Want to Transform your Garden? 5 Key Questions to Consider.

One of the first stages of the garden design process is the site survey. Alongside taking measurements, I will spend lots of time in the garden seemingly doing nothing! Actually, I’m running through the following 5 questions - they are great place to start if you plan to transform your own garden this year.

Which direction does my garden face?

It’s one most people know but it’s crucial.  Controversially, I don’t think there is a wrong direction for your garden to face - how much sun you enjoy can be influenced by the design.  Two key tips to remember:

• your main patio does not have to be next to the house.

• create more than one place to sit, even in a small garden.

The design of my east facing back garden takes advantage of the suns movement throughout the day.  The garden receives sunlight on the right corner in the morning and by the evening the sun has moved round and shines in the far left corner of the garden.  I have a terrace in each location – a small one for my morning coffee and a larger patio for evening dining.  I’ve also carefully positioned other features - my children’s sandpit is in the shadiest corner of the garden so I don’t have to source the sun cream each time they play outside.  My veg patch occupies the one spot that faces full south.

Take your time to assess where the sun sits at different times of the day in your garden.  This Gardeners World article is a great place to start for some guidance.

What is the soil like?

Plants are really impacted by the soil they grow in – again, I don’t believe any soil is the wrong type, you just need to know the characteristics of yours and which plants will thrive in it.  Have a go at the squeeze test.  Have you got heavy clay, loamy soil or high sand content? You then just need to track down plants that like your soil - I use the plant finder from either Gardeners World or the RHS.  Both give lots of information about which conditions individual plants prefer and you can filter by the conditions you have in your garden.  Try a climbing rose for a sunny spot in heavy clay soil.  If your soil is free draining and sandy, consider Mediterranean plants, lavender for example. Don’t fight your soil, nothing will grow well or look good. 

What’s it like from indoors?

Sounds strange but realistically you spend most of your time looking at your garden from the inside, particularly in the colder months.  Really concentrate therefore on how it looks from indoors. What can you see from key windows? Is the view uplifting in the gloomier months?  Consider adding a good proportion of evergreen plants in areas that are in view from the house all year round. Or try positioning beautiful focal points in the line of sight from your windows. Imagine looking out of your home office window on a grey October day to the view of a stunning red and gold autumnal tree.

What should I screen?

Most gardens in urban environments lack a feeling of privacy or have unwanted views. It’s tempting to put a big screen of trellis or fast growing laurel around the whole perimeter. However, this can cut out light and makes a dense, blocky boundary.  Try and assess where it is essential to have privacy or screening and be selective. Perhaps one tree blocks out a neighbours window and that makes all the difference. Or focus on making just your seating areas feel really snug and private.

Often, the closer screening is to you the better it will work. Imagine a small coffee bistro set tucked in next to a small tree - it doesn’t need to be big to offer you privacy. Ditch the idea that plants must be positioned around the edges of your garden. Bringing planting centrally into the space offers so many benefits.

Close, surrounding planting makes this a really private dining space.

What can I steal?

Take a look beyond your boundaries, what can you see?  Is there a Spring blossom tree in your neighbours garden?  Are there spots with open green views beyond?  Stealing those views adds extra visual space to your garden.  Plan your garden so those beautiful views are visible. Perhaps you can even find a way to tie them in with your garden - pink tulips flowering in your garden might complement your neighbours cherry blossom tree perfectly.

If you would like help designing your garden please call 07494 046858 or email info@hartgardendesign.co.uk.