Ah, the sun is finally here and that means that most of us want to sit outside, enjoy a little bit of al fresco dining and generally make the most of the lovely weather. Everyone likes to be close to the garden in the summer months – that’s why summer houses and garden rooms are so popular. A granny annexe is like a year-round summer house with all the benefits of being close to the outdoors in the summer – in this week’s blog, we’ve got some granny annexe garden tips to ensure that you get maximum enjoyment out of your garden this summer.
How Big Is A Granny Annex Garden?
The size of your granny annexe garden will depend on the amount of space you had to start with before you built the annexe or plan to put one in.
Planning laws mean that your granny annexe and the existing main property cannot occupy more than 50% of the total site space, so even with a medium sized family home with a granny annexe situated in the garden, you will still have a useable garden space left to play with – even in your average sized family home.
With a few clever design tricks, that leftover garden space can easily become a fantastic place to relax in the summer, for both the occupants of the main house and the granny annexe.
Creating a Beautiful Shared Space
Creating an inviting garden space between a granny annexe and the main house is a great way to keep your family connected and bring everyone together.
Whether you have a lawn or a paved area, include a seating/dining area so that family members can get together in the summer. A BBQ area can also be incorporated for creating delicious grilled food in the summer.
Ideally, there should be a clear between the granny annexe and main house too – not only will this tie the two homes together, but it’s practical to stop lawn being walked on for safety in the winter.
Don’t forget lighting too – invest in some good quality solar lights to light up the pathway and your newly created shared space.
Private Granny Annexe Garden
If you like the idea of having a slightly separate garden for your granny annexe, you can easily divide up the garden with a small picket fence or shrubs. This will create two clearly defined gardens without blocking light or feeling too much like a barrier.
You might want to do this for various reasons; the person living in the annexe may want to have their own outdoor space for a bit of privacy or to have visitors of their own come around. Or they may want to treat their own bit of garden as a bit of a project, maintaining and caring for plants.
A small container garden is a great idea for a granny annexe – large pots or raised beds can be easily accessed and planted up by someone with mobility issues and are less maintenance than a large flower bed.
Don’t forget too that with iHus granny annexes, we offer some additional extras that can enhance your garden. Most of our core range can be built with a veranda big enough to house a dining table and a few plant pots – this automatically creates a small garden area for the annexe resident, without the hassle of having to think about mowing grass or trimming hedges.
One of our iHus community members who wanted to make the most of their granny annexe garden, use the custom-built veranda to house a hot tub. Now that’s what we call retirement with style! Another created their very own private garden, with a selection of plants and home grown vegetables in there.
Contact iHus
If you have any questions about granny annexes or even if you are unsure if your garden is big enough, or where the best part of the garden would be to situate an annexe, please get in touch.
One of our friendly team members will be happy to answer any questions you have and book you in for a free consultation.
