After months of building work, the house may finally look exactly how you imagined - while the garden looks considerably worse.
Extensions and major renovations often leave behind damaged lawns, uneven ground, old paving and areas that no longer connect properly with the house.
Rather than simply repairing what was there before, this can be the ideal opportunity to rethink the garden around your newly improved home.
Start With the New Relationship Between House and Garden
An extension can completely change how you use the outdoor space.
New bifold or sliding doors may create a stronger connection to the garden, while a larger kitchen or dining area can make outdoor seating much more important.
Look at where you naturally enter the garden now.
A new patio positioned outside the main living area can create a natural transition between indoors and outdoors.
Get the Levels Right
Extensions can leave awkward differences between the finished floor level and the garden.
Rather than adding a small step as an afterthought, think about the whole area.
Depending on the site, landscaping could include:
wide garden steps
raised patios
retaining walls
gradual level changes
paths between different zones
Well-planned levels can make the garden feel like part of the renovation rather than a separate project completed afterwards.
Check Drainage Before Installing Anything New
Building work can alter how water moves around a property.
Machinery may have compacted soil, existing drainage may have changed, and new hard surfaces can increase rainwater runoff.
Before installing a new patio or lawn, check for:
standing water
boggy areas
water moving towards the house
poorly draining compacted soil
unsuitable existing levels
Resolving drainage first helps protect the landscaping that follows.
Choose Materials That Complement the Extension
A modern extension does not mean the entire garden has to become ultra-contemporary.
However, repeating colours, textures or finishes from the house can create a stronger overall design.
For example:
porcelain paving can complement contemporary extensions
natural stone can soften modern architecture
brick edging can reference existing brickwork
timber fencing can add warmth
repeated colours can visually connect inside and outside
Keeping the material palette relatively simple usually creates a more cohesive result.
Decide What the Garden Needs to Do
A renovation may also change how you use your home.
Perhaps you now entertain more, work from home, have children using the garden or want somewhere comfortable to relax.
Think about creating clear zones for:
dining
seating
lawn
children’s play
planting
storage
outdoor cooking
The garden does not need to be divided by walls or fences. Changes in paving, planting and layout can subtly define different areas.
Repairing the Lawn May Not Be Enough
Heavy building work can leave a lawn compacted, uneven and difficult to restore.
Before laying new turf, you may need to prepare or level the underlying soil.
In some gardens, the renovation is also a good opportunity to reconsider whether the original lawn was the right size and position in the first place.
A smaller, well-shaped lawn combined with good planting and usable hard landscaping can work better than simply replacing what existed before.
Consider Designing the Whole Space First
One of the easiest ways to end up with a disjointed garden is to make decisions one at a time.
A patio goes in first. Steps are added later. Then the fencing needs replacing. Finally, someone realises the drainage should have been addressed first.
A complete landscaping plan lets levels, drainage, patios, paths, fencing, lawns, and planting work together.
For larger transformations, a 3D garden design can also help visualise the finished space before construction starts.
Landscaping After a Renovation in Staffordshire
If you have invested in improving your home, the garden should complement it.
TC Fencing & Landscaping creates bespoke outdoor spaces across Staffordshire, combining patio installation, fencing, drainage, turfing, planting, garden design and complete landscaping.
Whether building work has left the garden needing attention or you want a complete transformation to match your renovated home, contact TC Fencing & Landscaping to discuss what could work for your space.