It makes no difference what size property you have, or what style……..what’s important is you give it some life, some character. Make it inviting, show that you care on the outside and your efforts will be surely rewarded.

Modern, contemporary single or 2 storey properties benefit from simple styling that is very easy to implement.

In both the examples above, simple geometry in the form of squares, cubes and rectangles have been created on plan and in elevations.  The pathways to each are offset, allowing the visitor to take a less than direct approach to the front yard door.  This design tip allows your visitor to stop a while and enjoy the experience rather than a straight run up to the door.  Points of interest are created by strong use of cube-shaped hedging.  The left image shows many cubes of various sizes clipped very tightly.  To some this would appear quite unnatural yet, strong geometry is abundant in Nature, eg the Giant’s Causeway, N. Ireland and Fingal’s Cave, Scotland.

Giant's Causeway

Fingal's Cave

Don’t be afraid to look to nature for your inspiration and don’t be afraid to consider ALL possibilities.  These two front yard examples reflect the strong basalt shapes found in nature and have used height and bulk to shape and determine very memorable entrances.  The right example has included two rectangular bodies of water to offset the design…..the overall effect is one of calm.  Don’t be afraid to use water features in the front garden if your space allows it, though it is possible to achieve even with a minimal plot.

If your space will allow, you can also plant trees or large shrubs to act as viewpoints along the path.  Small specimen trees are ideal if you have a small garden.  Trees will add much needed height and interest as you approach.  Of course, if you are lucky enough to live on a steep hill or overlook a valley, adding trees to your front garden will add great drama to your visitor’s experience.  In the photo to the left, trees planted within tall walls both increase the drama yet somehow soften what could be a quite imposing and formidable setting.  Somehow it just works, though it will look much softer as the plants mature. 

Larger properties can sometimes fail miserably to give an instant “wow”.  For many owners with these grand buildings and estates, it is too easy to get bogged down with “what is” and fail to see how to give even greater impact to what must surely be grand architecture and interiors.  The following two images show how larger properties can present a grand entrance with some very simple design treatments.  The example bottom left is very traditional.  The landscape is essentially very simple, mostly mown lawn with a few shrubs sprinkled at the feet of the building.  The only design elements visible are the path, long and straight leading up from stone steps to the front door and a weak attempt at “natural”, kidney shaped planting in the foreground.  This front yard garden would benefit enormously if the weak planting was removed, or at least the plants re-considered (possibly larger shrubs to integrate better with the scale of the plot.  What I DO love about this image, is the building itself and the fact it nestles beautifully into the mature trees around it.  It is grand, it sits on top of a small hill overlooking the street and it screams “look at me, don’t I look great”!

Our comparison image (bottom right) clearly has more design structure.  It is obvious from this view that there is going to be so much more to explore behind the hedges and wall.  Right from the start it says there is structure to this property, there is a place for everything and everything in its place.  The driveway draws you to the carport, beautifully segregated from the main front garden by a chiselled wall of green clipped hedging and bushy lollipop trees that instantly divides the drive from the fun stuff going on behind.  All unified by a verdant tapestry of shape and lush foliage.  A lovely design beautifully executed.

For some, the beauty of their front yard comes in all its simplistic glory.  Though this is clearly from an exotic location what is important to note is its modest size and how effectively this lack of space has been utilised.  Notice how, simply by painting your front door a strong colour, the large pot has been strategically placed to maximise the visitor’s viewpoint with impact.  Size, shape and in this case the complementary colour of the pot create a unified whole against the neutral colour of the stone walls.  Strong colour and strong shapes unite this design.

And not a plant in sight!

Front Yard Garden Design images courtesy of www.homedezign.com

So first off, let me apologise.  I have no excuses other than to say life (like Mother Nature) does have a tendency to take over once in a while and if you let it, can get a bit out of control.

Ok, so apologies given.  I want to get right back on track and give you as many design ideas, tips and advice as I can so that you can take those ideas, develop them and create your own dream gardens in your own time.  We’ll be starting soon with the most obvious; the approach to your property and what you can do to maximise it’s appeal.

Till then

Butterfly Dome, image courtesy of http://www.futuregardens.org

From above, the whole site will look like the head of a butterfly. Its centrepiece, representing the eye will be a huge, glazed tropical dome housing the precious butterflies. The dome is cited as “the biggest butterfly walk-through exhibition in the world” and indeed, if visuals are anything to go by, the whole site is going to be spectacular.

