You can trim your hedges and shrubs and / or trim up your garden with ornaments. No two gardens will ever be the same and your ‘trimming’ will help create your own unique style. I for one want more humour including Sherlock Gnomes and fertilising leaks and peas among my cabbages.

But remember loam wasn’t built in a day

Commonsense Garden Decoration

• Keep objects in proportion to the areas where they are on show – too small and you can’t see them properly – too large and they dominate
• Chose a style and stick too it – contemporary, classical, cottage, trad or what ever, a mix of styles is hard to pull off decoratively. Give an eleborate object a plain backdrop so it stands out.
• In a busy border opt for simple shapes to contrast with densely packed vegetation.
• Spheres, spirals, chimney pots, classic statues, tall oblique poles can all help create a focal point or focus of interest

Lighting and Illumination

• Spot lights can be softer than floodlighting
• Floodlights show off good decorative features but think about how shadows will fall
• Down-lighters can show a path
• Up-lighters on structures like pergolas can be effective.
• solar lights are improving but need charging in low light conditions
• Enjoy and use your creative instincts

Gnomeo Book and Gardening Club