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DESIGN GUIDELINES

Let's look again at the garden design features discussed in part 1 of this course. To help you decide where the most suitable place might be for each of your chosen features here are some guidelines for you to follow:

GARDEN BUILDINGS

Garage or car port

The placement of this feature is easy. If you intend to house your car in the garage, it will have to go where there is good access for your car. In most houses, this will be at the end of the driveway and there won't be a lot of choice about where to put this.

Sheds and playhouses

Most sheds are not particularly attractive and, as a general rule, they should be placed in spaces where they will be least visible from main windows. If you have a 'dead space' in the garden, your shed should go there. Equally, if you are a sun worshipper, you should put the shed in the shadiest part of the garden to make full use of the sun. If you want to be able to see your children from the house, you should place the playhouse where it is visible. If not, it's best out of the way.

Think back to our template, example 1. There is a 'dead space' beside the garage wall and, as an added bonus, there are no windows looking over it. This would be an ideal spot for a shed.

Garden rooms/offices

To save on the heating bills, your garden room should be located where it will get some sun through the day. If you blend your garden room into the rest of the garden by putting a seating area outside it and some planting to soften it, it won't look too out of place wherever you want it to be. Consider though whether or not your garden room will create shade where you don't want it.

Gazebos

Gazebos are usually intended to create shade and shelter so these should be located in a shady corner of the garden.

Greenhouses

Greenhouses should get sun for a good part of the day. However, locating a greenhouse in full, direct sun can make it too hot for your plants in high summer.

PLACES TO SIT

Patios and decking

Most people will want these features to be located in full sun. If it is not possible to have a seating area in sun for the whole day, you may have to create two seating areas for use during different parts of the day. Even so-called non-slip, grooved decking will be slippery in the wet so you should think carefully about having a deck where there might be through traffic.

Benches, arbors, hammocks

It depends what you want these smaller seating spaces for. You can put them in the shade of a tree or hide them away in a corner for privacy.

INTERIOR BOUNDARIES

Walls and fences within gardens are used for dividing the plot into 'rooms'. They are also useful for hiding utility spaces such as bin areas and compost bins. You should include these if you have sited your bins, etc. in a place that is in view of the windows or seating areas.

WATER FEATURES

Ponds and water features

Ponds should sit on a level site and should be in sun if possible. Don't site your pond near a tree where the leaves will clog it up and remember, you will have to oxygenate and maybe even filtrate your pond so it should be within reach of an electricity supply. Likewise, you will need to run power to your water feature.

Hot tubs and pools

Hot tubs and pools should definitely be in the sun. You can use a light internal screen to give yourself some privacy. Above ground pools would be better behind such a screen as they're not as attractive as the real thing.

STRUCTURES

Pergolas and arches

Pergolas and arches look really good when integrated into internal fencing or walls. They should go wherever you want to create a new entrance to a different section of the garden or where you want to create an air of mystery.

In example 2 from our templates, trellis fencing has been used to separate the side garden from the rear garden. A corridor of four pergolas invites users of the garden to enter.

UTILITIES

Bins and composting areas

Just like sheds, bin areas should go in 'dead spaces' if you have any but, for bins, it is best to locate these close to a back door so that you don't have to walk too far to get to them. Most of us will have more than one bin these days and, if you don't have a suitable corner, your bin collection should be hidden behind an internal screen such as trellis fencing or bamboo screening.

In example 1 from our templates, we have already placed the shed in the dead space next to the garage wall but, since there is space to walk beside the shed, the bins could go behind the shed, close to the back door for convenience.

Drying areas

Drying areas can be a problem in small gardens and, if there isn't a lot of space in your garden, then a whirlygig that you can remove when it's not in use may be your best choice. You can get washing lines on a reel that can be pulled out to a hook on the other side of the garden. However, these reels are a little flimsy so you can't put anything too heavy on them. Whatever drying system you decide to use, you need to place your drying area away from obstructions like plants and fences so that your clothes don't get caught on them as they blow around in the wind. Remember too, that if you site your drying area in full shade, it will take longer for your clothes to dry.

Water butts

If you want to make the best possible use of rainwater and help the environment, then a water butt is a must. You can install a gutter sysytem on a shed or greenhouse, draining into a water butt placed in the corner.

PATHS

Paths will be used to take you from a to b around the garden. They should be used wherever there is likely to be heavy traffic. Whe planning a path, think about what you will use it for and ensure that it will be wide enough for its purpose.

Curved paths are usually better than straight ones since they will make your garden appear bigger and the design will be more dynamic.

Hard paving is ideal for areas where you might wheel equipment and bikes, etc. or you can use gravel and bark for foot traffic. If you are going to use gravel or bark, you will usually have to consider edging to stop the materials escaping from the pathway.

