I remember walking into my tiny back garden around mid winter to hang out a few bits of washing. I couldn’t believe what I saw! The rear of my house resembled a derelict and neglected building. There was green moss growing up the walls, chipped brickwork, rotting sills, a patch of grass that looked as hopeless as only they dying could, and a broken patio tile.

I often meant to get stuck in and do something with the garden, but there always seemed to be something more important going on, and the rear of the house got pushed to the bottom of the priority list every time. Well, not any more! After the shock of what I’d just seen, I was going to start looking as some smart patio tile designs and get a plan of action ready for the spring.

I love gardens, namely other peoples, but I’m no gardener myself. However, a good friend of mine explained that with patio tile and some strategically placed large potted plants I could not only smarten up the rear of the house, but I would also be able to have a beautiful low maintenance garden that would always look nice despite myself.

That was it, a perfect solution to a neglected problem. I would do a one-off investment and get all my brickwork cleaned up and protected with a waterproof acrylic wash, and lay down some decorative patio tile designs and potted plants, just as my friend suggested. It could only help to enhance the value of your property too, which is an added bonus.

I couldn’t believe the variety of styles there were to choose from with patio tiles. It was really exciting having the landscape gardener come over and show me some designs he’s drawn up on his computer. It was hard to make a decision as each patio style gave a completely different look to the finish.

I eventually went for some pastel shades with a few hexagon ones worked into the layout. The landscape gardener also convinced me to have a tiny border with a maintenance free ground cover shrub to add a bit of greenery at ground level. For this he was to use what is called bullet nosed tiles. Now for those of you that dont know, bullet nosed tiles, are to a garden what a frame is to a picture and give the surround a very nice finish.

In addition to some large pots, and plants, I have placed a large rock on the shopping list too. It’s hard to explain how a rock sitting on a patio can look nice, but if you saw the designs, you would know where I’m coming from.

And that’s basically it. I can hardly wait. Never again with my back garden look drab and desperate, and it’ll be virtually maintenance free too. It will be a joy to sit out with friends and family this summer whereas we always used to congregate indoors as the backyard was both a shambles and an embarrassment.

Now we will be able to have BBQ’s and morning tea, and it’s all thanks to my friend’s suggestion to pave with patio tile. Thanks Jim.

Here are 10 ways to transform a boring garden into a place of interest:

Attract Wildlife
Who doesn’t love to see birds and butterflies visit their garden? Try to mimic the natural landscape within your garden and you will have lots of little visitors that will delight the senses.

Add a Secret Area
An area that is not immediately visible to the eye when viewing a garden can prove a delightful surprise for visitors. Clever design can hide the entrance, i.e. camouflaging, illusion of depth.

Add a Garden Pond
A garden pond is virtually guaranteed to spark interest from all. Also if installed correctly little maintenance is required. Combine with a waterfall feature for extra novelty.

Add Garden Junk
Everyday objects can be used to create artistic and unique garden junk that will definitely make heads turn i.e. bowling balls, scrap metal, clay pots, anything really. Prepare to get messy and creative!

Add a Focal Point
Direct eyes to an area in your garden using a focal point. Try using simple additions like a birdbath or a large pot or add lighting to bring attention to an otherwise plain object.

Plant with Colours that Complement
Nobody likes to see a garden with one colour. On the flip side no-one wants their eyes to hurt when looking at a garden! So design your planting areas to contain plants whose colours complement each other. A colour chart will come in handy here.

Use Height Effectively
Adding plant sizes of various heights to your garden will entertain the eye. Add a peak here and there with a tree, go mid-size with a few shrubs and finally add some groundcovers to cater for the low points.

Add a Patio
Need some where to sit out on and view the fruits of your gardening labour? Look no further than a patio. It serves as the meeting place between your garden and your home. Make it a bit more of a mixture with a spot of patio gardening.

Plant for Scent
Scents can add a new dimension to your garden. Some plants give off a scent when brushed against and some give off scents as their flowers open. The sense of smell is said to be the best for memory recall so scents in your garden make sure that visitors remember it long after they visit.

Add a Garden Gnome (or Two)
A slightly controversial point seeing as though gnomes are viewed as tacky in some circles. But I say go for it, pick out a few entertaining gnomes and place them strategically around your garden. They may just lend a hand sometime.

Outdoor lighting is very critical to the function of your outdoor area when the sun goes down. There are a variety of lights available for use outdoors from simple wall mounts to intricate pathway lighting.

Wall mounts are great for patios and porches. When placed near doors that enter your home they serve as security as well, keeping the dark shadow areas to a minimum. Wall mounts are available in a wide variety of styles, from detailed and decorative wall lanterns to bright and functional flood lights. Wall mounts are great for lighting your outdoor patio or porch since they can be wired from within your house and do not require additional underground work.

Deck post lights and lanterns are another great way to bring light to your porch. This style of lighting attaches to your porch railing, as the name implies. Post lanterns bring light to the outer parts of your porch where wall mounts may not reach.

Path lights or walkway lights are perfect for lighting a sidewalk that leads to a sitting area that is not attached to your home, such as a gazebo or water garden. Solar pathway lights have become very popular since they do not require any underground electrical work. An area away from your house requires a lot of additional lighting for outdoor use since it does not have the capability of having a bright wall mount fixture as the primary source. This additional lighting can be achieved by a variety of landscape lighting techniques including accent lights, spotlights, and garden lanterns.

Without the right lighting, your outdoor time is over when night falls. But if you carefully consider your lighting choices for your outdoor areas, you can have many hours of enjoyment and entertaining outdoors even after the sun has gone down.