So you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space. Perhaps your garden is a bit of a blank canvas in need of some inspiration? If you’re not sure where to start on creating your dream garden, then garden landscaping may be just what you need.
But what exactly is garden landscaping? Well, landscaping is a little different to just ‘gardening’. Garden Landscaping often needs the guidance and expertise of a professional. It can involve designing and building structures, understanding horticulture and advising the best plants for your garden based on the climate and your soil.
There are two types of Landscaping, Soft and Hard.
Hard Landscaping refers to the non-living elements of your garden such as paving, building walls, fencing and drainage systems, basically anything man-made.
Soft Landscaping refers to the ‘living’ elements of a garden so the planting of flowers, trees, shrubs and vegetation.
If you’re not sure where to start with Garden Landscaping, we’ve put together a few ideas to help you make the most of your outdoor space.
Create ‘Zones’ in your garden
Creating zones in your garden can be a great way to amplify your space, particularly if your garden is on the smaller side. When landscaping your garden, you can add different levels by adding terraces or steps or even by creating raised flower beds.
You can create zones for different things, for example a designated seating area for entertaining. Add a walled area for a kitchen garden, create a raised decking area for those summer bbq evenings, and shaded areas for sitting in the afternoon.
You may also want to design zones based on where the sun will be at different times of the day. Perhaps a small bistro table and chairs for your morning coffee in the sun and then another larger seated area for the evening sun meaning you make the most of the sun all day.
Create Calm with Water Features and lighting
Water features can be a lovely addition to any garden. The soothing sounds of the water can create a sense of calm even in an urban area.
There are plenty of styles to choose from to suit an array of budgets and garden sizes. You could opt for a Japanese style temple or perhaps a more contemporary sphere style which can reflect light or even a simple bird bath, which will attract butterflies and birds to your gardens.
Adding lighting to your garden can help you create atmosphere.You may want to add outdoor string lights to pergolas to create an entertaining space. Add low warm lighting for seating areas and brighter up lighting to highlight plant borders and garden statues. Perhaps add some coloured lighting to add some vibrancy and fun. Blue lighting can be great to mimic moonlight or opt for some green lighting to add a relaxing feel.
Add curves and circles to your garden design
You can add some fluidity to your garden by adding curved borders. Not only do curves look great they can create the illusion of more depth, making your garden look bigger. Adding curves can soften harsh lines of traditional rectangular shapes.
Opt for a curved path to create a ‘secret garden’ feel. A curved path will also provide a practical walkway to avoid delicate plants getting crushed.
Add some modern furniture to your garden like curved benches or perhaps even a circular pergola, which is great if you have limited space.
Circular Island borders are also a lovely way to add some shape to your garden. Place island borders in the middle of your garden so that plants can be enjoyed from all sides. You could even add a circular bench for a place to sit and relax.
Raise your flower beds
A raised bed is a landscape gardening technique that involves creating elevated planting areas.
Raised flower beds can be a great addition to your garden. Not only will they add interesting layers and texture to your garden but they will also keep your plants healthier.
Raised beds can be better for your soil, offering better drainage which means you can avoid it getting water logged. It will mean that your soil is able to stay moist which can promote growth. With this method, you can also create different zones, meaning you can use different soil types depending on the plants you want to grow.
Raised beds help with pest management as you can create barriers from pests such as slugs, whilst also helping with weed control as the elevation means it’s easier to access the weeds by hand. You can also line the bottom of the bed with a fabric to avoid weeds growing through.
Sun map for thriving plants
Sun mapping involves strategic planting so that your plants get the best sun exposure depending on their needs. Not only will sun mapping help with deciding which plants to plant where, it can also be used to determine the best position for your outdoor seating areas or kitchen garden etc.
A garden landscaper can help you sun map your garden so that your plants can flourish all year round.
Add a mediterranean feel with a pergola
Create a touch of Tuscany with a pergola. Not only will a pergola add an area of shade, it can also be used to create a flower canopy to add vibrancy to your garden. Wisteria or honeysuckle are great choices to add colour to your pergola as well as being great pollinators.
You could design your outdoor seating area around your pergola, adding string lights to create an air of romance in the evening.
Another option is a shaded canopy. A canopy can give a more contemporary feel and can be great to place over garden sofas to add shade.
Give life to small gardens with a living wall
A great small garden landscaping idea is to create a living wall. They can be a great way to add colour and biodiversity to small spaces.
You can create a simple living wall by creating a vertical structure which can house pots. This is a great cost effective option to add variety to your space. Ferns and foliage are a great option too. Geraniums are great for adding colour along with striking iris which offer pretty purple colours.
If you’re worried about watering, then a succulent filled living wall can be fairly low maintenance.
Add texture and colour with garden accessories
A simple way to liven up your garden is with accessories. Add a vibrant outdoor rug to give a mediterranean feel or opt for bright garden furniture to add vibrancy.
You could even add colour by painting walls or add fun stenciling to patios.
If you don’t have a lot of room for planting actual borders, then potted plants are a great alternative. Add terracotta pots for a rustic feel or even paint your pots in lots of different colours to add an element of fun.
Invest in a firepit to make the most of evenings in our garden. You can also get some colourful throws to stay cosy when the temperature drops.
Garden mirrors are a great way of adding character particularly for smaller courtyard gardens as they can give the illusion of more space.
There are plenty of things you can do to create your dream garden. Here at Wilde spaces we can help your vision come to life. Contact one of our Garden landscaping team today.
