long way off but now that we are in February it actually isn’t that far away. So let’s take a look at what we can start to do to get our garden ready for the spring. Have a quick stroll around your garden to get a good overview. Look at your fences and any walls to check that they are in a good state and not in need of repairing or replacing. Now is a good time to carry out any repairs so the garden is ready to fully enjoy in the spring. Treat your wooden structures with a wood preservative during a dry period. Take a look at our blog on maintaining your fencing https://www.eastlondonlandscapes.com/maintaining-a-fence/ for some further tips. Give your garden decking a good brush with a hard broom. Brush away any leaves or debris stuck in the corners. If there is a build-up of mildew on the decking give it a good clean. Take a look at our blog for maintaining your decking https://www.eastlondonlandscapes.com/maintaining-your-garden-decking/ for some further advice. Check your tools to check they are in good working order and not in need of repair. Store them away in an easily accessible place to get full use out of them this year. Nothing worse than hunting around for a tool when you want to get a job done! Rake over your lawn to remove any debris or dead leaves. This helps to aerate the soil. Try to do this when the soil is not too wet to avoid compacting it. Prune your shrubs and trees. Turn over your soil and weed and mulch your beds. Remove any annual plants as they will not return to clear space in the bed for this year’s planting. Cut away the dead stalks of any perennials. This will encourage growth for the coming year. Take a look at your garden beds to plan your planting for the coming year. Have a look at your current plants to see what new ones will compliment them. They have some great choices in the local garden centres to give you inspiration or you could order summer flowering bulbs online. In February you can start to sow seeds which require a longer growing season. They will need to be grown in a heated propagator. Turn over your compost pile. Try to move the good stuff at the bottom to the top and give it a good mix up. Give your greenhouse a thorough clean so it is ready for all the spring seedlings. Brush all the surfaces and give everything a clean and wash all the window panes. Install water butts now to collect rainfall which are good for your beds and saves on your water bill. Make sure it is positioned below a downpipe to catch the maximum amount of rainwater.
Choosing A New Fence
Here we discuss choosing a new fence. Fences are extremely vulnerable in winter. Storms, high winds, frost and snow can cause major problems. Taking action in advance can pay dividends for canny homeowners as it ensures the safety and security of your property. A further advantage is that a smart, well cared for fence will create a good impression for visitors and add value to your home, making it easier to sell. Fences mark boundaries between houses. They provide security, deterring potential intruders. If you have young children, strong fences ensure they can play safely and securely within your garden without any risk of wandering away. This is the perfect time to check out the condition of your fence. Are all the panels secure? Are they showing signs of wear and tear? Are there any broken pieces? If trellis pieces have been attached to the fence, are they fixed securely? Bear in mind that the weight of climbing plants can often cause trellis to pull away from its supports so you may need to do some pruning. Look carefully at the posts that support the fence panels. Are these securely fixed in? Do they rock when you push them? This can be a sign that wood may have begun to rot. Talk to your neighbours and check the condition of the fencing on their side of the property – after all, it may look OK on one side, but problems may be emerging on the other. Gates need to fit properly and have fastenings that actually work. Make sure that gates have no loose planks or broken pieces. Calling in a fencing contractor will make it easier to deal with any fencing problems. A contractor has the expertise and skills to erect a new fence, or replace sections quickly. Many people try to do it for themselves and often end up having to call in a specialist. By far the biggest problem that most people forget is that it is a task, which requires more than one pair of hands! Trying to hold a fence in place, while fixing it to a support is not easy. Fencing contractors have the people who can do the job efficiently. Before making a decision on fencing, chat to a contractor and find out what can be provided. A contractor can advise on materials, costs and even recommend colours that will blend into your existing fence if necessary. Suggestions can also be made for additional security fencing measures or for decorative fencing styles. If you would like to discuss your fencing requirements please get in touch via our website www.eastlondonlandscapes.com or email office@eastlondonlandscapes.com. We provide fencing and landscaping services in East London .
