The First Thing To Do When Designing A Garden
So if you want to design a garden, but don’t know where to start, this guide will help you in making those all important decisions and everything you should consider when designing your garden. Answering the questions below will help you.
How do you want to use your garden?
You can enjoy your garden to the fullest extent when it is an extension of your home. Consider how you will use the space in the future as you think about any changes you might make to the garden. At one extreme, it can be very busy, and at the other extreme, it can be very laid back. Consider the many roles that the garden serves. Are you looking for a space for entertaining, a playground for the kids, or do you simply want a tranquil place in which to relax in your spare time? Having said that, it is important to keep in mind that your needs, as well as those of your family, may change over time, and that as the garden establishes and matures, you may find it more difficult to modify it in the future. You should ideally look for ideas that can be modified and are flexible. It might be helpful to design the garden in a way that creates a range of different areas which have separate functions and some may even be hidden from view.
How do you want to feel in your garden?
A garden stimulates our emotions. Once we enter the garden, we are instantly affected by its surroundings. As part of designing this new space, you may want to create an environment filled with sensory stimulation, vibrant colours, diverse textures, and striking features to excite and rejuvenate the senses. If you would like to have a relaxing, reflective space, then a tranquil garden with evergreens and a reflecting pool might be suitable for you. You might even intend to use it as a place for therapy and healing. With over enough space, it may be possible for you to divide the garden into different sections according to different moods by utilizing the use of screening and tall plants. By spending time considering the layout, type of paths to be used, and the addition of small decorative details and decorations, we can change the visual effect in each section of a garden and create an entirely new view for that section. As well as being able to change your mood, you can also alter your feelings by using specific elements such as colors, shapes, aromas, and foliage. These elements will help to create a positive atmosphere and positive emotions.
What will your garden look like?
If you are interested in changing the look of your garden, then there are plenty of garden shows, plant nurseries, magazines, books, television programmes, and websites that will offer plenty of inspiration to anyone considering a change. In spite of that, don’t forget that the key to successful design isn’t taking your many ideas and trying to combine them all together in one place. It stands to reason that it is more of a process of reviewing and editing a range of ideas, with the aim of developing a coherent overall appearance for your garden, whether you are revamping an established plot or starting from scratch when setting up your new home. If you are interested in achieving an overall aesthetic effect, you should aim to have a clear vision of what you want to create, and carefully select the elements, features, materials, and plants that work together. Gather ideas, take pictures, and sketch alternative designs.
How much do you want to do?
In order for you to come up with an effective overall design for the landscape of your garden and its maintenance in the future, you should consider the amount of time you have to devote on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. In most gardens, except for very simple, easy-care gardens with hard landscaping and evergreen planting, the right balance between tasks varies seasonally, with less to do in the cooler winter months. A garden with high maintenance features such as mixed flower borders, lawns, fruit trees, and vegetable plots is very busy during the spring and summer seasons. A good deal of time is involved in lawn mowing, hedge cutting, pruning, and feeding fruit trees, germination and transplanting of vegetables, and other plant propagation and cultivation practices. Keeping this garden looking good for as long as possible will require time, but be realistic about your availability. Gardening can be an immensely satisfying experience, especially when you watch it mature and marvel at the results, but do plan ahead for the necessary maintenance and budget to hire some help if necessary.
