Bye - Bye!

"We're all going on a summer holiday"

Well, I don't know about you but I am anyway! (Try not to miss me too much (he he))

I'm off in search of sun, sea and copious amounts of Gin and Tonic! If anyone knows where such a place exists then please get in touch, thanks!

Just because I'm not here at my computer though doesn't mean that you don't have to work on your garden design plan. Remember to keep searching for inspiration everywhere you go. Whilst I am paddling my feet in this exact swimming pool I expect you to be flicking through magazines on the shelves of your local newsagents for pictures - just make sure you buy them if you want to rip any of the pictures out! Sketch ideas on random pieces of paper and visit other people's gardens.

When I get back at the end of September we can advance to the next stage of the design process - completing your final plan and creating elevation drawings through sections of your design. We will also be looking at plants and how to plan them into your design.

See you all soon

Cheers!

How to Feng Shui your garden

Time to Feng Shui your garden!

So, what exactly is Feng Shui?

In ancient China the art of Feng Shui existed to create a harmonious environment that was in tune with nature. Feng Shui literally translates as "wind and water". The Chinese sages who thought up the art of Feng Shui believed that its correct usage would promote health, happiness and a sense of well being with the world. All sounds good, right? The art of practicing Feng Shui has now spread all over the world and many people find its use brings to them spiritual well being and harmony. I'll let you decide for yourself!

There is a misconception that a Feng Shui garden should be an oriental garden but this is not necessarily the case. In our western gardens it is possible to practice Feng Shui without sacrificing our native plants and design ideas.

How do we use Feng Shui when designing a garden?

In order to understand how Feng Shui works it is important to study the ancient Chinese religion of Taoism. Taoism claims that everything in the universe revolves around a cosmic life force called Chi. Feng Shui teaches you to regulate and guide this energy force in order to create a beneficial environment. Feng Shui is not only used for gardens but can be practiced in any element of our lives; it is common for workplaces to be designed around Feng Shui.

The cosmic energy of Chi, is divided into two parts which are referred to as Yin (female side) and Yang (male side). They can be further divided and classified as listed in the table below.

The Taoist belief is that everything in the world consists of different levels of Yin and Yang. You will no doubt be familiar with the symbol for Yin and Yang, which has interlocking shapes, one white, one black. Inside each shape is a circle of the opposite colour. This represents that Yin and Yang are not opposites but complementary forces that should be balanced by each other at all times.

Feng Shui involves creating a balance of the Chi that moves through the garden and home. It is believed that this Chi (energy force) enters the garden, then flows around it before leaving again. The trick to practicing good Feng Shui is to have the Chi energy pass around the garden at the correct speed - not too fast or too slow. If it moves too fast it will create disharmony, if it is too slow it could stagnate. You will need to identify where the Chi enters your garden from and make it move steadily through the space. You can regulate the movement of Chi by using certain shapes, colours, sounds and movements.

Okay, with me so far? I know it sounds a bit technical but mostly you will do this by "gut instinct" and common sense.

The Chinese gave the four main points of the compass animal symbols. Each point or animal represents a different type of Chi, containing both positive and negative aspects. Once you have established which direction the Chi is coming from you will be able to recognise what type of Chi it is.

North - Black Tortoise

Chi is heavy, sleepy, caring and protective

South - Red Phoenix

Chi is happy, lucky, bright and full of energy

East - Green Dragon

Chi is kind, wise and encourages growth

West - White Tiger

Chi is unpredictable ad dangerous

The intermediary compass points such as southwest and northeast combine the negative and positive aspects from the four compass points.

Chi doesn't just enter the garden in one place. (Hey, life's not that easy!) It enters from many aspects - through gaps in fences and hedges, over walls and through gateways. The size of the openings will determine how and at what speed the Chi will enter. Then, depending on whether it is positive or negative Chi, the speed and movement can be regulated accordingly. A simple change to the boundary, making it taller, shorter, thicker or thinner can have an immediate affect on how the Chi moves. Once you have got the Chi in to your garden you will still need to regulate its flow around the space.

To decide how to regulate the Chi, you will need to understand how the direction that your garden faces affects certain areas of your life and how to alter them using the different zones and levels of Chi. Talking gobbledy-gook! Let me try to explain...

To establish which area of your garden effects which area of your life, you can use a Bagua; an eight sided table. each side has a category that relates to an element and a number of colours. Study the diagram of the Bagua below.

