Last year was the hottest since records began, but this year looks set to be even hotter, which means many of us will be keen to spend every spare moment in the garden.

In the ever-changing world of landscape gardening, here are some of the latest ideas on how to enjoy your time outside:

Outdoor BBQ kitchens

As a symbol of British stoicism in the face of erratic weather, nothing says UK summer like a BBQ. So why not go a step further and install an entire kitchen outside?

With anything from portable stainless steel grills, through to bespoke entertainment areas, numerous companies are offering outdoor kitchen designs to suit every taste. The sky really is the limit; you can add pizza ovens, fridges, sinks, lighting and fire pits.

Natural swimming pools

For those concerned that a swimming pool might ruin the rustic nature of their garden, "live edge pools" could be the answer. The edges of the water are created to look like a pond or lake, sometimes with a slope leading down to the water. The perfect place for a deck chair.

Gartenart Swimming Ponds (pictured above) carries out swimming pool conversions or can convert existing ponds and lakes into swimming areas.

Petanque courts

This year, petanque and other activities look set to take gardens by storm, not only as a delightful pastime for sun-filled days, but as an attractive centrepiece of gravel and sand that can double up as a seating area.

Simplistic colour schemes

While bright colours have been all the rage over the past few years, with the Olympic Park Meadows standing out as a multicoloured example, gardens are now returning to more refined palettes.

With plants such as the white Japanese anemone now back in fashion, along with white shrub roses and gooseneck loosestrife, gardeners will be looking to kit out their yards with similarly matching green and white features.

Structural cubes

Landscape designer Christopher Bradley-Hole has been a pioneer of the "structural cube" design, with geometry set to be a key proponent of any successful garden this year.

With major public gardens (including BBC White City and the Highbury Stadium redevelopment) set to use Bradley-Hole's cubic designs in their current redevelopments, who's to say that home gardens shouldn't follow suit and opt for a sleek, aesthetically pleasing design?

Sustainability

"Green" gardening continues to be on the up. With solar panels, recycled materials and automated water regulation, every garden owner can now feel the benefit of a beautiful, lush private space without having to worry about waste or the drawbacks of drought.

Moving gardens into the world of so-called "smart technology" has been a challenge, but there are now water-flow controllers that can be programmed and monitored from your phone. "You can literally check on your irrigation system from your beach chair while on vacation," says Garden Design.