7 Things People Don’t Tell You About Designing a Garden
Uncover some of the more surprising elements of planning a garden redesign
A garden design project can be equal parts challenging and rewarding, and it might throw up a few surprises along the way. From factoring in privacy to considering water sources and getting hooked on buying new plants, here are a few things you might want to think about.
2. Shade is as important as sun
If you want to spend lots of time in your outdoor space, you’ll need to factor in plenty of shady spots in which to rest and relax, as with this roof terrace by maéma architectes, as well as maximising sunny areas.
Taking account of how the sun travels around your garden, you may want to design in a pergola or similar structure to provide pockets of shade from the midday sun, or you might prefer to think longer term and add in a tree or two.
Your garden designer will be able to advise on the best way to create areas of both shade and sun within your space.
Find a garden designer on Houzz.
If you want to spend lots of time in your outdoor space, you’ll need to factor in plenty of shady spots in which to rest and relax, as with this roof terrace by maéma architectes, as well as maximising sunny areas.
Taking account of how the sun travels around your garden, you may want to design in a pergola or similar structure to provide pockets of shade from the midday sun, or you might prefer to think longer term and add in a tree or two.
Your garden designer will be able to advise on the best way to create areas of both shade and sun within your space.
Find a garden designer on Houzz.
3. Plants add up
Buying plants has to be the most exciting part of designing a garden. It’s the final stage in a long design process where you can experiment with colour and scent and allow your creativity to run free.
However, buying lots of different plants can be a costly business and, over time, this can really add up, especially if you don’t have much luck with your planting plan and have to replace areas of the border with more suitable plants.
Spending a bit of money at the start by investing in a planting plan from a garden designer can help to avoid costly mistakes and reduce overspending in the long term, allowing you to budget carefully and allocate your cash wisely.
A lot of work, for example, went into the planning of this McQue Gardens space in Edinburgh, which combines ornamental planting with edibles.
More: How to Start a Garden Redesign
Buying plants has to be the most exciting part of designing a garden. It’s the final stage in a long design process where you can experiment with colour and scent and allow your creativity to run free.
However, buying lots of different plants can be a costly business and, over time, this can really add up, especially if you don’t have much luck with your planting plan and have to replace areas of the border with more suitable plants.
Spending a bit of money at the start by investing in a planting plan from a garden designer can help to avoid costly mistakes and reduce overspending in the long term, allowing you to budget carefully and allocate your cash wisely.
A lot of work, for example, went into the planning of this McQue Gardens space in Edinburgh, which combines ornamental planting with edibles.
More: How to Start a Garden Redesign
4. Your seating area doesn’t need to be next to the house
It might seem logical to place a dining area close to the house, as this is where many of us already have the largest area of patio, but this might not always be the best place for it.
Depending on how you use the garden and what time of day you want to eat outside, it might make more sense to move your dining area to a different spot in the garden. This is something you might want to discuss with your designer at an early stage, as it could affect hard landscaping plans.
Check out more photos of this Belsize Gardens project to see the clever layout.
It might seem logical to place a dining area close to the house, as this is where many of us already have the largest area of patio, but this might not always be the best place for it.
Depending on how you use the garden and what time of day you want to eat outside, it might make more sense to move your dining area to a different spot in the garden. This is something you might want to discuss with your designer at an early stage, as it could affect hard landscaping plans.
Check out more photos of this Belsize Gardens project to see the clever layout.
5. You’ll need lots of outdoor water sources
Maintaining a garden calls for an outdoor water supply, so you’ll need to think about the practicalities of accessing an outdoor tap or water barrel. In light of potential droughts and summer hosepipe bans, you’ll probably need to design in a rainwater harvesting system, such as a water butt or reservoir.
Factoring this in at the planning stage will help to ensure you have access to water in the areas of the garden where you need it most, such as near vegetable beds or pots, so you won’t have to carry buckets of it around every time the plants need a drink.
Maintaining a garden calls for an outdoor water supply, so you’ll need to think about the practicalities of accessing an outdoor tap or water barrel. In light of potential droughts and summer hosepipe bans, you’ll probably need to design in a rainwater harvesting system, such as a water butt or reservoir.
Factoring this in at the planning stage will help to ensure you have access to water in the areas of the garden where you need it most, such as near vegetable beds or pots, so you won’t have to carry buckets of it around every time the plants need a drink.
6. Privacy is important
When we think of garden plants, most of us picture flowers and shrubs at ground level and forget that vertical space is important, too. When it comes to providing shade and privacy, some tall plants, climbers or trees will be an essential part of your scheme. Often a design can cleverly capitalise on borrowed landscapes, too, as in this Natasha Nuttall garden.
If you live in an urban area and your plot is overlooked, ask your garden designer to factor in some screening plants. They may also be able to suggest ones that can help to dampen road noise and absorb pollution, too, if these are a concern.
When we think of garden plants, most of us picture flowers and shrubs at ground level and forget that vertical space is important, too. When it comes to providing shade and privacy, some tall plants, climbers or trees will be an essential part of your scheme. Often a design can cleverly capitalise on borrowed landscapes, too, as in this Natasha Nuttall garden.
If you live in an urban area and your plot is overlooked, ask your garden designer to factor in some screening plants. They may also be able to suggest ones that can help to dampen road noise and absorb pollution, too, if these are a concern.
7. It will never be finished
There is no end point to a garden design – and that’s the beauty of it. An outdoor space will evolve and alter seasonally as well as year-on-year, but this is precisely where the enjoyment of it lies. A freshly planted garden will look very different to a garden one year on, as the plants establish themselves and settle in.
Gardening is also completely addictive. As your new garden grows and changes, you’ll inevitably find yourself spending more and more time outdoors tinkering, pottering and just generally relaxing into the space. Which is exactly what a good garden design should invite you to do.
Tell us…
What surprised you when redesigning your outdoor space? Share your thoughts and tips in the Comments.
There is no end point to a garden design – and that’s the beauty of it. An outdoor space will evolve and alter seasonally as well as year-on-year, but this is precisely where the enjoyment of it lies. A freshly planted garden will look very different to a garden one year on, as the plants establish themselves and settle in.
Gardening is also completely addictive. As your new garden grows and changes, you’ll inevitably find yourself spending more and more time outdoors tinkering, pottering and just generally relaxing into the space. Which is exactly what a good garden design should invite you to do.
Tell us…
What surprised you when redesigning your outdoor space? Share your thoughts and tips in the Comments.
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It might feel counterintuitive to plan a garden from inside your home, but this is where it will often be viewed from, so sightlines are really important. Consider which windows will overlook the garden and think about what kind of view you’d like to see from each one.
You might want to bring colourful planting right up to a large picture window, as shown here in this inside-outside design from Architect Your Home, or you might prefer to create a sightline down to the end of the plot.
If you’re working with a garden designer, make sure you let them know what experience you want from the garden from both inside and outside the house.