The different categories are as follows:

Career or Journey - This is the journey of life and it encompasses all of the things that happen on that journey including one's career. The colours are Black and Dark Blue and the element is Water.

Relationships - This covers all types of relationships including friends, partners and work colleagues. The colour for this area is Pink and the element is Earth.

Elder or Family - This is an area associated with family and relatives including your ancestors. The colour is Green and the element is Wood.

Wealth - This not only includes the financial side of life but also life's riches, which can mean anything of value and importance. The colours are Blue and Purple and the element is Wood.

Helpful People - Helpful people can be anyone or anything of benefit. The colours are White and Silver and the element is Metal.

Creative or Offspring - This represents Children, projects or anything that has been created during life. The colours are White and Silver and the element is Metal.

Knowledge and Fame - This represents all of the accomplishments in life. The colour is Red and the element is Fire.

Tai Chi - this is positioned at the centre of the Bagua, and is the area which allows the Chi energy to move around freely through all other areas. It is also a place where the Chi can return to and become rejuvenated before moving on.

Use the Bagua as a template and lay it over your garden plan, lining up the main entrance of the garden with the career or journey category. You can then establish where each of the categories lie in your garden and can begin to assess the balance of Chi in each of those areas.

Once you have assessed each area you will need to decide how to maintain or improve the movement of Chi through each of those areas. The Chinese use remedies known as the Eight Enhancements (They really do like the number 8!)

The Eight Enhancements are as follows:

Light - Chi flows better when there is light (natural or artificial). You can create more light by introducing pools, streams or mirrors. Creating larger gaps in boundaries in particular areas can help bring more light in (can a gate be added instead of a solid wall?).

Sound - if you have an area where the Chi could build up and stagnate you can disperse it by using sound. Windchimes, wildlife, water and rustling leaves all help to produce sound. Choose plants that will be particularly noisy - bamboo is a good one!

Colour - affects the speed of the flow of chi. Using bright, strong colours will make it faster whilst softer, more subdued colours will slow it down. You can enhance this effect by linking the area to the colour theme of that category on the Bagua.

Life - encourages Chi into corners which it may otherwise have difficulty entering. Add birdbaths or feeders to encourage wildlife into those areas or choose some plants that create movement.

Movement - deflects or disperses Chi. Add features with moving water and plants that will move in the breeze. Anything that will create movement of its own (windchimes, wildife) will work to create prevent a build up of Chi.

Stillness - it may be necessary to slow Chi down and create some stillness in a space. A focal point such as a statue or large plant will help to achieve this.

Functional device - encourages movement of Chi if it is slow or stagnating. This includes using items that provide movement (windchimes etc) or practical items such as taps, pumps and anything else that is functional.

Straight lines - are used, as you might expect, to encourage the Chi to move faster. Paths, pergolas, arches and straight stemmed plants will all help to speed it up.

As I mentioned before some of the design process relies on common sense.

You shouldn't place a bonfire in the wealth section of your garden as this would represent burning all of your money! However, positioning water that contains fish in the wealth area may prove beneficial as the Chinese believe that fish are associated with money.

Those are the main considerations for designing a garden using Feng Shui. There are a lot more associated elements that will help establish a better design and I may return at a later date to discuss more. However, the basics explained here should give you a good footing to begin the process of Feng shui-ing your garden.

Plant some Autumn and Winter Interest in your Garden - Cyclamen coum

Woohoo!

I've got that Friday feeling again! Oh, maybe that's because

IT IS FRIDAY!

If you've been following my Friday Plant File then should know all about

Rhus typhina

Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'

Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' and

Carex buchananii

What's that you say? You don't know about them! Well, shame on you and get yourself to my archives to read up on them! Only joking...you don't have to if you don't want to! (Although, you will learn about a few plants that will provide you with good Autumn and Winter colour!)

For those of you wanting more, today I'm going to look at bulbs that will flower along side these plants during their most attractive time of year -Autumn/Winter.

