A garden can have different atmospheres and styles in the same way that a home can. There may be influences from history or from more local sources. Wherever the inspiration comes from, the garden design can adapt it and doesn\’t have to follow it to the letter.
Your new garden will look better if you pay sympathetic attention to the scale and mood of the buildings and landscape that surround it. Notice, too, how the different elements of the house, such as windows and doors, react with each other when considering how they relate to the various garden elements such as pools, trees, flower beds etc. Don\’t forget to consider their interaction with each other as well.
You can create and change perspectives by playing with the horizontal and vertical lines of different areas such as terraces, paths and beds. To make the garden seem longer, accentuate vertical lines, and to make it seem wider do the same with the horizontals. Skillful placement of trees and tall shrubs can enhance the effects. You can also draw attention to a particular spot, either inside or outside the territory, by manipulating lines and curves.
When constructing paved areas, fencing or paths etc. Ensure that the materials you use are sympathetic to the house and surroundings. Sometimes it\’s hard to decide what\’s suitable, so just consider the problem from another angle. Go through the choices one at a time and eliminate those which look wrong, and by a process of deduction you should end up with the correct answer. A plot that continues the color and style of the house\’s interior makes for a very easy viewing on the eye, and it worth trying for.
While considering all this, you mustn\’t forget to put your own personality on the territory. An informal person will be quite happy to have more unruly flower beds that don\’t rigidly enclose the meandering plants, while a person of a stricter, more defined nature will like to see order and neatness all around. Remember, too, that a garden has to be practical. An older couple may love to have a large pond to enjoy, but for a young family it spells danger.
You also need to consider the maintenance aspect both in time and volume of work. If your time is limited, trees, shrubs, ground cover and perennials are the answer. If you have more than ample time, you can enjoy the delights that annuals and more specialized specimens can bring.
Try to keep your planting simple. Too many varieties in a small space will look cluttered. Limit the number and type for a look that is more refined and simpler.
Before you you actually do anything, though, undertake lots of research. Check out catalogues and other gardens or decorative concrete. This will help a lot and save you time and heartache down the line. When you have made your decisions, take a piece of paper and draw a scale plan. At that point, you will be able to tell what is going to work and what isn\’t. It\’s worth it as it will save you from spending time and money on unsuitable plants and features.
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