Two long antennae walks will be created from built-up soil and verges planted to attract particular butterfly and insect species. Another walk in the form of a butterfly proboscis will be made from chalk and planted with meadow annuals. The sensory organs “palps” above the eye will be represented by the longest Buddleia hedge in the world and if you’re a keen gardener, you will already know the attraction and benefit to butterflies of this scented beauty.

To prove the Butterfly Trust’s commitment to sustainability, they will also be creating a Chrysalis Pond, planted with native wildlife water plants to encourage insects and aquatic wildlife like frogs and newts. Large reed-beds will cleanse and purify the excess grey water from the dome.

A series of connected “privet leaf gardens” from the air look like……..as you’d expect, a privet leaf and are very much designed with children in mind. “The Children’s Garden”, is a wildlife garden designed by local schoolchildren. “Ivan’s Garden” is designed by chief Landscape Designer Ivan Hicks. Visitors will view this garden as if they were insects, so everything will appear larger than life including various gardening implements and huge leaved plants. There will also be “the Dry-stone Privet Garden” and “the Butterfly Conservation Garden” forming the remainder of the “Privet” series.

Antennae Walks, image courtesy of http://www.futuregardens.org

This journey round the site brings me neatly back to the “Caterpillar Show Gardens” otherwise known as Future Gardens. This is the largest garden area and on plan, looks like the caterpillar of the Giant Privet Hawk Moth. There are 12 individual segments of varying size and each segment has been allocated a professional Garden Designer to create sustainable yet innovative garden designs that will inspire and excite the senses. The show will be open for 4 months and will allow each garden to evolve and change over the seasons.

This genre of show is long overdue in the UK and is the direct offspring of the former Westonbirt Festival of the Garden last held in the Summer of 2004. France has its International Garden Festival at Chaumont, (click here for the festival press folder in English), Canada has Les Jardins de Métis and there’s a number of newer, garden design festivals and show events springing up all around the world so it’s only right and proper that the UK should have one too. Of course there’s Chelsea and Hampton Court in May and July but these perfect, plant-induced shows run for only one week.

The beauty of events like Chaumont and Metis and now Future Gardens is that they allow the visitor to come back at leisure and at different stages in the cycle of plants as they grow through the seasons. This can allow the new or would-be gardener/designer to see at a glance how certain plants will look and in what conditions they will thrive. They also show that garden design CAN be avant-garde……..a risqué word for many English Country Garden worshippers. Each caterpillar segment is of a size typical of an average UK garden, so for those who are a little daring, this will be an ideal event to steal some avant-garde ideas for your own little space.

Nest, image courtesy of http://www.futuregardens.org

For Cosmo, image courtesy of http://www.futuregardens.org

This is eventually going to be such an amazingly informative, entertaining and educational venue not just for the local community but for the whole of the UK, Europe and perhaps even the rest of the world. If you’d like more information about any of these venues, you can visit Butterfly World here and the Future Gardens website here for all the latest details and up to date information including entry fees, opening times, facilities and contact details.

If you’re seriously thinking about a day out here, you might like to consider a couple of days instead and take in the historic Royal National Rose Society (also undergoing some major renovations) right next door. Don’t forget to visit the city of St Albans too (city centre approx 3 miles from Future Gardens). It’s bursting with cosmopolitan cafe culture and excellent restaurants as well as a fine Norman Cathedral and ancient Roman ruins at Verulamium.

Shouldn’t I be on a big commission with St Albans Tourist Board?…………hmmmm, now there’s a thought!

Till next time

David

Of the 4 designs I mentioned yesterday, all four were awarded a huge medal. Gold and “Best Show Garden” to the Daily Telegraph Garden by Ulf Nordfjell and Gold to the Laurent-Perrier Garden by Luciano Giubbilei. Ulf Nordfjell’s garden just pipping the other Golds for “Best Show Garden”. Congratulations, very well-designed gardens!

A huge Silver-Gilt to the Cancer Research UK Garden and very well done to the young designers from the Canary Islands Spa Garden who achieved a Silver, a very well deserved placing.

Congratulations to all participants……I know it’s been hard work and I’m sure you’ll have such a great week during the public opening!

