One of the most common questions we are often asked is, where can I start designing the garden from scratch? And understandably so, because a garden is much more than a collection of good design and good plants. At the end of the day, designing a garden is not about placing plants within a space, it’s about a true living experience.
In that sense, below we share with you the nine aspects that you should take into account when starting to design a garden from scratch:
- Follow your instinct
First, identify the feeling you want to have when you visualize that garden you wish to have. Do you want to feel safe and enclosed? Free? Do you want to feel calm and reflective or pleasantly stimulated? Delving into those desires, and which plants elicit specific responses, will provide a starting point for the entire design.
Once you understand how you want to feel, we assure you that you will be able to clearly define the aesthetic parameters of your garden. At this point, we assure you that your garden idea will depend on the experiences you have had outdoors, if you like art, or what kind of art you like, or if you are more minimalist or a bit more eccentric.
The answers to all these points, taking into account the limitations of the space you have, will give you an idea of the theme that your garden will have. That is to say, you will know how to define if you want walkways, walls, planters, trees or hanging plants, just to mention some initial elements.
Contextualizing the garden
Different properties require different approaches. Urban, suburban and rural gardens are all very different. What do we mean? Since urban gardens are generally removed from a natural context and surrounded by an artificial built environment, you will have more aesthetic freedom.
The opposite is true when suburban or rural properties tend to have more established natural settings. In these cases, the appropriate thing to do when landscaping from scratch is to take into account the existing landscape and terrain. For example, you might place interesting non-native plants closer to the house and plant natives closer to the perimeter of the property. Raised planters help connect this garden to the house.
Scale, part 1: The landscape of the existing house
There is one key aspect when designing the garden from scratch and that is scale. It is a term designers use when referring to the size relationship of one entity to another. Simply put, in garden design, there are many relationships of scale to take into account, such as if the house is built on a prepared structure, even if the land is a few feet lower. In that case, large plants and artificial garden structures help to make the separation between the two elements smaller. Visually, that helps to have more design options.
In that case, robust plantings and landscaping can be used to construct the boundaries of the garden areas. To get the right proportions, it is best to seek the advice of our experts at ROOTS GARDENwho will offer you the best options for these cases. By the way, Do you know what you can find in our garden center in Tenerife?
Scale, part 1: The human scale
Then, there is the human scale, or designing a garden that fits the human axis. Often, this translates to creating a sense of enclosure in the space. Want an enclosed garden? You can achieve this by erecting any number of structures, such as a pergola, trellis or shade sail. Even placing lights on the roof will achieve this effect. This is also why we build walls in larger, open spaces.
Incorporate “speed bumps
The straight lines of concrete sidewalks function like a virtual conveyor belt, moving humans from “Point A” to “Point B” as fast as possible. But in the garden, the intention is to slow down and appreciate the surroundings. We might call these “speed bumps”. In the case of banana trees, for example, when they are at the perfect height, they create the sensation of walking through a tunnel. The end of the tunnel opens up to a courtyard free of elements, which generates a sense of liberation after this kind of confinement.
Look in all directions
Consider views of the garden from multiple angles, starting indoors. What to consider? For example, go to the busiest rooms and from there try to visualize the garden. That will give you an idea of what you want to have before your eyes from that particular space.
Once outside, lines of sight are directed with deliberate focal points. These can be larger specimens, such as trees or upright shrubs. Most important would be to use eye-pleasing, year-round plants, either a woody evergreen or deciduous tree with an interesting branch structure.
Create coherence, not chaos
A mistake we all make when we first want to design the garden from scratch is that we buy a copy of everything we are interested in and then place it without a specific order. Then, the appearance is not at all pleasant.
To achieve greater coherence, it is best to repeat specific colors, textures and shapes. It is advisable to group similar plants, such as grouping varieties of ferns. The leaf structure is different, but the color and general shapes remain similar. This will be a way to learn more about plants and see how they grow.
Areas to be
If space permits, leave room for seating. Planning several seating areas expands the functionality of a garden. Then, different areas can be used at different times of the day and for different purposes. For example, set up a hammock in a quiet corner, a couple of seats for an intimate cocktail area, and a table for larger, social gatherings.
On smaller lots, having this variety creates the illusion of more space. To plan for this, it’s important to consider your lifestyle and how you will use the space. Do you like to go out in the morning and have a quiet cup of coffee? Or walk around and contemplate? Integrate that into the design.
Let the design evolve organically
Gardens grow and change, and so does the design. It is a fact of gardening that sometimes plants will need to be relocated. For example, they may not like the conditions of their location or you may not like the way they look with neighboring foliage. Even professionals have to move plants regularly because as time goes on they learn about what they really want to see as they look at the garden.
Have we helped you design your garden from scratch? To clear up more doubts or receive advice from our staff, visit us at ROOTS and we will advise you about the best plants and elements to have the garden you want.
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