Spring Garden Inspiration: Why winter planning is key to the perfect garden building
As the evenings gradually get lighter and longer and the weather starts to improve, you might be starting to think about your garden and how you can make better use of the space or enjoy it for more of the year, even when the weather turns a little chillier.
Gardens that feel welcoming, well designed and attractive, are usually shaped in the quiet months when the garden is still and stripped back. Winter is the perfect time to assess your garden and start thinking about how you’re going to use or create different zones or add a garden building. Planning and building now will ensure that, once the weather is warmer and the temperature starts to rise, that you have a functional space that you can use and enjoy in a range of weather conditions.
Winter gives you a blank canvas that will allow you to see exactly where a garden building could fit and provide the most practical solution. In this blog, we’ll explore why winter is a good time to start planning your new garden building or layout and the buildings that will provide you with your own personal retreat.
Why winter is the perfect time to plan your garden
Winter transforms your garden from a green, blooming paradise to a space that looks blank or stark. Growth slows down and wildlife becomes quieter and the constant need to tend, trim and maintain your garden disappears for a while. This makes it the perfect time to take a step back and look at your garden and its layout to decide whether it’s going to work for you during the year ahead.
Paths, boundaries and levels can be seen more clearly, and the light behaves differently, showing you areas that might be open, sheltered or exposed. It can be easy to miss these details in spring and summer but it’s also the perfect time to plan your next move and redefine how you’re going to use your garden throughout the year.
Winter planning allows you to imagine how you want your garden to feel when everything springs back into life. Find out more about winter hardscaping in our blog: Winter hardscaping guide: Reimagine your garden while nature sleeps.
Garden buildings for spring and summer outdoor living
You might not be using your garden in winter but, when the sun reappears, you’re going to want to spend time outside. Planning your new garden building now, deciding where it’s going to go, the function it will provide and how the rest of your garden will be designed around it will ensure that you can enjoy your garden in spring, with the hard work already done.
Here's our inspiration for outdoor living this spring and summer.
Create an extension of your home with a log cabin
A log cabin provides the perfect way to create a space that feels completely separate from your house and enables you to feel more connected to your garden and to nature. A log cabin provides space to socialise, relax or even create a garden office that allows you to work in peace and focus without the distractions of daily life.
Planning your log cabin in winter allows you to find a space for it to sit naturally without dominating your garden, views or surrounding landscape. With the garden died back, you’ll be able to see where the best views are and ensure you don’t block the light from the rest of your garden. Installing your log cabin ahead of the spring will mean it feels established and blends in with your garden by the spring.
Jutka Log Cabin 6.8 x 6.8m
Our Jutka Log Cabin is the ideal addition to any garden, offering a multi-functional space that can be used for a range of purposes. This model includes a log cabin in the central part surrounded by two gazebos that are perfect for a hot tub shelter, BBQ shelter or dining area. This model will really help you get the most from your outdoor space.
Maggie Log Cabin 4 x 3m
Our Maggie Log Cabin is ideal for creating a garden lounge, garden bar or just a space you can go to relax and enjoy connecting with nature in your garden. This log cabin will fit perfectly into any space in your garden.
Build a garden office for focus and productivity
A garden office is the perfect space if you work from home full time or are running your own small business from home. It provides a space to escape from the distractions of the house and a space that allows you to focus while separating your home and work life.
If insulated, you can use your garden office year-round but it also provides a bright space filled with natural light and connected to nature. If you start planning in the winter, your office will be positioned for the best light, privacy and comfort. When spring arrives, you’ll have the perfect workspace ready for use.
Emma Corner Log Cabin 3 x 3m
Our Emma Log Cabin provides a space that can tuck away into a corner of your garden, providing you with a peaceful working space that allows you to focus and enjoy your outdoor space. The glazed doors and side windows enable natural light to flood in so you have a bright, airy space to work in.