For a full breakdown of all the medals awarded, go to the RHS official website for details. I’ll bring you some further coverage later.

David

Founded in 1804 as The Horticultural Society of London by Sir Joseph Banks and John Wedgewood, its mission was to collect and categorise plants from around the world and to encourage the practice of horticultural science. The template for today’s huge international event however did not start until the late 1820’s. Whichever inauguration date you look at, this event has “pedigree” stamped all over it. With over 200 year’s experience, the RHS has fine-tuned their selection criteria for what makes a medal-winning garden.

Chelsea, like much of our economy in these hard-pushed times has not been spared the depressing Crunch. There are only 13 main show gardens that were successful in attracting sponsorship this year and many of the most notable garden designers will be absent from the show. However, this should not dampen the show’s appeal or degrade the exhibitors’ efforts to secure a much-coveted Gold medal.

Medal day and the first open Public day is Tuesday, 19^th May and for most of the designer’s and exhibitors, tonight will be the most sleepless night yet…..I can testify to this with first-hand knowledge of the procedure. First arrival at Chelsea and before the show opens; the coveted medals will be displayed on each exhibit. For some it will be elation, others disappointment after a year’s worth of time, care and planning will seem worthless for anything less than a Gold medal.

I have not yet seen all the designer gardens taking part this year; however of those I have seen, the following stand out as being particularly stylish, the Laurent-Perrier Garden, the Cancer Research UK Garden, the Daily Telegraph Garden and the Canary Islands Spa Garden. These must be in the running for a Gold. You can click the links above to view their designs; opens in a new window.

Don’t forget to check out the smaller Urban Gardens here and the Courtyard Gardens here. Often, these small gardens prove themselves to be the most innovative. No more than approx 20M² (215ft²), the gardens offer ingenious use of spaces that city dwellers and owners of tight, unpromising plots are often faced with. Often these little show-pieces give insight into clever tricks that can be taken home and modified for your own small awkward garden space.

Although designer numbers appear to be down at Chelsea this year, it’s clear the quality of this year’s successful exhibitors are maintaining the highest standards. Tuesday will be the real acid test!

Happy Mayday!

Yes, I know I’m late with it……for those celebrating Mayday on May 4^th that is. I’ve been justifiably side-tracked again this week. Originally I had planned something completely different for you but I’d had such a pleasant, restful day on Monday that I wanted to share this post with you instead, so I hope you enjoy.

To set the scene: I wanted to take a few hours to myself, to wander and to clear the cobwebs, so I took a trip to London’s Docklands. It’s been a while since I’d been here but I knew there were some great little bars, stores and restaurants lining the side-streets and the riverfront. Full of tourists and cosmopolitan locals, it has such a great vibe. I often find inspiration for all sorts of design stuff when I take a little time for me, and Mayday was no different. I travelled light and packed a compact digital camera …….just in case!

Wandering along the river, admiring the warehouse apartments, the architecture, the boats and enjoying the sound of the gulls and the smells of the kitchens, I came across the following scene.

London Dockland's river scene.

I looked for just a brief moment, and then did a double-take. Anyone guess what made me stop and look a second time? Give it a go for yourself and see what you see. Yes, I know the image is a bit small …….try clicking the image to see a larger version! That any better? Do you see yet? I’m guessing you’re probably still struggling to see what I found so intriguing so I’ll help you out with the next image. Before I show it though I want you to consider this …….when looking for inspiration for your designs, learn to LOOK carefully. I don’t mean just see and casually take in a view, I want you to really pay attention and absorb and look for out-of-the-ordinary scenes, something you wouldn’t expect!

As a designer, I’m always fascinated by the attempts of Man to create his/her own little Eden and the extremes and lengths he/she will go to achieve it…….there’s something quite primitive about it, to create our own little special space and often from the most inhospitable of situations! Around the world, in every climate you will find true works of ingenuity created from sheer determination and often, very often made from absolute need to either tame or control a wilderness.

Eden on water!

So, here you go…….a nice big close-up and the reason I did my double-take. Click on the image to make it larger. Here was a small community of boat-dwellers living, presumably full-time on the mighty Thames. Lacking any obvious private garden space, they had pulled their resources together and utilised obsolete flat-topped and rusting old barges to grow quite beautiful garden spaces, presumably accessible to all the private boat-owners berthed there.

