Some gardens seem full of natural light and feature plants which thrive on exposure to plenty of sunshine. On the other hand, a good many city gardens seem devoid of light, especially those which have high walls or fences at their sides. There again, some tropical parts of the country feature planting which would be more at home in the bush. Forming a canopy of a garden, just as you would find in nature, this can mean that light is blocked from lower growing plants and even into the interior of your home. Read on to discover the best ways of adding light to your home's garden...

Tree Pruning

In the worst cases, trees can cause your garden to be dominated by shade and you may consider a complete tree removal in order to bring light into it. Always check on whether trees you are considering removing have restrictions placed on them in so doing by the local authorities. However, in most cases having your trees professionally pruned will be sufficient. Tree lopping involves removing select branches to remove so that more light can pass between them. In addition, you may want to reduce the height of the trees in question to allow greater light flow.

Use Paint

You may not have any paintwork in your garden at present, but white and cream colours in a garden always look good against greenery. Consider painting formal structures with a light shade. Sheds and garden fences which are whitened will reflect more light back into the garden and create a more airy feel instantly. Brick built walls can also receive this sort of treatment so long as you use a masonry paint.

Add Water Features

Water is one of the best ways of maximising the amount of natural light you have in a garden. Even if your backyard is dominated by big plants, the addition of a pond will allow what light reaches the ground to be reflected back up. This means that you'll see twinkling light whenever you step into your garden during the day. In short, flowing streams or ponds make you feel as though there is more light than there actually is.

Mirrored Reflections

If you cannot fit in a water feature in your garden, but still want to achieve the reflected light look, then consider installing mirrors instead. Highly polished sculptural features, like chrome or stainless steel balls, are on-trend. What's more, you can move them around to the exact spots where additional light is most needed.