We’ve been in the house now for almost two years this summer and most of the furniture that we have on the back patio we brought form our old place (where it lived on our front porch as we never used our back patio) and to be honest, it was never furniture that complemented the lifestyle of our family of six very well.

You all know that investing in furniture for your outdoor spaces can get quite pricey which is why I decided to give it some time, shop around and find some really great deals on pieces that would last and that I also love.

When given the opportunity to partner with Amazon Home for a bit of summer refresh, I knew I’d want to put most of my focus on clearing out and cleaning up the back yard and I knew the linchpin to hold it all together would be the replacing of our old seating and adding layers and textures with greenery and plants and other pieces of decor that would help make the space feel a little more cozy and cohesive.

I’m in love with the idea of an English garden. (*screams in “eeeek! “) I admire how much actual planning goes into them but how unfussy they ultimately look. When I consider the English garden there are a few things that this type of outdoor space should have.

FIVE THINGS EVERY ( AND MY ) ENGLISH GARDEN NEEDS

1. VINEY, VERTICAL GROWTH. I planted a bit of white flowering potato vine on the back, left side of our patio but I’m aiming for more. I’m not sure there is such a thing as too much greenery when it comes to the idea of the English garden or ANY garden, in my opinion.

2. AN ARBOR OR ENTRY GATE. Around the side path there is the perfect place for an arbor and entry from the front to the back yard. It’s pretty shaded by mature trees that keep that side of our house pretty cool in the summer so we don’t want to cut them down. We’ll have to find just the right plant to place there that will be able to thrive in the mostly shady spot.

3. LIGHTING + SEATING. Traditional seems to be the way but my seating will be a good mix of both modern and traditional, much like the rest of our home. Traditionally, this style of garden would boast gas sconce lighting but in this world and budget, we’re going for the good ol’ party lights.

4. HEDGES. Boxwoods and the like, no garden is complete without them. I have yet to determine where mine will go but I love a good boxwood here and there to create symmetry and boundaries.

And last but certainly, not least…

5. Line the path. This space is meant to soak up the relaxation and spend time in. We don’t have acres and acres of property but there is a path that leads from the front to the back of the house and I do plan to use the space. English gardens are meant for walking and communing and who doesn’t love a good view when partaking in those activities?

I love the idea of a crushed rock of some sort or gravel. My plan is to go with flagstone pavers for the gravel portion on the side of our patio.

I hope some of this has been helpful for you and aspirational as we all likely dive into blowing the dust off of our outdoor spaces and livening them up as summer approaches.

I can’t wait to show you the progress for our space. You’ll be able to track all the behind the scenes shares over on Instagram and I’ll also share the final reveal here.

Until then, friends…

XO,

Kennesha

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