Our Best Design Tips For An Interesting Garden
Your garden should be an extension of your home, but many people miss out on this opportunity because they lack inspiration. If your garden design is bland and generic, you may feel reluctant to spend time outdoors and could be missing out on amazing opportunities for health, wellbeing and bonding.
Spending time outside can do wonders for our health and wellbeing, as well as being the perfect backdrop to family occasions. However, without a functional and attractive garden design, you will not be able to experience this for yourself.
In this guide, Urban Landscapes is sharing some of our best tips to help you craft an interesting garden and develop an outdoor space you can’t wait to spend time in.
Planting An Interesting Garden
Plants are a key component of successful garden design and play a huge role in crafting an interesting garden that people of all ages can enjoy. No outdoor space is complete without natural elements and with such a wide range of plants, flowers and shrubs available there is certain to be something for every style.
There are several ways you can use plants to craft an interesting garden, and thinking outside of the box when it comes to placement is the best way to create an innovative, engaging landscape.
Some of our best planting tips for an interesting garden include:
1) Seasonal Blooms
A great way to create an interesting garden is to work with, rather than against, the seasons. Gardens will naturally experience change and remain interesting with the weather, and the
plants you choose can enhance this with careful consideration.
Incorporating plants and flowers that bloom at different points in the year throughout your garden will ensure that there is always something interesting going on. While it is common for gardens to look the most vibrant during spring and summer, some species continue to thrive in the winter when all others have gone dormant.
By choosing a good array of plants that bloom and thrive at different times of the year, such as peonies in spring and late bloomers like chrysanthemums in autumn, you can ensure that your garden is always interesting. You do not have to worry about a dull, dead garden in winter as you have planted flowers, shrubs and trees that continue to offer colour and scent well after the rest have faded away.
2) Vertical Planting
Height is an incredibly useful tool when crafting an interesting garden, and also opens up design possibilities to suit all landscape sizes. Even the smallest gardens can benefit from colour, scent and texture when planting is done vertically, rather than the traditional horizontally in flower beds or planting pots.
Whether you choose to incorporate raised planters across your landscape or train climbing plants to grow up your fence, pergolas and trellises, thinking outside of the box is a surefire way to make an interesting garden. Your landscape will stand out, not only because of the beautiful array of flowers and plants present but because it has a different layout from any other outdoor space.
You do not have to be confined by the narrow boundaries of your outdoor space, nor do you have to be limited by space. Instead, you can incorporate as many flowers and plants in your garden design as you desire by going up instead of traditional methods.
Plants like jasmine, honeysuckle and climbing roses are a great option for vertical planting and can add colour, interest and beautiful scents to your garden during the summer.
Constructing An Interesting Garden
While plants are a large part of garden design, they are beautifully counterbalanced with hardscaping. Hardscaping is a wonderful tool to add structure, functionality and accessibility to the garden – as well as style.
While features such as pathways and stairs may be required to access your outdoor space, they can also enhance the appeal of your garden and make it more interesting. There are several ways hardscaping can make an interesting garden, such as:
3) Adventurous Pathways
Bespoke pathways are a great way to craft an interesting garden, as you evoke a sense of adventure and discovery which appeals to people of all ages. Winding stone paths and beautifully crafted paving are not just functional elements of your garden design but also enhance aesthetics.
While these elements make your garden more accessible and can direct people to key areas of the garden, such as a pathway leading to the outdoor dining patio or from the back door to the lawn, they can also be a great way to make an interesting garden.
By carefully considering the design of your pathways, as well as the materials to craft it, you can create an innovative, yet functional element of garden design that benefits your outdoor space as a whole.
4) Garden Structures
Structures, from sculptures to outdoor furniture and even water features, are essential in an interesting garden. These can be bespoke, such as uniquely crafted by independent traders and garden designers, or purchased from any garden centre based on your budget – the key is considering your overall garden design and what will suit your landscape best.
Creating an interesting garden also means being selective about the structures you incorporate. While it may be tempting to have multiple types of decoration across your landscape, this does not necessarily create an interesting garden; just a cluttered one.
Carefully curating the garden structures and decorative items you use is the best way to make an interesting garden. The interest comes from the fact the design is uniquely yours, and it perfectly complements your home. Instead of having a custom sculpture, several water features, and multiple different planters simply choose one or two of these ideas to create a unique space that remains interesting and accessible.
Setting The Tone For An Interesting Garden
One of the most effective design tools to create an interesting garden is the ambience. The way your garden looks and feels will set the tone for any occasion and determine whether it is an interesting space to be in.
While you can set the mood in several ways, there is one highly effective tool for garden design that should not be understated:
5) Garden Lighting
Outdoor lighting is one of the most effective tools for ambience and is key to creating an interesting garden. After all your work crafting an engaging and attractive atmosphere, you do not want your efforts to be wasted when the sun goes down. Instead, use garden lighting to emphasise key areas of design and craft a fun ambience that is ideal for any occasion.
Garden lighting comes in many shapes and sizes these days, from spotlights to highlight your carefully curated sculptures, to lanterns to highlight the winding pathways through the lawn, there is something for everyone.
Don’t be afraid to connect with your inner child and choose fun lighting options, such as fairy lights or coloured LEDs as these too can ensure that your interesting garden remains this way well into the night.
Conclusion
Creating an interesting garden will look different for everyone, but it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Regardless of your gardening skills and experience, creating an interesting garden comes from thinking outside of the box and not being afraid to have fun.
Our garden designers and landscapers are here to help you manifest your dream garden and create an outdoor space you’ll love. We have lots of great ideas to help create an interesting garden and are ready to take on your next project.
Contact us today to learn more or to request a quote.