What struck me most was the quality of the plants used. I would have considered the need/want to grow vegetables and salads for their tables yet here were stunning specimen plants that would grace the grandest country estates. What I could see from my vantage point were Ceanothus (Californian Lilac), Clematis, Phormium, Escholzia, Birch, Prunus, Allium, Salvia and Mint. This was as much as I could make out given my distance and sadly this was one time where my compact camera was just not powerful enough to get a real close-up zoom. (Must be a lesson to be learned there). I feel pretty sure they would have been resourceful enough to plant fruit, vegetables and herbs so I feel they were probably planted elsewhere out of sight. Take a look at the other images and let me know what else you can spot.

Flowers, shrubs and herbs.

Specimen trees and mixed planting.

I hung around for maybe half an hour hoping someone would either enter or leave their moorings, but no luck. I desperately wanted a real close look at the plant arrangements. I wanted to ask questions about drainage and logistical stuff like how much soil was used and how on earth was it all transported on board the boats……if transport was by wheelbarrow, it must have been a nightmare for the guys trying to manoeuvre the planks. Gives a new meaning to “walking the plank” I guess.

If anyone reading this knows someone who lives there or if you are one of the lucky ones living afloat, I’d love to know more about how this was all achieved. Please contact me at david@designmyownsecretgarden.com

All in all a very satisfying solution to greening one’s environment…….and a very satisfying walkabout. In conclusion, take a look at your own plot of land, balcony, doorstep or whatever you can potentially call your garden. Assess the surrounding areas and logistics of creating that garden and above all, let your imagination take you to a place that someday soon you will be able to re-create.

Good luck with your ideas, till next time.

David

Now you need to take stock of what you’ve already got and somehow turn it into a garden design! Don’t despair! It’s really not that scary. You may only have a small space to work with……..these are always the greatest challenge. Large properties too, have their own challenges but fundamentally the perceived landscape “problems” are very similar.

Start by grabbing a camera (digital ones are great for this, you’ll see your images instantly) and go take a walk in your garden. Look at the various elements that make up your garden plot……then capture them with your camera. Try to take shots from the house/property looking out and then from various points looking back to the house. I usually do this from the garden corners (if I can get to them, not always easy if there’s a thorny shrub or cactus barring your way). I also take shots looking along the boundaries and across to every other garden corner.

Suggested camera viewpoints.

Look for your garden’s good points. More important though, make a note of its bad points. You will want to find a way to disguise, cover up or completely eliminate these eyesores. Does your overall view look onto some ugly buildings? Are there tall telegraph poles or electric pylons dominating the outside view? Outside views (those views outside your garden perimeter that you have no control of), are as much a part of your visual control as elements within your garden boundary, so heed them and note them carefully.

Back inside, print your photos and create a panorama effect, tape them together. With your good and bad notes in front of you and your photographic panorama as visual evidence, start to indicate roughly those areas that will need special care and attention. You can do this on a thin sheet of tracing paper taped over the photos if you prefer.

Doing this will help you to see your thought processes at a glance and help guide you. Look at heights, depths, obstructions, pathways, driveways, lights, even neighbour’s land, property and plants…….everything and anything that could be considered good or bad. Take a note also of any electric, gas or water inlets/outlets, metering points and utilities eg. waste disposal.

Bad views needing attention.

In the example, I have indicated what I consider needs some attention. If you only remember one thing, remember this…..not everyone may agree with your interpretation of what is good or bad. It’s more important that your thoughts, ideas and design reflect YOUR feelings. Remember also that design is infinite and that given the same brief, no two designers will EVER produce the same design.

This example is of a Period property with wide, full-height sliding doors leading from the kitchen onto a very slippery timber deck. The deck was approx 4ft (1200mm) above the main garden with 4 very steep and narrow steps leading down to it. There was no barrier except for a low row of pots which was potentially dangerous if someone should trip on them.

The bad views I considered were those of the rooftops and across to the neighbours’ property to the right. The neighbour in fact could see directly into the garden. I also considered the driveway and wooden gates an eyesore. To this bad list, I included the carport…….in itself, the carport was a beautifully constructed piece of architecture created to blend in with the surroundings and the main property. However, the bottom line is……..it’s still a carport! I also felt there were too much red roof tiles and red brick wall on show…..classic case of colour or material overkill in one area!

