Tips for Creating Outdoor Screens in Your Garden

Gardens are made to enjoy. Whether you like to stroll through your garden to see what is blooming or take a moment to stop and smell the roses, gardens can bring us a lot of joy and contentment. I am a firm believer that you should have areas throughout the garden where you can stop and sit. Many people believe that they have to spend lots of money creating inviting areas in the garden. They think that pavers must be placed to designate the area or that a pergola or archway must be constructed. Such is not the case, however. You can create inviting areas without spending a lot of money. The advantage to this method is that these screened-in areas can easily be moved or changed if you wish to try another look. Also, the materials needed can generally be found rather cheaply at discount stores or even at yard sales and flea markets. You might even have some of the needed materials laying around your home.

Go modern with towels
One of the easiest screens to make for those who like a modern twist to the garden or who might like to bring the beach to their garden is to use beach towels for a screen. All you really need are three shepherd's hooks, some plastic-coated clothesline, and some sturdy clothespins. Just space your shepherd's hooks so they create an angled area in the designated area. Make sure that they are firmly in the ground. Tie the clothesline to the hooks by wrapping it several times around each hook and pulling as taut as possible. For extra stability, leave the ends longer. In fact, make sure that they are long enough to be tied at the bottom to the two end shepherd's hooks. After this is completed, just use the clothespins to hang the towels, which will provide a nice screen behind your lawn chairs. Be sure to place containers full of colorful flowering annuals or tropical plants at either end of your screen.

Give your cottage garden some Victorian flair
You might have one side of a shed that is not that attractive. Perhaps an area below a deck needs some help. Find some heavy wooden curtain rods. You might be able to use some old wooden fence posts as well. (Make sure that you find some post caps.) Paint them white. You might also want to age them a little using a sander. Attach to your shed, deck, or whatever area that you would like to section into a cozy sitting area. (Look for the wooden holders that attach to walls and through which the rods are extended.) You can either buy pre-made curtains that will just slide right on the rod. If you have a talent for sewing, by all means make your own. Choose any type of Victorian fabric that strikes your fancy. You might want to place a bistro table and chairs in this area. Cover the table with some coordinating fabric, add a bouquet of roses, and you are ready for tea. Of course, you might also want to surround your area with some of your favorite cottage blooms.

Note: You can use different materials, such as Asian prints or country materials, to better coordinate in your particular garden. Just use your imagination.

These are just a couple of easy and inexpensive ways in which you can create a cozy little area in your garden. Not only can it create a inviting area in your garden, it can also give you an area of comfort from which you can enjoy the fruits of all of your labors.