How to Design a Garden: Tips for Laying Out Your Outdoor Space
‘But what shall I do with the garden?’ As an avid gardener with friends who have little or no experience in cultivating plants or designing a garden, this is a question I am often asked. In Daisy Garnett’s garden in south London, one of the key features are the original mellow brick walls, which the writer has fully utilized with abundant climbers and a lean-to pergola covered in Pierre de Ronsard roses. Photograph by Clare Coulson. If you dislike a fence, it can probably be painted to create an easy and effective makeover. The perennial borders at Kiftsgate Court Gardens are packed with a succession of roses and perennials. Last, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any visiting wildlife, which will ultimately be a key element of your garden. Photograph by Clare Coulson. On my mood board, a courtyard garden created by Somerset-based antiques dealer Jack Laver Brister—a masterclass in putting together an abundance of shade-loving plants, beautiful reclaimed and antique pieces, and lush evergreens. Putting these all onto a big board will allow you to figure out the landscape styles and plant types that you gravitate toward. The otherworldly borrowed landscape in the south London garden of Will Fisher and Charlotte Freemantle of Jamb. By connecting your own garden to the wider area, you can create a sense of place. 4. Pinpoint borrowed views. Photograph by Matthew Williams. 5. Find your perfect place in the garden. Photograph by Matthew Williams. A south London garden designed by Chris Moss with a graphic black and green scheme and an elegant place to sit. The orientation of the garden will also play a part in all these decisions. In a south-facing garden, you’ll almost certainly want to have some shade; in a garden with more limited sunlight, you’ll want to maximize where it shines, either placing some chairs there or plants to catch the golden rays. A country garden by Miranda Brooks. Meadow plantings, trees and topiary offer a relatively low maintenance way to cover a lot of space. 6. Decide on how much time you’re willing to put into gardening. A city garden featured in The Less Is More Garden by Susan Morrison. Not only will you see what grows well in your area, but you’ll also see what works with the local architecture. A courtyard garden owned by Rose Uniacke. Perhaps you’ll want to position the most interesting garden features so that they’re visible from inside the house, too. 8. Observe the garden from the house, too. Photograph by Matthew Williams.