Garden design is much more than just plonking down a few plants and adding water. It involves working around existing structures – including your neighbours’ – and choosing trees, shrubs and groundcovers that compliment them. It means working with your environment – your climate, aspect, exposure and soil. And considering how you can exploit the size of your garden to your advantage.
So take time out to just sit in your garden for a bit and absorb its space, its light and shadows, its breezes and noises. Anticipate garden activities, remember the need for mundane utilities. Then you’ll realise how you can use these factors to turn it into paradise!
WATCH: Charlie Albone shows you how to design an achievable garden
Garden design tips and tricks
- Don’t be reined in by borders – borrow your neighbours’ landscape.
- Chose a theme – contemporary, cottage, tropical, native, Mediterranean – but don’t be afraid to mix if it matches.
- Decide on your colour palette so there is cohesion. Go for colours that are complimentary or clash – it depends on your personality.
- Scale plants to match your home – go big for drama and impact where you have the space and think small for intimate setting.
- Tie the garden to the rooms from where you go into and out of it.
- Give garden views from inside your home a special treat.
- Think of how tall trees can affect your garden and your indoors – evergreens cast more shade in winter, deciduous trees let in low sunlight and create a filigree effect.
- When outside, direct the viewer’s eye with landscape elements such as artwork and paths.
- Avoid trends if you sense they may go quickly out of date, or not suit your personality – you need to feel comfortable with it.
- Create a hierarchy of pathways – grand for your entrance, utilitarian, stepping stones.
- Don’t be afraid to introduce an interesting and different element that reflects your personality.
- Cover bare walls with espaliered trees or climbers.
Be inspired by these design ideas
1. Loud and proud
The leaves and flower spikes of the pride of Madeira are magnificent, but need a big garden to be appreciated.
2. The wow effect
Don’t be afraid to add elements that reflect your personality. Rows of power pillars and grand, wide pavers can lead to a quirky yet functional shed. Everything is symmetrical. The look is perfect!
3. Make little big
Fill the gaps in your wide staircase with grand, tall spurge (Euphorbia wulfenii). For smaller steps, think cute, such as daisies.
4. Big border bonus
Dainty flowers climb out of the big, bold leaves of the blue mist flower (Bartlettina sordida). Looking as pretty as ageratum but much, much taller, this perennial is best for big borders.
5. Fabulous foliage
For a small, sunny garden, plant little succulents with flower-like foliage and a range of soft colours to create variety and interest on a miniature scale. On a wall, abandoned stems of ivy are a winter work of art.
6. Shine a light
Deciduous trees let in low winter light, and this Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’ gives bonus blossoms in spring.
7. It’s easy being green
Differentiate greenery with shape, size and density. The colour may be the same but light and shadow make each plant an individual.
8. Water art
Put in simple, charming artwork such as a rainchain to channel water to your plants.
For more garden design ideas, pick up a copy of the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine in selected newsagents and supermarkets or buy online today!
You might also like:
Charlie Albone’s landscaping essentials
How to hang bromeliads in a tree
How to use texture in your garden with Charlie Albone
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