A medium or large back garden offers much more than a terrace with a set against the wall. If you plan it well, there is room for a lounge corner, a dining area, a shady spot, a cooking area and a patch of nature. This article gives you 15 ideas for your back garden, grouped into four sections: seating, shade, light and cooking, and nature and play. Where an idea fits, there is an example from our range with its specs. Do you have a small garden? Read how to furnish a small back garden first: it's all about compact furniture.
In short: start with a plan in zones, based on sun and walking routes. Then choose one idea per zone: a lounge corner or dining area, shade, layered lighting and a patch of nature. Build the garden in phases and lay cables for lighting before you start paving.
The 15 ideas at a glance
Not every idea suits every garden. Use this overview to choose what fits you, and click through to the explanation.
| Idea | What it gives you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Spacious lounge corner | Long hours sitting outside | Corsano corner sofa |
| 2. Dining area for six | Eating together | Osaka/Felini garden set |
| 3. Lounge and dining in one | Eating and lounging in one spot | Monti lounge-dining set |
| 4. Second seating area at the back | A different view, more sun | Bruno park bench |
| 5. Sunbathing spot | Reading and sunbathing | Limone sun lounger |
| 6. Cantilever parasol | Shade without a pole in the way | Hawaii Emperor |
| 7. Pergola | An outdoor room with a roof | Ryan pergola |
| 8. Privacy with greenery | Peace and less overlooking | Hedge, bamboo, screen |
| 9. Layered lighting | Atmosphere after sunset | Xiro set |
| 10. Warm spot | Extending the season | Rug, throw, heater |
| 11. Cooking area | Cooking outdoors | Keij kamado |
| 12. Water | Calm and birds | Pond or water bowl |
| 13. Raised vegetable beds | Your own herbs and vegetables | Raised bed |
| 14. Space for insects | More wildlife in the garden | Insect hotel, wild corner |
| 15. Play area with a picnic set | Children in sight | Bell picnic set |
First a plan: your garden in zones
In a larger garden it's tempting to put everything against the house. Then the rest of the garden becomes a place you only visit to mow the lawn. A plan in zones prevents that. If you want to turn one seating area into a real room with a ceiling, floor and lighting, also read how to furnish an outdoor living room.
Check in the morning, around midday and in the early evening where the sun falls. Take photos or sketch it on paper. The spot with evening sun is often the best lounge spot, while the spot with midday sun needs shade.
From the back door to the shed, the bin, the garden gate and the outdoor tap. Don't place furniture on these routes. A path can meander: that makes a long garden feel less straight.
Eating close to the kitchen, lounging in the spot with the best sun, and further away a zone for greenery, water or play. Separate the zones with a hedge, pots, a pergola or a change in paving.
First lay cables and pipes, then paving and planting, and only then furniture and decoration. That way you won't have to break up tiles for a lamp or an outdoor tap.
Gathering inspiration for a style? A moodboard quickly shows which colours and materials go together, and under garden styles you'll find furniture that suits each style.
Quiz: which project should you tackle first?
You don't have to carry out all 15 ideas at once. Answer the questions and see where it's best to start.
Which back garden project gets you the most?
What do you miss most when you look out at your garden from the back door?
- A place where you can really stretch out and sit
- A table that the whole family fits around
- A cool spot on a warm afternoon
- Life: greenery, birds and water
When are you most often found at the back of the garden?
- After work, with a drink in the evening sun
- At the weekend, with guests and a full table
- In the middle of the day, when the sun is high
- Early in the morning, wandering around with a cup of coffee
Which sound belongs to your perfect afternoon in the back garden?
- Soft music and nothing else
- Clinking glasses and the sizzle of the barbecue
- A cloth gently flapping in the wind
- Buzzing bees and a trickling fountain
Where would you most like the first part of your garden budget to go?
- Seating comfort and thick cushions
- A large table and a good barbecue
- A parasol, shade sail or pergola
- Plants, beds and water
Start with the lounge corner. Find the spot with evening sun and choose a sofa that suits the space you have, with room to move around it.
Start with the dining area and the cooking area. Place the table close to the kitchen and give the barbecue a fixed spot next to it.
Start with shade. Without shade, a sunny garden stays empty on hot days. Choose between a cantilever parasol, shade sail or pergola.
