How to design a garden you'll truly enjoy – 5 smart steps
May is the month when gardens really come to life. It's the perfect time to think about your garden design – whether you're landscaping a bare patch or want to give an existing garden a fresh look. With these five steps, you can create a garden that's not only beautiful, but also suits your style.
1. Think in terms of sightlines
Look out into the garden from your house: what do you want to see? Work with sightlines that lead to an eye-catcher, such as a flowering shrub, water feature or seating area. This creates tranquillity and surprise. TIP: Hydrangea Fire Light is a beautiful eye-catcher with its lush, full flowers that change colour from white to fiery red.
2. Play with shapes
Round, organic or sleek and straight: choose shapes that suit your taste and the space. Straight lines work well in modern gardens, while round shapes create a playful effect and are ideal for smaller gardens.
TIP: You can also play with leaf shapes and colours. For example, the beautiful large leaves of Gatsby® Girl, the yellow feathery leaves of Lemony Lace®, or the almost black leaves of Summer Wine™ Black.
3. Combine materials consciously
Think about contrasts between wood, stone and greenery. For example, combine a natural-looking bark path with modern Corten steel edging or a gravel path with soft ground cover in between.
4. Opt for ease of use
Do you want a place to lounge, a play area or a low-maintenance garden? Adapt your design to your wishes. A lawn is great for children to play on, while a raised border means you don't have to bend down when gardening.
5. Consider maintenance
Choose plants that suit your time and energy. Groups of the same shrubs create tranquillity and are easy to care for. Think of perennials with ground-covering characteristics or slow-growing shrubs.
TIP: All the shrubs in the Double Play® series thrive in groups and are practically maintenance-free!
A good garden design grows with your life. Start by dreaming, sketch out your ideas and let yourself be inspired – your garden is your outdoor living room!
