69 Garden design Designing with plants
If you are faced with planting a new garden or have created a new bed it can often seem overwhelming as to where and how to start. Planting design is a complex subject but there are some universal ‘rules’ that apply and can help narrow down the possible choice from thousands of plant species and cultivars.
1
Analyse your plot. Is it sunny or shady? Damp or dry? Windy or
sheltered? Is it prone to frost? Get a simple pH testing kit. Go with what you’ve got and don’t try to force plants to grow in situations that don’t suit them just because you like them. It won’t work.
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Have a look at which plants grow well in your garden or your neighbours’ gardens.
Whilst looking over your garden wall see if there are any trees or
shrubs that you can ‘borrow’ and replicate in your own garden. Even better – if you can disguise your boundary your garden will appear much larger than it actually is.
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6
Divide your plant lists into sections from the largest to the smallest so start with trees and move through shrubs, perennials, ground cover, annuals and bulbs.
Think about leaf shape, texture and colour and don’t forget bark and twigs.
The shape a plant makes, its’ form, is also important. Some are layered or spires, mounds or
umbillifers. You need a good mix of these for interest.
7
Then you can think about colour. Flowers are very fleeting, so don’t
forget the colour of bark and leaves. It would be a good idea at this stage in the process to ask how you want to feel when you look at your planting. Energised or relaxed? The colours you choose will have a big impact on this.
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Other than trees and shrubs, it is important to group smaller plants
together so that they give greater impact and unify your garden. Use the same plants in repetition. It may be tempting to keep adding more species but this is a case where less is definitely more.
Consider what your planting will look like during the winter and
how plants die.
To check that the composition is good try to imagine how it will look if you took a black and white photograph. And finally, make lots of lists and don’t be afraid of crossing things out.
The black and white test. An example of less is more.
by Colette Charsley One of the few
Textures and forms
colette@charsleydesign.com
www.charsleydesign.com t: 01548 581753 m: 07774 827799 Follow me on Twitter @ColetteCharsley Professional Landscape & Garden Design
Creative and beautiful designs for village, town and country gardens
Colette Charsley PG Dip OCGD t: 01548 581753 m: 07774 827799
colette@charsleydesign.com
www.charsleydesign.com
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