Give your garden an instant lift

Do you long to add impact to your garden? Whether you want an exclusive, expensive statement or a small ornamental trinket to meet your budget, there is something out there to lift everyone's garden, writes Hannah Stephenson.

What better way to add interest than to encourage wildlife? A collection of bird feeders will also act as a new and stylish feature to add to the garden. An assortment of metal and wooden designs, some claiming to be squirrel-proof, are available from such companies as The Bird Table (www.thebirdtable.co.uk) and from most garden centres and DIY stores. Splash out on an ornamental birdbath and the picture will be complete.

" Seating within the garden is also important. Placing wooden or metal seating around a tree is often a solution for gardeners who simply cannot grow anything under the shade of the boughs."

If you're looking to invest in some new garden furniture for next season, metal is the way to go. While teak furniture remains popular, it does need treating from time to time, whereas some of the metals on the market are virtually maintenance free and look elegant in most settings. To really push the boat out, look for hand-forged wrought iron and steel garden furniture, coated with nylon and aluminium, giving a durable rust and weather resistant finish, available from major department stores, including John Lewis.

There are many patio pots on the market, from the traditional terracotta to galvanised steel, faux lead and granite, but wooden planters also seem to be coming back into vogue, particularly the half barrels which are big enough to make a statement, filled with a mass of colourful specimens or just one stunning structural plant such as a Japanese maple or phormium. Don't be frightened about placing pots in your borders as well as on your patio. Grecian urns and glazed pots turned sideways or just situated on their own, unplanted, within a bed can add an interesting element to the garden. Mosaics have also become popular in recent years, whether it may be a brightly coloured mosaic picture on an outside wall or a selection of pots, which you can either create or buy ready-made to liven up the patio. Look out for tiles too, which you can prop literally anywhere for an added splash of colour.

If you have a small space, add a touch of class to your outside wall or fence by putting up Outdoor Wallpaper designed by Susan Bradley (www.susanbradley.co.uk or call 07905 484542). It can be used as a trellis, screening or simply as a decorative feature to create an immediate impact in any space. Its fixtures secure it a distance from the wall, allowing plants to grow up it and adding depth and shadow to the piece.

Some gardeners opt for smaller trinkets to add simple charm. Wind chimes, miniature animals in metals and stone can be strategically placed in beds and borders, while fun scarecrows to deter birds, cats and animals from susceptible plants also become admired features of your garden. Add some pizzazz to your pond placing some hand-crafted, cast-bronze, Indian runner ducks nearby, starting at £49.99 (www.crocus.co.uk). If you have a vegetable patch, it's cheap and easy to make a feature out of a central obelisk or wigwam where you can plant climbing green beans. The choice is widespread, from simple willow wigwams to more elaborate steel constructions. For those interested in water features, you can have anything from a low-maintenance pond in a large waterproof pot on the patio to more elaborate sunken ponds filled with water lilies and other stunning exotic-looking aquatic plants and fish such as Koi carp.

New lighting will create an atmosphere in your garden as never before. For instance, you can buy solar-powered stepping stones, which will turn on automatically at dusk and light the way for up to eight hours (set of three £59.99 from The Garden Equipment Annual, www.ferndale-lodge.co.uk or telephone 0870 444 0043).

"New lighting will create an atmosphere in your garden as never before."

For those on a tight budget, simple tea lights strategically placed around the garden in the evening can create a romantic mood, along with a variety of candlelight table top lanterns in styles ranging from Moroccan to carnival. Seating within the garden is also important - and placing wooden or metal seating around a tree is often a solution for gardeners who simply cannot grow anything under the shade of the boughs.

Elegant arbours and archways in metal, willow and hazel create a stylish retreat in a sunny spot in your garden and act as a perfect support for some stunning climbing plants such as clematis, honeysuckle and climbing roses. Some can be fixed directly into the ground or secured with ground anchorage posts.

If you have more space, you could erect a gazebo to create not only an impressive feature but a wonderful place to escape to for some peace and quiet, but also spacious enough for tables, chairs and alfresco dining. It's fun to have an element of surprise in any garden, which can be done through placing statuary in strategic points. Many stone statues look great under trees or beside ponds. Companies such as www.crocus.co.uk have a range of such hand-made, frost-proof statues, to suit all pockets.