Some Design Tips to Help You Improve Your Garden

If you’re not quite ready to wheel in the designer but would like to make some improvements to your garden, here are some tips to help you along your way…

1.  If you are thinking about a new terrace or patio, think about how you want to use it before you get stuck in.  If you want to be able to sit 6 people around a table, for example, the rule of thumb is to allow 1.5m around each edge of your table.  This will ensure that you are able to walk round the table comfortably when people are sitting there.

2.  If you lawn needs reshaping, then try to ensure that you are creating a positive shape.   Design the shape of the lawn and forget about the planting beds as these should be the bits that are left over.  It doesn’t matter if the flowerbeds are an odd shape because when they’re full of plants you just won’t notice.  Also think about mowing the lawn, acute angles and difficult corners can make cutting the grass a real challenge.

3.  Think about how the garden is viewed from the house.  Are there any view points from the lounge or kitchen window for example, which are crying out for something to look at.  A nice pot, tree, ornamental shrub or even a bench could be used to create a focal point that makes you want to go out and have a look.  The blog post Views, Vistas and Focal Points might help to give you some ideas.

4. Where there is a change of direction or junction of pathways use a structural plant to define the route. So, for example, where a pathway leads through a planting bed from a lawn area, define the entranceway with a good solid plant, something like these Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’ in the picture above.