5 Creative Garden Design Ideas To Improve Your Outdoor Garden Space
Making the most of a Narrow Space
The key is breaking up the view straight down the garden to take away the impression of one long narrow space. This can be achieved by angling the route of flow perhaps by 45 degrees through the hardscaping and planting area layout. Creating zones or ‘rooms’ using a mix of plants or screens will also direct the sightlines to takeaway that straight and narrow impression. Layer your beds from low to tall will also help your planting areas seem larger – espalier trees will enable height and screening without the branches taking over the narrow space.
Right Plants Right Place
Sounds simple but is rarely implemented. Any garden design process will ultimately fail if the wrong plants are selected for the environment they will be living in. This is ever more important with the extreme weather we can experience. For example, consider more drought tolerant plants for south facing gardens with little shelter. There are plenty of options available across the spectrum of conditions, it is a case of doing the proper research. And if you don’t have time a designer should.
Plan with Water in Mind
As I wrote in a previous blog a quote from famous garden designer John Brookes MBE ‘Water is the source of life and one of the Four Elements; it must be this that makes its use so irresistible in the garden’. It will bring soothing sight and sound to a garden. A water feature can also be made to measure for any garden size, whether a contemporary Corten steel trough in a small space or large natural swimming ponds in larger gardens. Positioning so you get the benefits of reflection is also an opportunity for creating even better vistas.
Make use of Sculpture
Take into consideration the surrounding environment when adding decoration like sculpture. They can be used to both harmonize and contrast with their immediate surroundings. A sculpture can also be used to provide a nice surprise or interest around the corner, drawing you further out into a garden space. They can be used to in effect borrow character from the landscaping around them through the reflective properties of metal for example.
Excite the Senses
A garden that brings real joy is not just about the visual – scent, movement, texture and sound all play a part. Water plays its part as discussed earlier, whilst ornamental grasses can add both movement and touch with hardscaping providing the opportunity for different textures. Of course scent is important so a pergola covered in climbing Wisteria or Roses will add to the mix of emotions and feelings you feel.
This is a just a taster of the creative and functional garden design ideas that can be used to bring a garden to life whatever its shape and size. For more information and to read our other blogs please browse our garden themed site or email us at info@dpgardendesign.co.uk.
Garden Solutions in Hampshire
If you have any questions on this or anything else garden design related then don’t hesitate in contacting us and also refer to our specialised garden design services for all garden design and solutions related information.
We are located in Alresford near Winchester and extend our professional garden design services throughout Hampshire and surrounding counties including Surrey, West Sussex, Berkshire and so on.
