Bet you fall for the look of real wood - it's only natural; A little care will ensure your decking has a lasting appeal.

Byline: Marjorie Calder

NEW garden decking looks great, smells great and feels great beneath bare feet on a warm day.

It's so much kinder than slabs and, being made of natural wood, can look as though it grew there, rather than being man- made.

But sadly, whether or not your new decking continues to look like it does round the barbie in Home & Away, or assumes the green slime of an abandoned tree-house, rather depends on your attitude to maintenance.

The mild, wet Scottish climate is tough on exterior wood, as anyone who has tried to maintain a fence or summer house will tell you. It's far from an impossible task, though, and don't let any Doubting Thomas or Whingeing William put you off.

If palm trees and exotic plants can thrive on the wet, West coast, then with a little care, garden decking can, and will bring pleasure for years.

In the first place though, don't be tempted to cut corners. Untreated planks from a DIY store just won't do as they can splinter and rot with surprising speed.

If you can afford it, you are best to go to an experienced decking supplier who can advise on the right design and basic product to suit the environment of your garden. Make sure to ask how the wood has been prepared and preserved so that it keeps its looks for the longest possible time.

A good supplier will advise on the best DIY products and time scales for topping up the finishes on external decking so that any potential problems never get the chance to take hold.

Before you dismiss that as too much like hard work, remember that slabs can shift and subside, concrete needs annual maintenance to keep surfaces slime and slip-free, chips migrate all over the place and grass has a persistent habit of growth. There's no such thing as a maintenance-free garden.

If you really want to cheat, there are stoneware products on the market where concrete surfaces are treated to look like wood. They won't splinter, rot or crack but you don't get the warmth either.

For a purist, it's about the equivalent of sticking plastic daffodils in pots.

A garden is there to be enjoyed so if you like the look of decking, get some advice and climb on board.