Garden Design Basics

(for any skill level)

Honestly, I am not interested in telling other people how to design their gardens.  For one thing, every person is different and has different desires, therefore should decide for themselves what type of garden and what type of plants they want to grow. For another thing, I don’t like the principle of telling people how to do things that are creative in nature because that prevents that which is created from expressing itself organically.

That being said, there are a couple of basic design principles that are somewhat universal and which can help any garden of any type be aesthetically pleasing to the human eye and comforting to the human spirit.  Having some “ground rules” also helps what could be an overwhelming prospect easier to tackle because you have someplace to start (and starting is often the hardest part!).

One thing I want to point out before I go any further is that you should create your garden to please YOU, first and foremost.  You are the one who will see it the most, you are the one who will spend the most time there, and you are the one who will expend all of the effort and money to create it, therefore you should be pleased with the results!

Four basic principles which will help you design the garden of your dreams:

1. Balance
2. Interest
3. Comfort & Usability
4. Biggest to smallest

Balance

Balance is needed everywhere in the garden – in colors, shapes, textures, and sizes.  Humans like things that are balanced, though not necessarily symmetrical.

I like to think of balance in the garden in terms of “echoes.”  What do I mean by this?  Well, perhaps the left side of your yard contains an 8 foot tall and wide flowering shrub.  In order to keep your garden balanced, you might plant on the right side a cluster of 3 smaller shrubs of a different variety that, once clustered together, echoes the general size and shape of the large shrub on the left.

Or if you have a cluster of bright red flowering perennials in one area, you may want to plant a shrub or another grouping of flowers with a similar shade of red in an area across the path or across the yard.

The key is not to have the any one area of the garden draw a disproportionate amount of attention while the other side is overlooked.  The exception to this is what we call a “specimen plant,” which is a singular tree or shrub which stands out and serves as a focal point.

Interest

Interest in the garden can be achieved in many ways, depending on your personal style and tastes.  The most common elements people use the create interest in the garden are the following:

• Pathways
• Fountains
• Scuptures & statues
• Urns/large pottery with plantings inside
• Specimen trees (such as a gorgeous Japanese maple)
• Structures (such as gazebos or foot bridges)
• Whimsical items like orbs, antiques, fairy houses, bottle trees, etc.

One important design “rule” for making your garden interesting is that you want to keep the eye moving.  Walking paths are especially good for this, as the eye (and mind) are naturally interested in discovering where the path leads.  It’s especially effective if the path curves around and the visitor has to follow the path around a curve or corner in order to arrive at a destination.  The destination can be any interesting thing you want, even just a lovely grouping of pretty flowers with a bench among them.

Gardens are personal so the elements of interest you choose should reflect your personality and your desires.  Make sure you explore lots of possibilities and let your imagination go free in your journey to add interest.

Comfort & Usability

Gardens, as we generally define them, are for people.  Any old group of native plants would be fine for wildlife, and your dog doesn’t know anything about aesthetics.  So, when designing your garden, you want to make it pleasing and livable for the humans who will be using it.

The primary thing to remember for comfort is that humans naturally desire a sense of enclosure.

Think of your garden as a room.  Tree canopies are the ceiling, tree trunks and large shrubs are the walls, medium sized shrubs are the large furniture, and flowering plants are the décor.  Trees and large shrubs are important because they give you privacy and keep you from feeling exposed, and they also provide the outer perimeters that make a garden feel outlined and complete.

Additionally, you want to make sure your garden:

• is safe, with no major trip hazards, sharp objects, etc.
• has walking paths wide enough to comfortably use (at least 2 feet wide for 1 person at a time, at least 5 feet wide for 2 people walking side by side)
• has a spot or two in the shade. Humans need a respite from the summer sun
• contains plants that are okay to touch – minimize thorny plants, or those that cause any kind of skin discomfort
• has at least a couple of plants to please the non-visual senses – fragrance, nicely textured leaves to touch, edible plants, plants that make a pleasant sound when the breeze blows through the leaves, flowers that attract bees, birds, and butterflies for sound and movement
• contains elements you want to actually USE, such as play structures for children, an area with a table for sitting and enjoying lunch al fresco, or a long run of grass for a cornhole game. You want to be able to use your garden space, not just look at it through your windows

Biggest to Smallest

Finally, we come to the principle of biggest to smallest.  This means that, just as if you were building a house, you want to start with the big things and finish with the smallest things.

First you put in your hardscaping, such as patios, walking paths, or retaining walls.

Next, plant your trees and large shrubs (your walls), making sure you keep in mind how big they will grow and allow room around them for them to mature into their final size.

Next plant your smaller shrubs.

Finally, add in your perennials and annuals to fill in the rest of your space.

Obviously, this is a simple and succinct explanation of garden design that is intended to serve as a starting point for you.  If you’re interested in knowing much more about garden design, I highly recommend finding books on the subject; they make excellent reading material during the winter months when you can’t be out in the garden.

Happy designing!