Get
a piece of paper - and work out what you want from a garden. Look at
the site - and live with the garden for at least a year - taking note of
what is there - and what you would like to keep, change and add. Take pictures - to record what works and what doesn't - you can refer back when the time has passed. Good
gardens keep evolving - adding and improving year on year - take your
time!
Think about what
structural elements - of trees and hedges, boundaries and height. Which walls and fences, paths, patios, ponds would you like? Do you want a
more naturalistic garden overall - with less ongoing maintenance - or
more managed?
Work out where
specimen trees and hedges should go early. Give plants plenty of space
to grow. The detail of planting can be filled in over time. Local
garden centres will stock many of the plants which do well locally. They are a mine of useful information.
When siting hedges think about how they affect the flow of the garden. And how the paths work with boundaries. People will always take the straightest easiest sight line route - which won't always conform to where you have put the pathway. So think about cutting off the easiest route sometimes with a boundary hedge, blocking access and the sight line to give a sense of more to see - a further vista to explore.
Use height - especially in a small garden. Large plants make a small garden look bigger and a large garden look smaller!!
Have a look at your neighbours gardens to take
inspiration and learn from what grows well in local gardens - with local soil and growing conditions. It is useful at an early stage to work out where the sunlight lands at
different times of day. Which areas are drier generally. And which
more wet. Learn from
books and take advice on where to plant and what type of plant does
well for your site. Learn the way the wind blows and the way the sun
falls at different times of year. Your own plot will have a
micro-climate of its own. And different plants will do well in
different places.
Sometimes a garden can evolve around one or two key ideas or concepts - such as a colour theme or seating areas.
One key idea is where would you like to sit in the garden or how you would like to use the garden for perhaps entertaining. Is there an area that could be more secluded. Or perhaps a good vantage point to view one aspect of the garden or perhaps the whole garden.
What sort of garden will you want overall. Do you want something minimalistic - which is perhaps more hard landscaped. With less planting. Or do you want something which is going to require more ongoing upkeep with more labour intensive planting. In which case you may need a gardener or to take a more active role in the gardening.
Maybe you plan to have a less hands on approach - allowing the garden once planted to become fairly wild. With less intervention - aiming to attract wildlife.
Do you want to grow your own fruit and veg? In a section of the garden - or perhaps you can have a mix and grow fruit and veg alongside cut flowers and shrubs.
If you have a large garden - you can experiment with garden rooms. Creating different areas which can use different themes of planting. Monty Don has used this approach brilliantly with his large garden - Longmeadow. Monty has allowed himself to experiment with many different types of planting in these garden rooms - utilising the unique growing conditions in each section. Using the structure of hedges and paths to separate and connect the very different rooms.
Perhaps if you have a small garden you can focus on your favourite plants - perhaps creating a rose themed garden. Or if you love the spring - you can aim for spring bulbs and spring planting.
Every garden is unique - the garden is as unique as you are - they grow with their owners in a symbiotic relationship. Let the garden evolve with you and your unique self. What aspects of a garden do you most like - or want to explore? Don't feel it must all be decided at once. Live with the garden and work with its different aspects.
Above all enjoy the process - enjoy your unique creation!
Sage.
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At Kingdom Plants - I work with you and your garden. Taking a blank sheet of paper - and working with you to create the garden you dream about. If you need some ideas for planting - or planning your garden - contact me for some fresh ideas. A garden should be a sanctuary - your own unique sanctuary. As public as you want to make it. Incorporating all of the aspects you love. Call me in and I will work with you over time to create a garden you can love.
