Do you ever find yourself stuck in a rut when it comes to deciding how you want your garden to look? Have you ever gone to a garden show and been inspired by the different styles, but felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of options? If so, you’re not alone! Deciding which garden design style is right for you can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With a few simple steps, you can find the garden design style that perfectly complements your home and lifestyle. Here’s how to get started:
Identifying your design style preferences
When starting to plan a new garden design, the first step is to identify your design style preferences. This will help you to understand what style best complements your home, lifestyle, and available space. A great way to do this is to look through magazines, catalogs, and books featuring different garden design styles. Make a note of the things you like and dislike about each design, and then group them into different categories. When you’ve finished, you should have a list of design styles and design elements that appeal to you and that you feel would work for your garden. If you’re not much of a visual person, you can also record your design style preferences using the chakras. The chakras are energetic centers found inside the human body and are associated with colours, elements, and other aspects of life. Simply select a chakra that best represents you, your lifestyle, your home, and your garden and then select a colour and design style that appeals to you. This method can help you to gain a better understanding of your design preferences and can be used as a reference tool later on in the process.
How to choose the right plants for your garden design style
One of the most important aspects of your garden design is the plants that you choose. Plants are what bring your garden to life, after all! When selecting plants, it’s important to keep your design style in mind. For example, if you’re designing a waterfall feature, you’ll want to select plants that thrive near water. This will ensure that your plants are healthy and happy and will also help to avoid any ugly maintenance issues in the future. When choosing plants, there are a few things to consider:
- What style of plants do you want in your garden?
- What colour palette will your plants bring to your garden design?
- What shape and size are the plants?
- What are these plants best for?
- Where do you want these plants to grow?
- How much water and sunlight does each plant require?
Tips for creating a cohesive and balanced garden design
While the individual elements of your garden design are important, it’s equally important to ensure that they come together as a cohesive whole. This is where the process of designing your garden gets a bit more technical:
Select the right materials for your garden design - You’ll want to select the materials that match or complement your design style and also complement the rest of your garden. For example, if you’ve chosen an Asian-inspired garden, you may want to select materials with an Asian influence, such as bamboo or stone.
Incorporate hardscaping into your garden design - Hardscaping is the term used to describe the non-living components of your garden, such as walls, fences, paths, or walkways. When incorporating hardscaping into your garden design, you may want to select materials that complement your existing hardscaping or materials that are similar to your home. Alternatively, you may want to select materials that contrast with your hardscaping to create a bold statement.
Popular garden design styles
Asian-Inspired Garden - An Asian-inspired garden is a bold and beautiful garden design style that is perfect for those who want their garden to be an oasis of calm. This style features a lot of plants that are native to the Asian continent, such as bamboo, pines, and junipers. Asian-inspired gardens are often designed with a Zen-like feeling in mind and are often very minimalistic and serene.
Balcony Garden - If you don’t have much space, a balcony garden is a great way to get started with gardening. A balcony garden can also be a great way to bring nature indoors too! To create a balcony garden, select plants that are low maintenance and that thrive in small spaces. You may also want to think about adding some balcony garden furniture too.
Beach Garden - Beach-inspired gardens feature materials that are reminiscent of the beach, such as sand, seashells, driftwood, and shells. A beach garden may also incorporate materials that have a nautical or coastal feel, such as rope and wood. Beach plants may include succulents, echeveria, and heathers.
Colourful Garden - Colourful gardens are designed to incorporate as many vibrant and colourful plants as possible, creating an explosion of colour that’s perfect for those who love to brighten up their surroundings. Colourful gardens are often designed to bring cheerfulness to those who walk past them. Perfect examples of colourful plants include flowers and herbs.
Container Garden - If you don’t have any space for a garden at all, or you simply want to create a garden design that doesn’t require too much maintenance, a container garden is a great option. Container gardens are often easy to move around, which is useful if you have limited space. A container garden can feature a variety of plants, from herbs to flowers and everything in between.
Cottage Garden - A cottage garden is a simple and charming garden design style that is perfect for those who want a garden that looks as though it was plucked straight from a fairy tale. Cottage gardens often feature fragrant plants, such as lavender and rose bushes, and are sometimes designed to resemble English cottage gardens.
Desert Garden - A desert-inspired garden might feature cacti and succulents, creating a beautiful garden design that is perfect for those who live in a hot climate. Some desert gardens are designed as oasis gardens, while others are designed to look like they’re in a desert landscape.
French Garden - A French-inspired garden features a lot of ornamental plants, such as flowers, vines, and shrubs. French gardens often feature a lot of symmetry, and immaculate landscaping, and are often carefully manicured and maintained. French gardens are often designed to be stunning, but they can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.
How to choose the right materials for your garden design
As you’re choosing the materials for your garden design, it’s important to keep your design style in mind. Materials that are too loud or that don’t match your design can be incredibly distracting and can take away from your garden design. When choosing materials for your garden design, here are a few tips:
Select the right colour palette for your garden design - When selecting materials for your garden, it’s important to keep your colour palette in mind. This will ensure that your materials complement your design and don’t stick out like a sore thumb.
Incorporate materials that reflect your home - If your home features bold materials, such as brick or shingles, then these materials can be incorporated into your garden design. Alternatively, you can select materials that are similar to your home, such as timber. Alternatively, you can select materials that contrast with your home, such as light-coloured stone.
Select materials that are easy to maintain - If you’re not much of a gardener, then it’s important to select materials that are easy to maintain. This will help to prevent you from becoming overwhelmed.
How to use hardscaping to enhance your garden design
Hardscaping, such as paths and walls, can be a great way to enhance your garden design and add functionality to your garden. When designing a new garden, it can be helpful to think about how you want your garden to function as well as how you want it to look. For example, do you want your garden to be dog-friendly? If so, you may want to incorporate an elevated path or a path made out of materials that are easy to clean, such as pavers.