Start with nature. Water, flowering plants and a wild corner attract birds and insects quickly, and need little furniture.
Sitting, eating and lounging
In a larger garden you can create more than one seating area. That is also the biggest difference from a small garden: you don't have to choose between lounging and eating.
1. A spacious lounge corner
For many people the lounge corner is the heart of the back garden. If you have the space, choose a corner sofa big enough for the whole family or a group of friends, with a low table in front. Place it in the spot with the best evening sun and leave enough room along the open sides to walk past. To find out how much space a set really needs, read how much space you need for a lounge set.
An example for a large terrace is the Corsano: a corner sofa measuring 304 x 239 cm with an aluminium frame in anthracite, taupe rope on the sides and a trapezoid corner, so you can sit comfortably in the corner too.
Corsano rope lounge corner sofa
More models can be found in our corner lounge sets and large lounge sets, or in the best corner lounge sets of 2026.
2. A dining area for six
A separate dining area close to the kitchen door is a real asset in a larger garden. You don't have to carry plates across the garden, and the lounge corner stays free for anyone who wants to relax after eating. For a table for six, allow enough room for the chairs around it, so everyone can stand up without bumping into a plant or fence.
The Osaka/Felini garden set is an aluminium set with six seats and chairs with an adjustable backrest. That means you can lean back a bit after eating. Cushions are not included.
Osaka/Felini garden set for 6 people
Not sure about the size or shape? Read how to choose a garden set for 6 people or browse all garden sets for 6 people.
3. Lounge and dining in one
Would you rather have one large area than two separate zones? A lounge-dining set combines a corner sofa with a dining table at a height where you can eat. After your meal you can simply stay seated. That saves space, which you can then use for greenery or a play area.
The Monti has a corner sofa measuring 278.5 x 213.5 cm with taupe rope and an aluminium table with a 147 x 85 cm top. The seat height is 42 cm.
Monti lounge-dining set 5-piece
To learn more about this type, read buying a dining lounge set, or browse all dining lounge sets. Torn between the two options? Lounge set or garden set: what suits you? can help.
4. A second seating area at the back of the garden
The far end of a garden often goes unused, even though the sun sometimes falls there the longest. A bench against the back fence or under a tree gives you a second spot with a different view: of your house and your garden. In a long, narrow garden, such a spot also breaks up the length. Lay a path to it and it becomes a destination.
Bruno aluminium park bench
More benches can be found in our garden benches and in the top 10 garden benches of 2026.
5. A sunbathing spot
If you have the space, create a spot where you can really stretch out: on the lawn, by the border or next to the lounge corner. Place the sun lounger where the sun falls in the afternoon, and make sure you have a parasol or tree nearby for when it gets too hot.
The Limone is an aluminium sun lounger with a taupe textilene sling. The backrest has 6 positions and the lounger measures 203 x 70 cm.
Limone aluminium sun lounger taupe
To find out which sun lounger suits you, read how to choose a sun lounger. Or browse all sun loungers.
Shade and privacy
A larger garden is often open: more sun, but also more overlooking from the neighbours. Shade and a bit of shelter make the difference between a garden you look at and a garden you sit in. A detailed comparison of all options can be found in shade solutions for the garden.
6. A cantilever parasol above the seating area
With a lounge corner or large dining table, a parasol with a central pole quickly gets in the way. A cantilever parasol hangs from an arm beside the seating area, so the whole sofa or table stays clear. Choose a canopy that is larger than the set, because the shade moves with the sun.
The Hawaii Emperor has a rectangular canopy measuring 300 x 400 cm in solution-dyed polyester and a telescopic function to raise and lower it. The clearance height is 225 cm. A parasol base is not included and must be bought separately.
Hawaii Emperor parasol 3 x 4 m
More models can be found in our cantilever parasols and in the best cantilever parasols of 2026. Also read where to place your parasol.
7. A pergola as an outdoor room
A pergola gives your seating area a roof and turns it into a room. With a louvred roof you decide how much sun gets through. If you want something more romantic, let climbing plants grow up the posts or hang a string of lights. A freestanding pergola can also be placed in the middle of the garden, for example as a second zone further along.
