GARDEN DESIGN-BACK TO BASICS

Photo: Our old veggie patch in Clonbeg merged well with the fields in the distance.

THINGS TO CONSIDER IN THE NEW DESIGN



STYLE
Try to keep to one style, it is a good idea to look at the style of the house (e.g cottage or new) and it’s surroundings to get some pointers. If you have a formal house with straight lines you might want to keep the idea running through the garden.



FLOW
A garden is more pleasing if there is a natural progression from one area to another. A path is a good way to join areas up. Think about how you would like someone to walk around your garden and view it. Focal points such as a sculpture, tree or captivating view will help to draw the eye and pull us into a new space.



SCALE
Here is an area that can go seriously wrong. Scale is about proportions-how the size and shapes of things relate to one another. A tiny shrub bed the size of your bathroom would look a bit out of place on a two-acre lawn for example. If in doubt when you are planning I find it is better to be bold and generous with the dimensions of the borders. The same goes for paths, they look a bit odd if they are too narrow.



RHYTHM
By repeating plants and materials you can bring a sense of rhythm to the garden. You might want to repeat certain plants throughout the garden or concentrate on certain types of plants such as grasses to give a soft feel to the garden. Try not to go overboard with repeating things though. As in music, variations on a theme can be very pleasing

SYMMETRY AND BALANCE
Symmetry and balance are important factors to take into consideration when planning your garden. Symmetry can be effective when you are thinking about including formal features in the design. Having a container either side of the door with a couple a choice shrubs can look very eye catching. If you have a formal garden, a line of lavender running either side of the path would be pleasing to the eye and smell lovely in summer. As in nature though we don’t really see that much symmetry. It’s more of a balance.

Balance in nature is something to add to a design. Look at how plants and flowers grow in the wild and how they complement one another. The balance is all about a pleasing visual diversity of plants and hard landscape features. Imagine a brick pathway winding through a large, lush green lawn or a clump of trees being balanced by a bed of hostas underneath and you are getting the idea.



TEXTURE
Plants have a tactile quality that can be used as a valuable design tool. Think about how the glossy leaves of holly, magnolia, and roses contrast with the suede-like foliage of lamb's ears, heliotrope, and coleus. Or how the fat and fleshy leaves of a sedum differ from the needle-like foliage of rosemary or the quilted leaves of a blue-green hosta. Flowers also provide textural interest. They can be rich and velvety like a rose, or as thin and translucent as a poppy. Even tree bark contributes textural interest - especially during the winter months.


COLOUR
Entire books have been written about using colour as a design tool. You can approach colour as a technician, using the colour wheel to create harmonious combinations, or you can use your own eyes and emotions to guide you in creating the look and feel you want. Combining colours in new and interesting ways offers a lifetime of exciting possibilities.As a general rule, red, orange and yellow are colours that jump out at you. They are lively and stimulating, and give the impression that they are closer to the eye than they actually are. If you plant too many hot-coloured flowers, and don't balance them with cool-coloured, less assertive plants, your garden will be a jumble of blaring trumpets. Green, blue, and violet are cool colours. In the garden these flowers create a more soothing, restful feeling, and tend to recede into the distance.

Horticultural.