Samuel Garden Office 2 x 2.5m
The Samuel Garden Office is a compact space with plenty of room for a desk, chair and shelving, giving you a quiet, peaceful retreat that’s separated from the distractions of daily life and allows you to focus and get through your to-do list.
Design a summerhouse for relaxing or socialising
A summerhouse is perfect if you want to get more use out of your garden in the warmer months. Whether you want somewhere to relax and enjoy your morning coffee, a space to unwind with a glass of wine after a long day or somewhere to socialise with friends on a summer evening, a summer house is a great addition.
Winter planning means you can perfectly position your summerhouse to catch the best light and connect naturally to seating areas and paths and make sure it’s not too shaded once the trees come back to life.
Petit Corner Summerhouse 2 x 2m
This summerhouse is perfect for smaller gardens where you want to make the most of the space and still get maximum enjoyment from your outdoor space. Add a garden lounge to a corner of your garden and connect with nature throughout the warmer months.
Freddy Pent Summerhouse 5.98 x 2.5m
This model provides a versatile space that offers a number of functions. Use the indoor space for storage, a garden lounge or dining area that can be enjoyed even if the weather turns. The attached veranda is perfect as a BBQ or hot tub shelter and enables you to get more use from your outdoor space.
Create a space to be creative or complete DIY projects
Spring often brings renewed creativity and the urge to start or finish DIY projects either indoors or outdoors. Building a garden workshop gives you somewhere for woodworking, DIY, crafting or restoring furniture. Having a dedicated space means you can leave projects and pick up where you left off without having to clear space in your home or garage. These activities are more enjoyable if you have a sheltered space to work in.
When planned in winter, workshops can be positioned away from seating or relaxing areas with easy access. During the spring, you’ll be ready to carry on with projects and finish off the rest of your garden design.
Inge Log Cabin 4.2 x 4.2m
Create a space to work on hobbies or DIY projects that’s separated from your home and keeps your home, garage or garden free from clutter. The Inge Log Cabin offers plenty of space inside for workbenches, shelving and storage so you have a practical solution.
Build a BBQ shelter, garden lounge or shelter your patio
The British weather can be unpredictable, but this doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your garden when the weather turns. Covered outdoor structures such as a gazebo offer a versatile way to create a sheltered space for outdoor dining and entertaining without having to keep an eye on the rain clouds above. In spring and summer, these spaces become somewhere you can enjoy however, you plan to use them.
Installing gazebos during the winter enables you to clearly see where patios and paths sit so your structure feels like it’s part of the landscape rather than an addition.
Zoute DIY Flat Roof Gazebo 5 x 3.3m
This gazebo is perfect for creating shelter from the sun or rain, depending on the great British weather. It can be added to your patio or seating area in your garden and transforms the space. Use it as a BBQ shelter, hot tub shelter, garden lounge, outdoor dining area and more.
Keep your garden tidy with sheds and storage buildings
To enjoy your garden properly, it’s important that it feels tidy and uncluttered. A shed or storage solution provides you with somewhere to store tools and equipment, keeping them hidden when you want to enjoy your space but keeping it easily accessible when you need it. In spring, when you need to start maintaining your garden again and enjoying your space, a shed gives you somewhere to tuck tools, furniture and equipment away.
Winter planning ensures your shed or storage building disappears into the background, helping you to de-clutter your garden without dominating the space.
Start planning now to enjoy your garden in spring
Spring always feels as though it comes and goes quickly. One minute everything’s bare and the garden starts to wake up and the next everything’s blooming. Making sure your garden flows and functions the way you need it to start in the winter bareness.
Planning your new garden building in winter gives you time to think and assess the way you want to use your space; how different areas flow together and ways to get more use out of your garden. Instead of trying to fit your garden building around growing borders and trying not to disturb wildlife, planning in the winter means the structure of your garden is already in place when spring arrives.
Take a look at our full range of garden buildings at Tuin today and make sure your garden’s ready to enjoy during the warmer months. The best spring gardens are quietly prepared before the season arrives.