There are several points to consider before you put pencil to paper and plan your design, work out the materials you need to implement it and decide on the planting. First of all consider the style of the house - its period, shape and the materials used in its construction, so that house and garden will blend visually. Then think what style of garden you want to create.
Formal gardens, with sides that form mirror images, march well with symmetrical houses, but even here most people opt for an easier, natural-looking informal style.
A wild garden with a naturally shaped pond, areas of long grass, fallen tim.ber and wild flowers, will bring in the wildlife that help to keep pests at bay. This garden style appeals to the organic gardener. A wild garden can also be included as part of an informal garden.
The minimalist design of a Japanese garden, with its raked gravel, and carefully positioned sculptural plants and boulders, works well in a small space and is easily maintained. However, if you enjoy working in the garden, you may prefer the cottage-garden style with intermingled vegetables and flowers and plants spilling over paths.
When you look through the gardens that follow you will notice that they are based on a simple, strongly shaped skeleton, which ensures that the garden looks good at all times of the year, both when overflowing with greenery and flowers and when growth is more restricted. The pattern may be based on curves, geometric shapes or a mixture of both. A series of interlocking circles,
In a small rectangular garden a series of centrally positioned circles that decrease in size away from the house can increase the apparent size of the garden. Lines that run away from you can make an area appear longer.
A long narrow space looks more interesting if the length is broken up into a series of separate 'rooms'. Create a focal point with an eye- catching seat, urn or specimen tree or shrub. Provide interest at a range of levels by fixing structures for plants to grow up, such as trellis, arches, pergolas. A secret corner gives interest. Create privacy with a plant-covered arbor; provide shelter from the wind with trellis screens and climbers; frame a view with an archway or shrubs.
Creating a series of terraces is the best way of dealing with a sloping garden.This will require quite a lot of initial work bur the resulting series of levels, held in place by retaining walls or banks and linked by steps or paths, can look very attractive. Use a small slope to make a rock garden.
A poorly drained garden shows up in constantly wer or puddled areas. Improving the condition of the soil will greatly improve drainage. Low-lying areas can be used for a pond, or hog garden. However, if the problem is severe, laying drains may be the only answer.
Constructing a garden front scratch can be expensive in terms materials and hired labour. A loan may be needed if you want complete the construction and slanting in one go. If you can do course, use a number of overlays to try out a range of patterns. Once you are satisfied with the basic design, go over this in pen.
Place the planting sheet over the construction plan and, bearing in mind all the points mentioned in step 1 which will affect your choice of plants, plan the areas to be planted in more detail.
Alternatively draw up a work time schedule so that you can pay for the work in installments. Start with the basic construction jobs of installing any electricity, forming tine boundary, building a patio and making paths. As a second stage add areas of lawn and some of the key plants plus quick-growing climbers and annuals. The decorative features such as ponds, moving water features, arches, pergolas and arbors can be added later