Today's plant is:

Cyclamen Coum

Deciduous or Evergreen: N/A

Design Function: Ground Cover

Form and Shape: Rounded mound

Texture of Leaves: Round, veined and glossy

Colour of Foliage: Dark green and variegated

Colour of Bark: N/A

Colour of Flowers: Pink,Carmine or White on tall (3-4inch) stems

Main Season of Interest: Midwinter to Early Spring

Horticultural Information:

Country of Origin: SE Europe/W Asia

Soil Type preferred: Humus-rich and well-drained

Aspect preferred: Sheltered

Height and Spread at 5 years: N/A

Height and Spread at maturity: 8-10cms

Common Problems: Will rot in wet conditions

What I personally think about Cyclamen coum

These bulbs are really attractive during months of the year when not much else is flowering. Their cheerful little flower heads will brighten any dark corner of a garden and work well planted under trees or somewhere with protection from the rain. Cyclamen coum will, if in a good situation, naturalise beautifully and you can create a lovely woodland feel.

Cyclamen coum can usually be found in the alpine or rockery plant section in garden centres and shouldn't be mistaken for the "mini cyclamen" that are for sale in the bedding plant areas. Although these bedding varieties look very similar, they are not frost hardy and will most likely perish after the autumn, leaving you with a rotting pile of leaves.

More Styles and themes to consider for your Garden Design

So, we've looked at quite a few themes that you might like to take inspiration from.

But Wait...There's More...

Well, in fact, the list is probably infinite as there will always be new themes, styles and fashions that can be used to inspire design. However, let's just look at some of the more common themes related to garden design?

If you're craving for a retreat in the country that you can escape to at weekends, then why not consider creating a country garden where you currently live? Country or "cottage style" gardens have a more relaxed and informal feel to them and convey a more romantic image (possibly not a good look for rugged bachelor types but it's up to you!). To achieve a cottage style look, you will need to focus primarily on the planting, opting for softer, muted colours that are fragranced. Note: They don't all need to smell or you'll start to feel very nauseous very quickly!

The beauty with a cottage style design is that you don't have to worry too much about plant placement - nature will help you out here. Plants are usually placed randomly in a dotted arrangement and are encouraged to self-seed freely. Good plants to use are campanulas (picture above) digitalis (foxgloves -pictured below), Hollyhocks (Alcea) and rambling roses.

Sprinkling packets of wildflower or specific "cottage flower" seeds will help you achieve the look quite easily but you will restrict your control on the overall planting design. You can allow plants to "pop" up anywhere, and often it is preferable to have plants growing in between cracks in walls and paths. Take care that the garden has interest during the winter months though as most plants that suit this theme tend to be Spring/Summer flowering. Country or "Cottage Style" gardens are also harder to maintain, despite the helping hand that nature lends. If left unchecked, plants could self-seed in far too many places and take over. Don't be afraid to remove plants that are unwelcome - you could always take them to a local plant sale and make money from them!

If it's the sea you dream of (or if you already live by the sea) then maybe a coastal garden is the way forward for you. Coastal gardens have very specific needs due to their harsh environment - strong sea breezes carrying sand can have a very damaging effect on plants. Opt for plants that have adapted themselves to tolerate the salty sea air, winds and sand blasting. On the plus side of living in a coastal region, there is rarely a frost and so, given the right wind protection, you can grow tender plants. Take a walk around coastal regions and, without snooping, take note of the plants that seem to be thriving in peoples gardens. These will help you to decide which plants you could use. Some suggested plants are Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), Escallonia (Escallonia 'Apple Blossom'), Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia 'Atlanta'), Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale). Visit garden centres and nurseries that are near coasts to see what they advise.

Don't just consider the plants for coastal gardens. Think to about the hard landscaping materials you could use. Crushed shells and pebbles spring to mind (please don't take anything from the beaches though as that is illegal!). Visit old boat yards and see if they have any old bits of wood, rope or chain that you could have and incorporate into your design.

The next theme that links nicely to coastal themes is water. Most people want to include water in one way or another to their garden, and as I said yesterday, it is an excellent way to encourage wildlife to your garden. Why not take it one stage further though, and create the whole garden design based on water? You could use water by having separate water features throughout the garden, or by having it link different elements of your garden together. I'll look at different water types of water features at a later time but take time to think "outside the box" when considering how to use water. Try coming up with some novel and innovative ways to incorporate it into your design.