So what’s the solution? Well, obviously the garden needed height so introducing small to medium sized ornamental trees to the garden immediately disguises the rooftops and overlooking neighbour. If the trees are chosen carefully for their Fall colouring, this would also add greater drama to the garden as the Seasons progress. A climbing evergreen trained up the side wall of the far house helps to fade out the expanse of red brick. Introducing 6.5ft (2M) hedging along the edge of the driveway now hides the carport and with an opening (a gateway), allows one to reach the hidden car and the wooden driveway gates. This new opening also creates curiosity to what is going on behind …….always a great way to entice further exploration into hidden gardens.

Spreading trees to hide rooflines.

The biggest and most dramatic change however is to the main patio. Now, the viewer from the kitchen is not distracted by the ugly views. A new retaining wall and planter can be built at the edge of the deck. If built high enough and wide enough, this will also act as a delightful sitting area with a row of single species plants kept simple yet effective. This new approach to the main deck keeps the eyesight very firmly within the borders of the garden.

So how do you translate all this to what you have in your own garden? Refer to your photos, to your bad views and good views and try to establish what sort of heights may be needed to disguise or hide. Consider too, the shapes…….the spreading branches of trees in the example above will obviously hide a wide expanse. Think about ways you may or may not use constructed items eg. fencing, walling, treillage, concrete, etc.

One more thought. In the example above, you may be wondering why I didn’t consider adding another large tree to hide the rooftop of the brick house? The reasons are twofold. First; to install an effective screen would mean a reasonably large tree planted on the left of the hedge opening, (this would take up too much width). Second but more important is the customer’s need for full sun, the midday position is directly over the large tree in the distance. To plant a tree here would cast too much shade for this particular garden. All this adds up to “compromise”, something that you will at some stage have to endure in your quest for the perfect garden and something we will discuss in more detail next time.

Till then,

David

Garden Design cloud by http://www.wordle.net

Romantic bench in shade!

So what’s the first thing you should consider when setting out to design a garden?  The answer of course is yourself, and those who will regularly be using it with you.

Take some time to know yourself and what you really want to accomplish. Ask the family. Once you’ve done this and made some notes, you’ll be on your way to a clearly defined focus of intent.

Next step is how you’re going to relate what you want with what you have.

Till next time,

David

Garden Design cloud by http://www.wordle.net

]]> http://designmyownsecretgarden.com/2009/04/getting-to-know-youand-your-garden/feed/ 0 http://designmyownsecretgarden.com/2009/04/first-post/ http://designmyownsecretgarden.com/2009/04/first-post/#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2009 08:54:44 +0000 David http://designmyownsecretgarden.com/?p=7 Hi and a big warm Welcome,

OK, I’ve finally got round to getting some content up here for you. Sorry it’s taken a while, but sometimes life just catches up with you!

Many of you have already written to me requesting information on what I’ll be providing on this website. For those of you who’ve patiently been waiting…..many, many thanks for holding on and I promise, it will be worth it……..but who am I and what are my credentials? Well, I’ve created a separate page for you that gives a more Curriculum Vitae-type description.

In a nutshell however, my name is David MacQueen and I’ve been a Garden and Landscape Designer since 1993. I’m an artist, designer, keen photographer and now thanks to this blog, a writer too! As a designer, I greatly enjoy a challenge and some of my most satisfying designs have been created from the most challenging of “problems”. My design philosophy comes from a strong architectural background…….often evident through creative soft and structural planting details.

What do you hope to gain by coming to this website? Hopefully, you’ll gain the tools to go out and design your own private space with confidence, imagination and style. For many the very concept of garden design is a mystery only known to those who’ve studied the art for many years. There’s no denying it IS an incredibly concentrated subject and the more one looks into it, the more related subjects one can explore.

I want to show that it is possible, with a good understanding and background knowledge in the core subjects, to design and create your own secret garden for yourselves. I make no assumptions to your climate or your soil conditions, so you could be reading this from anywhere in the world and apply simple techniques to achieve your desired effect in your own garden.

I want to encourage your comments, your thoughts and your interaction with myself and the members of this site. From time to time, I’d like to post some interesting little anecdotes to problems, reader’s personal garden stories and photos (with your permission of course).

All in all, I’d like this website to help YOU create your own garden and landscape space that means the world to you.

Till next time,

David

Garden Design cloud by http://www.wordle.net