It’s not just plants that make a garden, it’s also the decorative flourishes that allow it to come to life. Without our furniture and features, a garden doesn’t fulfil its function as the most important part of the home in the summer.

And gardens need to be treated as an extra ‘room’, with all the potential of any space you’d find indoors. In fact, you can have lots of fun with its look. You may not live in a stately home, but what’s to stop you giving it a Lord Snooty vibe by placing statues and luxury water features amongst the flora and foliage?

As you’ll be spending plenty of time in the garden over the next few months, you definitely need some fabulous seating and an absolute essential is a table and chairs, because even if you don’t plan on eating outdoors, you’ll almost certainly have an al fresco coffee there in the morning or sit there with a glass of wine in the evening.

But even if you have a small space, you can still make an impact with quirky planters, a couple of stylish outdoor chairs and possibly a small BBQ, like the smart little number on these pages.