As the climate changes, Britain is experiencing milder winters and wetter Summers. As a result of this, we are now able to grow a wider selection of plants and can quite successfully grow more sub-tropical plants in our gardens. It is possible to create and exotic, jungle feel to sheltered areas in gardens by using large-scale plants with dramatic foliage. There are now many specialist nurseries that sell sub-tropical plants. however. just by visiting your local "normal" garden centre, you'll find a huge range there too. The success of a sub-tropical garden is largely contributed to by the combination that you create with different textures and structural plant forms. Being predominantly green, you cannot rely too much on showy flower displays. I have a stunning Zantedeschia in my garden that provides flowers to my otherwise evrgreen display (see picture). Combining the large leaves (often 2metres plus in length) of Musa basjoo (Banana) with the fine delicate leaves of Dicksonia atlantica (Australian Tree Fern) and the sleek black stems of Phyllostachys nigra (Black Stemmed Bamboo) creates an instant 'jungle' atmosphere. I love the look that I get with my Gunnera (see picture), although planting it under my washing line wasn't one of my better ideas, as each leaf is over 1 metre wide! Materials such as bamboo, rocks, gravel and water contribute to the style well.

Tropical planting works well in a city environment where it can benefit from the warmth and suits a contemporary design. It also works well in a colonial styled garden that incorporates "outdoor living" as its main function.

Colonial gardens are becoming increasingly popular as we strive to create lifestyles that are more focused on enjoyment and entertainment rather than work, work,work! The colonial style adapts the Australian outback or new England way of life and adds accessories such as hammocks, hot-tubs, decking and more unusual garden furniture to the mix. Predominantly built with timber the colonial style can feel quite formal. That is where tropical planting can come in useful, by softening the look and making the garden feel more relaxed. For a more realistic colonial feel, opt for subdued colour tones of whites,greys and bleached out neutral tones if you want a New England feel. Or, to get the Australian look (I feel I'm on a make up advert now!) opt for richer hues of orange-browns with cream and dark green.

A style that was quite popular during recent years is oriental; Chinese and Japanese gardens. The key to a successful oriental garden is to remember the phrase "Less is More". All too often these gardens can fail miserably in their design as they are overdone and contain too many elements.

Scale and Balance are paramount in these gardens. Designed around the theme of nature, you are trying to recreate a landscape in miniature. They rely heavily on symbolism where rocks represent mountains, raked gravel represents the sea and small trees represent their larger counterparts. Often, stone lanterns or water spouts are positioned throughout the landscape to provide sanctuary, tranquility, and a place for meditation.

Bamboo is widely used in oriental garden both as the plant and as canes to make fences, bridges and furniture. Gravel also features heavily. Typical Japanese planting would feature mosses, ferns, bamboos, Acers, Grasses and ornamental Cherries. Again, garden centres can offer you a wide variety of plants suitable for oriental themed gardens. I'll look at oriental gardens again another time and focus on how to create a garden using Feng shui.

If space is a problem for you then you may prefer to consider a container garden. This is not as dull as you might imagine as almost anything can grow in a container so long as it is well nourished and cared for and has enough space to grow. Choose pots that will compliment your chosen garden theme. For example; terracotta pots work well for a Mediterranean garden.

Growing plants in pots is a good way of introducing plants to your garden that normally would not tolerate the soil conditions. You are totally in control of plants growing in containers as they have to rely on you for all of their needs. It's like having a (or another) child!

Speaking of children! You may want to create a garden specifically with children in mind. If this is the case then everything you design will have to be influenced by two things - safety and fun! Consider whether you actually need water. Despite it being fun, even shallow water is potentially dangerous for small children. If you are going to provide play equipment, make sure that the surrounding surfaces are suitable (concrete is not recommended!). It is advisable to position a play area so that it will be in view of adults. Hiding it at the back of the garden may seem tempting but if you cannot watch the children playing from a window of the house or a patio then it could potentially be dangerous. Get the children to join in with the design process. They might have some fun and wacky ideas that you hadn't thought of.

Although most children won't be bothered about the plants that you use, make sure you choose non-toxic plants and try to include "touchy-feely" plants.

Remember, whichever theme, or themes, you decide to use, they must fit in with the overall feel of the house and it's surroundings.

More Garden Design Themes and Styles Ideas

Fancy yourself as a bit of an

aristocrat?

Why not take inspiration from early Greek and roman architecture and create yourself a classic garden?

During the 18th century is was the fashion for well educated young gentlemen to explore Europe, where they learned about the classics, soaked up the culture and returned home with ideas and artifacts. These ideas and artifacts were used in many gardens in Britain including Chiswick House.