The Ryan pergola is a freestanding gazebo measuring 300 x 300 cm with a louvred roof, a height of 2.40 m and one solid side wall.
Ryan pergola with louvred roof and side wall
Prefer something lighter? Stretch a shade sail between the wall, a tree or posts. Read how in how to hang a shade sail. Torn between a veranda, canopy and pergola? Read veranda or canopy.
Coolfit shade sail 400 x 300
View sail →All shade sails
View range →All cantilever parasols
View range →8. Privacy with greenery and screens
A hedge, bamboo in large planters or climbing plants against a fence bring calm and keep the neighbours' gaze out. Greenery also muffles noise and looks softer than a bare fence. In places where you want quick shelter, a screen of wood, bamboo or fabric works well, possibly temporarily until the hedge has filled in. Focus the privacy mainly where you sit, rather than along the whole garden: that keeps the space open.
To find out which screen suits your spot against wind or overlooking, read windscreens and privacy screens.
A large garden only feels big when you can't take it all in at one glance. A hedge, pergola or row of pots halfway along makes you curious about what lies beyond.
Light, warmth and cooking
With light, warmth and a cooking area you can use the garden for longer: late into the evening and well into autumn.
9. Layered lighting
A single lamp on the wall only lights up the terrace and dazzles anyone sitting in the garden. In a larger garden it works better to use layers: ambient light above the seating area, spotlights in the border or under a tree, and a few low lights along the path. This gives the garden depth and shows you where you're walking.
An easy start is a 12V set. The Xiro set includes three ground spotlights, an 8-metre main cable and a 12W transformer, with warm white light at 3000K.
Garden Lights Xiro set
Ten concrete places to put light, from tree to pond, can be found in garden lighting ideas. To learn how to install a 12V system, read how to install garden lighting.
Partylights Filament: 10 bulbs
View string →All lighting sets
View range →Ambient lighting
View range →Cables first, then tiles
Are you going to pave or create a border? Then lay a cable or conduit now to the spots where you want light later. Going under tiles afterwards is much more work.
10. A warm spot for cool evenings
A fire basket, fire table or patio heater turns a chilly evening into a cosy one. Start with shelter, though: a spot out of the wind, under a pergola or against a wall holds the warmth much better. An outdoor rug under the seating area, a few throws and thick cushions complete the look. To find out which type of heating suits you, read buying patio heating.
To find out which rug size fits under your seating area, read outdoor rugs for the terrace.
11. A fixed cooking area
If you like cooking outdoors, give the barbecue a fixed spot: close to the dining area but not in the walking route and not directly under a parasol or pergola. A sturdy base, a worktop beside it and a power socket or outdoor tap nearby complete the set-up. You can start small with a kamado and later grow it into a full outdoor kitchen.
The Keij Legend Black Large is a kamado made of cordierite ceramic with a 47 cm grill and a steel base with large wheels. The dome, the lid, the firebox and the fire ring carry a lifetime warranty.
Keij Legend Black Large 21 inch
Want to build an outdoor kitchen yourself? Read how to build an outdoor kitchen. More kamados can be found under kamado barbecues and in the best kamado barbecues of 2026.
Nature and play
A larger garden has room for more than furniture. It's the areas with water, greenery and a wild corner that give a garden character, and they need little maintenance if you set them up well.
12. Water in the garden
Water brings calm and attracts birds and insects. It doesn't have to be a large pond: a water bowl, a tub with water plants or a small fountain with a pump works just as well. Give the pond or basin a shallow edge, so birds can drink and hedgehogs and frogs can get out again. If you want to light the pond in the evening, choose lighting that is suitable for it.
13. Raised vegetable beds and herbs
A raised vegetable bed in a sunny spot yields fresh herbs, lettuce and tomatoes, without you having to bend down low. Place the beds close to the kitchen or the cooking area, so you can pick while you cook. Start with two or three beds: that keeps it enjoyable and the maintenance manageable.
14. Space for insects and birds
Hang an insect hotel in a sunny, sheltered spot and plant flowering plants around it. Let a corner of the garden grow a little wilder, with tall grass, a log pile or a heap of leaves. Replace a tile here and there with planting: that's good for nature and rainwater soaks away better.
