I’m a gardening pro – why grey is the best fence colour to make yours look bigger & the hues to avoid in a titchy garden

AS the weather warms up you might be thinking about getting outside and doing a bit of garden DIY.

And with BBQs and other outdoor gatherings not too far away it's the perfect time to do those jobs you've been putting off, like painting the fence.

Classic grey is the perfect choice if you're painting your fence this summer
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Classic grey is the perfect choice if you're painting your fence this summerCredit: Getty
A soft blue can help draw the eye upwards, making your garden look bigger
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A soft blue can help draw the eye upwards, making your garden look biggerCredit: Getty

It turns out that picking the perfect colour is the key to making your garden look bigger, that's why gardening expert Fiona Jenkins from MyJobQuote has shared five colours that can help Brits to transform their space.

Light grey enhances the perception of space

This might seem more on the basic side, but it's a classic for a reason.

The neutral shade is also a sure way to create the illusion of more space.

Fiona explained: “Light grey softens and blurs the frame of your garden, making it look much bigger than it is.

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"Lighter colours such as grey tend to reflect more light than dark colours, making it feel much brighter and open, enhancing the perception of space."

Grey is also a great choice if you have a lot of greenery and "foliage-based plants rather than flowers" in your space.

"This makes the boundaries of the garden appear less constrictive and enhances the sense of spaciousness," the pro added.

Natural colours such as sage green visually extend the landscape

If you want to make your garden appear bigger, soft green could be your best bet.

Soft green fencing creates visual continuity in your garden, especially if your garden contains plenty of green border plants.

Adding more green not only visually extends the landscape but makes garden boundaries look less conspicuous, creating a feeling of expansiveness. 

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Neutral tones like beige and ivory allow other colourful flora to stand out

The gardening expert explained that neural tones can allow other elements in your garden to stand out.

"The lack of visual distraction can make the garden appear larger, keeping the focus on other garden features and thus making it feel more expansive," she said.

It's also a good option to consider if you prefer a more minimalist look, since it well help your garden feel "clean and uncluttered."

Add illusion of a bigger garden by painting your fence light blue

If you want to create a summer haven, light blue could be the perfect colour to paint your fence.

"Light blue is often associated with the sky on a clear, summer’s day and by painting fences light blue, you mimic the colour of the sky, creating the colour of an expansive overhead space," the gardening whizz explained.

The shade will also help greenery and vegetation standout which creates "a sense of depth and openness in the garden" by drawing the eye upwards.

South facing garden? Opt for soft pink 

It might not be the first colour that comes to mind for your garden fence, but a soft pink could be the perfect shade if you've got a south facing garden.

How high can a garden fence be?

Despite what many people think a garden fence can be as high as 100m but you need to get planning permission for any fence taller than 2m.

Any fence under 2m does not need planning permission.

However, there are some complications to this.

If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft.

You would need to get planning permission for putting a trellis on a fence of 2m.

But, if any plant that you grow on that trellis exceeds 2m, you do not need to obtain a permit for the growing plant.

South facing gardens get the sun all day, so can handle this slightly more quirky colour perfectly.

Soft pink "can also evoke the sense of natural beauty, creating a serene environment which feels expansive and inviting," the pro added.

The fence colours that make your garden appear smaller

Just as some colours can make your garden look much larger, there are some shades you should avoid too.

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“Fences with high contrast colours or include busy patterns and intricate designs can overwhelm the visual space and make the garden feel smaller, as they break up the continuity of the garden space,” the pro said..

This includes bold colours like orange, red-toned browns and yellow shades "as they can cause the area to feel overly ‘busy’ and cluttered.”