BORDERS AND PLANTING

Borders

Borders are often forgotten when it comes to garden design and might be thrown onto the plan at the end once all the other features have been put in place. However, planting is essential in any landscaping scheme and it's the plants that will bring your garden to life.

Planting is used to soften hard landscaping and you only have to flick through a landscaping catalogue to see that manufacturers and retailers of hard landscaping are well aware of this.

Use planting to add colour, provide shade and improve texture.

From example 2, in the image on the right, we have removed three of the paving slabs from the patio to incorporate a border that sweeps around the fencing, leaving a gap as a viewing window through the trellis fencing to the garden beyond. There are climbers planted on either side of the pergolas too.

The planting scheme also serves to hide the drying green from the patio and alters the shape of the patio, off the square.

Vegetable plots and herb gardens

Vegetable plots and herb gardens should normally be located near the kitchen or back door so that you can nip out and pick them whilst you are cooking. However, most vegetables and herbs need full sun so you should choose a sunny and sheltered spot. Vegetable plots in particular will be likely to have bare spots as you pick your produce so surround them with decorative planting if you can to draw the eye away from the empty spaces.

From example 1 on our templates, two vegetable plots have been located near the back door with a path in between. Low-growing decorative planting form a border around them. A pergola over the entrance to the path in between would make the whole thing a pretty feature.

Trees

Use trees sparingly, especially if you have a small garden and make sure you know what the eventual height and spread of your chosen species will be. Trees can be used at boundaries to create privacy or to hide an ugly view. You can also use them within the garden to create height and interest. This works well in a long narrow garden since adding height will draw the eye away from the foot of the garden.

Keep deciduous trees away from the edges of lawns because fallen leaves will damage the turf and be careful with trees around gravel gardens too because leaves will spoil the look of the gravel and can be difficult to remove. Rotting leaves on gravel also provide enough nutrients to allow small weeds to grow.

It is also useful to consider creating shade in your garden if you have none. A tree with a bench located under its canopy will provide welcome relief on a hot day.

Raised beds

Raised beds can be used on a sloping garden as part of a system of terracing or to give you improved access to your plants. Consider using them to create height in a level garden or as internal dividers to mark the entrance to another part of the garden.

Since you can control the soil inside the raised bed, they are a good option if you have poor soil and want to create a more suitable medium for growing certain plants like cut flowers or vegetables.

Raised beds can be softened by using trailing plants or by planting in front of them but always remember that you will need to be able to reach all parts of the bed, preferrably without having to climb into it!

LAWNS AND GRAVEL

Think of lawns and gravel as you would flooring in a room. Lawns are like a soft carpet. Gravel is more contemporary, like laminate flooring. If you plan to encourage wildlife into your garden, then lawns are a better choice. Gravel gardens are great for low-maintenance gardens and for small town gardens where there isn't much space for a lawn.

Unless you choose turf varieties which are tolerant of shade, your lawn will do best in a sunny spot. You should think about the practicalities of mowing and edging your lawn as well. Use lawns to create shape by introducing curves into a square or rectangular garden.

Gravel should be edged so that the gravel will not escape from its designated area. You can plant into gravel so you can decorate and soften it with evergreen planting. Use it as mulch in borders or as a central feature. Consider installing a hard landscaped path or stepping stones through the gravel to make it easier to walk on. Gravel is most useful for brightening up a shady or dull garden and bright gravel types such as rose quartz and gold gravel can really lift your plot.

LIGHTING

It is a good idea to include lighting in your plan at an early stage rather than attempting to install it later. The installation of lights will normally include excavating a trench for underground armoured cabling or for low voltage lighting cable so you will need to know where the lights will go before you start.

Lights let you extend the pleasure you get from your garden and are particularly useful in winter if you have a conservatory or picture window. With proper lighting, you can be sitting in the warmth indoors and still enjoy your garden.

Security lights don't do much for the aesthetics of your garden but they do help warn you of intruders and help you negotiate the garden at night.

Use soft low voltage lights wherever possible as this is nicer than a full glare. Locate spotlights near interesting features or use uplighters to highlight architectural plants. Using lights to caste shadows on light coloured walls or fences is also very effective.

ACCESSORIES

You should plan for certain accessories like sundials, birdbaths and birdfeeders because often you will include planting or landscaping around them. Sundials will obviously have to be located in the sun. Bird baths, houses and feeders should be located where the birds can take cover from predators.

Other accessories like containers and statues can be drawn onto your plan too but, since adding the accessories is the fun part at the end of your toils, you can leave them out of the plan until your garden is built. That way you can experiment with their positions by moving them around the garden.

Go to Part seven: drawing the final plan