15. A play area with a picnic set
With children, a play area is one of the best investments in the garden: a sandpit, swing or playhouse. Position the play area so you can see it from the terrace or the dining area. A picnic set alongside is handy for a quick lunch, crafts or a drink in between.
How much space a swing or climbing tower needs is explained in garden play equipment: space, fall zone and anchoring. Thinking of a trampoline? Check first what size trampoline fits your garden.
The Bell picnic set measures 200 x 178 cm and has a dark grey aluminium frame with a tabletop and seats in light teak Vironwood.
Bell picnic set 200 x 178 cm
To learn what to look for in a picnic table, read buying a picnic table. Or browse all picnic sets.
Which ideas suit your garden?
Your garden determines which ideas will deliver the most. Use this table as a starting point.
| Your garden | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lots of sun, little shade | Idea 6 or 7 | Otherwise you can't sit out there |
| Long and narrow | Idea 4 and 8 | Breaks up the length |
| Family with children | Idea 15 and 2 | Play in sight |
| Often have guests | Idea 3 and 11 | Eating and sitting in one |
| Lots of overlooking | Idea 8 | Calm at the seating area |
| Prefer greenery | Idea 12 to 14 | More life, fewer tiles |
How to choose quickly
- First follow the sun for a full day, then you'll know where you sit and where you need shade
- Choose one main idea per zone and finish it before starting the next
- Eat close to the kitchen, lounge where the evening sun falls
- Lay cables for lighting and an outdoor tap before you start paving
- Leave room for greenery: a garden full of furniture feels smaller
Not sure which furniture suits you?
Answer a few questions about your space, style and use in the selection tool and get suggestions that suit your garden.
Common mistakes
Putting everything against the house
Then you only use a small part of your garden. Look at where the sun falls and dare to create a seating area further away too.
Furniture that is too small for a large garden
A small set in the middle of a large terrace looks lost. Choose furniture in proportion to the space, or make the zone smaller with pots, a rug or a hedge.
Not keeping a walking route clear
A garden also has to work when you're walking to the shed, the bin or the gate. Don't place furniture or planters there.
Leaving shade and lighting until last
A parasol base, the fixings for a shade sail and the cables for lighting fit into the plan most easily if you include them from the start.
Leaving cushions outside
Even in a large garden with a canopy, cushions absorb moisture. Store them somewhere dry, for example in a cushion box. Also read tips for storing garden cushions.
Checklist for your back garden
- I know where the sun falls in the morning, afternoon and evening
- The walking routes to the shed, gate and tap are clear
- There is a place to eat close to the kitchen
- The lounge corner is in the spot with the best sun
- There is shade for hot afternoons
- Cables for lighting are in place before the tiles go down
- There is a patch of greenery, water or a wild corner
- Cushions have a dry place to be stored
Frequently asked questions
How do you lay out a larger backyard?
Don't start with the furniture, start with the sun and the walking routes. Then divide the garden into zones: a dining area close to the kitchen, a lounge corner where the evening sun falls and, further away, a spot for greenery, water or play. Link the zones with a path and set them up one by one. That way a large garden feels like a whole rather than an empty lawn with a furniture set against the wall.
What can you do with a long, narrow backyard?
Break the length into sections. Place a second seating spot or a bench at the back of the garden, lay a path that gently winds, and use a pergola, hedge or row of pots as a divider between two zones. Your eye then rests on each space, so the garden feels less like a corridor and you actually use the back part too.
How do you make your backyard cosier without a major renovation?
Lighting and textiles do most of the work. A string of lights above the seating area, a few spotlights in the border, an outdoor rug under the lounge set and some pots grouped together change the mood without any paving work. You'll find more ideas along these lines in our article on garden decoration.
Where should you place the lounge corner and the dining area in the garden?
The dining area works best close to the kitchen door, so you're not carrying plates across the garden. Put the lounge corner where you like to sit at your favourite time of day, often the spot with evening sun. Watch how the sun moves across your garden for a full day before you decide, and take into account shade from trees, sheds and neighbours.
Which backyard ideas are good for birds and insects?
A water dish or small pond with a shallow edge, native plants that flower at different times, an insect hotel in a sunny spot and a corner you let grow a bit wild. The fewer paving slabs and the more variation in height, the more wildlife you'll attract to the garden.
