white vintage caravan

I am really into gardening lately and what with the Chelsea Flower Show currently on at the moment I thought I would share with you once again some inspirational stories to achieve a Happy Garden...

Once upon a time, there was a sunny patch of land attached to a cosy little home. It wasn’t the sunniest place on the planet; it wasn’t the biggest place either. But it was the happiest garden you’d ever seen. Why so?


Because a happy garden is nothing more than a garden that matches your personality and your styles perfectly. There is nothing more than a healthy style décor in happy gardens. For most homeowners, the garden is the extension of their interior décor. It’s the little spot of public life or controlled exhibition if you prefer – ignore the fences and the tall trees, no garden is fully private; you can always take a peek at your neighbour’s garden from the bedroom window – where you can share your passion and your sense of fun with the rest of the world. It doesn’t have to be the exact continuation of your interior décor – let’s be honest, it can’t be: it is outside, and there are less structural elements to decorate – but it is the reflection of your personality. Your garden tells your story.  


gardening in the 1940s

#1. The Nostalgic 1950s Garden

How about stepping back in a time machine and creating the perfect post-WWII’s garden. This is the kind of garden that suits a person who has a taste for a little vintage style, and even lifestyle too. When it comes to gardening, there is always a healthy amount of DIY – this is what gardening is about, after all. For a 1950s’ style garden, you will need to tackle the entire DIY project, from planting to finding the perfect furniture and – more often than not – restoring it too! Your nostalgic garden has a simple sense of happiness about it: it marries the glamour of the British past in a very tongue-in-cheek sort of way. Imagine cute, old teacups transformed into vintage planters to give the perfect nostalgic vibes. Using vintage crockery is ideal for a playful vintage garden. But think about the great events of the 1950s, especially the Coronation Day. While you may not want a portrait of the Queen in your garden, you can certainly add a celebratory bunting décor to give your garden a party feeling. Make sure to pick outdoors bunting that is waterproof, though!
rose garden gates
#2. The Romantic Cottage Garden
If you are a lover of vintage and period lifestyle, you will adore the idea of a cottage garden. It is difficult, for the romantic mind, to picture a beautiful garden that wouldn’t be a typical English cottage garden. Indeed, the fantastic world of Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice, evoke in the mind of the reader – and the watcher too, as there have been so many TV and big screen adaptations of these romantic stories – the image of a little garden full of delicate and fragrant flowers. As a rule of thumb, cottage flowering exists in a variety of colours, from pastel tones – which are a favourite but not the only option – to bright colours. Thankfully as you are the one defining the rules, you can pick what you prefer and still achieve an amazing cottage-like garden. It’s a blooming garden, which means that you will need to look for different flowers that bloom across most seasons – although, you may not find anything for the winter months. But maintenance is at the core of a cottage style. You need to trim, water, feed, divide, plant, deadhead, etc. It’s not for the faint hearted, even though it is a garden for the romantic at heart.  
vegetable patch
#3. The Healthy Cook Garden
If you have a soft spot for the old feudal days when peasants were able to grow their food on the land of their lord, you will probably fall in love with the idea of becoming partially self-sufficient. Growing your own vegetables and fruits is more than an experience for fun. It is a way to get back to the essential in life. If you are choosing to grow your food, you will need to have a reasonably sized garden and to invest in the purchase of a greenhouse, as this is the best way to protect your fruits and vegetables from frost – which has damaged a large part of the European crops last April. You can grow your crops throughout the year – especially if you use a greenhouse – therefore it is important to choose wisely. Roots are good to grow through the cold months of the years, and you may keep them for several weeks up to months in a cold basement. Courgettes, salads, and tomatoes can be planted in the greenhouse from March, or outside from June. For your fruit trees, it’s important to protect them from the frost until the end of May. You can never trust the British weather!
vintage garden party
#4. The Sophisticated Party Garden
If you are an enthusiast of cosy and modern décor trends, you will probably be looking at ways of creating a similar ambiance in your outdoors. In other words, your garden has to become an extension of your living room during the warmer evenings of spring and summer. If you are not quite sure what this means, think comfortable and trendy garden furniture – Bridgman has what you need, and they also sell waterproof sets, which make the British summer weather a lot more manageable. A welcoming garden has everything you need for a nice drink and snack outside. You will naturally need a table and a cosy garden sofa, but you may be interested as well in outdoors heaters too, for the fresh spring evenings. If you have a large garden, it’s always a good idea to prepare a decking stage for the living room area, while the rest of the garden can be dedicated to elegant hedges and flower edges. And always remember to keep a bottle of wine ready!1 You never know when a nice evening might come!


when to plant guide
#5. The Environmentalist’s Garden
Nature lovers are everywhere, and, when you look at the wonders that Nature has to offer, it’s easy to understand why. Gardeners who love nature a little more than others are not only focused on the health of their plants. They are trying to build a quiet environment for the wildlife. The environmentalist gardener is often seen building a nest for ladybirds that is then placed in the nook of a tree. He or she doesn’t mind that it may look a little strange for others: it is about welcoming the wildlife back into our lives. You might even spot a log pile arranged in a tepee shape in his or her garden: It’s a way to attract hedgehogs! For the environmentalist gardener, the garden can only be beautiful if it is wildlife friendly.  
robin red breast

#6. The Partying Mood Garden

Some homeowners think of their garden as a large room for parties and fun. The garden suddenly becomes an active space for their lifestyle. It’s not uncommon to find an outdoor pool, which can be heated too depending on where they live, surrounded by chairs and a table. If the garden is large enough, there is even a tennis table or a basket in a corner, and a yoga mat ready for their morning routine too. The partying mood garden is appealing to children, and can often be found in the household where there are children. But, it doesn’t mean that adults can’t have fun either! You can often find other fun elegant that get the grown-ups just as excited as the younger guests, such as a large trampoline. You bet that daddy has a little jump with a glass of wine at the end of a long day at work!

modern living and garden
#7. The Garden For Those Who Don’t Have A Garden
It’s odd to think of those who don’t have a garden, but it doesn’t stop people from wanting to bring some nature into their lives. With a little imagination and a lot of care, indoor gardeners can create an amazing world of green and nature. From growing your own vegetables at home – yes, you can, assuming you have a grow light system or a room that receives plenty of natural light – to keeping potted flowers and trees, there is a lot that those with no garden can do. Indeed, not having a garden does not mean that you can’t create your own. What an outdoor garden allows you to do is to provide your plants with natural weather conditions. While you may be limited in space inside your home, there is nothing that can stop you from dedicating a wall shelf to your favourite flowers and plants.

balcony gardening
#8. The Unexpected Concrete Garden
Can there be households that don’t want any garden? Well, there are people who simply want a clean and organised garden, in a way that is similar to a minimalist décor. If you are one of these people, you can maximise a concrete garden style to build a new landscaping project with simple shapes. Concrete gardens combine green and concrete, creating a universe of simplicity and elegance. Whether you choose a concrete decking with concrete seatings in front of a flat lawn, or a concrete raised bed to bring your garden to life with new shapes, you’ll love this minimalist approach to gardening. Happy Gardening... Love Happy x

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