Some of the great classical gardens in Italy still exist today and are a good source of inspiration. They are very structured and formal, with evergreen hedges of box and yew providing that structure. Statues and references to classical architecture are featured prominently within the gardens including follies, bridges, and temples. Framed views and vistas that are still used today in many gardens would have originated from the classical era.

If you have been thinking that you would prefer a formal garden in design, then perhaps you might like to take it one stage further and add some classical inspiration to the design. Balustrades, columns and arches can all be reproduced and should be of high quality if you plan to use them in your garden.

Whilst looking at historical themes for gardens, you may decide that you would like a garden that keeps to the traditional of the period your house was built in. in this case you will need to research the period to be sure that you represent the history accurately. The Royal Horticultural Society Library would be a good source of information about historical periods in gardening. Don't forget to consider the planting and materials that were used during that time as well as the styles.

You do not need to design the whole garden with a particular theme in mind. You could if you prefer, design a modern garden which is personal to you, but take inspiration from themes and styles that you like.

In more recent times (after Second World War) there has been a slow emergence of more contemporary designs for gardens. This has been more evident in Europe and North America, however, us Brits are beginning to catch up now!

Contemporary, modern designs work best if the building that it is being linked to is also contemporary and modern. It then becomes easy to form a relationship between the garden and the building by using the same materials such as steel and glass.

People now take a lot of inspiration from their house interiors and with the availability of many more colours of exterior paints it is possible to create "that extra room" outside. Designers trying to create a contemporary design tend to shy away from traditional garden statues and ornaments and are opting instead for trendy glass and metal sculptures and modern artwork.

There's no reason why you

should be the same.

If you want a statue of "Adam" in your modern garden then go for it - perhaps you can paint him a different colour or something! During the "Ground Force" days, it was popular to use decking, and just about everyone who could afford to do it, did it! Thankfully though the trend died down when Alan Titchmarsh quit the show. Now you have the option of choosing a material for your patio that isn't made of wood, and you'll not be considered unfashionable. Of course decking is still popular, so if you like it, use it.

As our climate has changed so have our modern requirements for our gardens. We now have to consider water management and using drought tolerant plants because of the unpredictability of the British summers. The types of plants that we can successfully grow in our gardens is also changing and a result people can create little tropical jungles in their own gardens.

The latest trend to hit our gardens is to "grow your own" vegetables. This is a fairly new trend that has been gradually increasing during the last couple of years, however, I believe that with the present economical climate, the need to be able to grow your own vegetables is going to rapidly increase now. Unlike during war days, when people gave over their entire gardens to grow crops, this time around we are incorporating the vegetable crops into our normal planting and combining the two types of planting. If you visit any garden shows you will notice the number of display gardens that feature growing ornamental and edible plants together.

Another big trend at the moment is encouraging wildlife into your gardens. Choosing plants that encourage bees, butterflies and other wildlife can be enjoyable for children and adult alike as they strive for a bit of "nature" in their hectic urban lives. Increased sales of bird feeders in recent years have seen an increase in birds visiting gardens. I tried this for the first time earlier this year and whilst I did get an increase in bird life, I also gained a squirrel that scurries along from nearby trees and helps himself (or maybe herself) to my peanuts.

Although some people may find having a squirrel a nuisance, I quite like my little visitor - he's (she's) good fun to watch!

Some people are opting to allow a section of their garden to grow "wild" including nettles and wildflowers to encourage wildlife. This can look good in the right setting but care will need to be given to it to ensure that it doesn't grow out of control and take over the rest of the garden.

Another easy way to attract wildlife is to add water to your garden. You don't need to have a huge pond with a waterfall, any water will have the desired effect. I added a half cask barrel and filled it with water. I put in a few plants and now every summer I have frogs hopping around. It's nice but they make me jump every time they move! If you're wanting to keep fish then you would need to install an adequate pool for them to ensure their health. Talk to your local supplier to gain advice from them before you make any decisions.

When considering themes and styles for your garden look everywhere for inspiration. Yes, study the countryside and other gardens, but also look elsewhere. Reading interior design magazines or going to places that have nothing to do with gardens could lead you to your big idea.

How to create Formal and Informal Garden designs

How are the rough design layouts coming along? Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to have finished them already. This is (yet another) important stage so take as long a time as you need to do them justice. This is my favourite part of the design process because you can just "go for it" and see what happens.

Anyway, I thought I'd give you a heads up on some of the different themes and styles that you can focus your garden design on. As there are quite a few to mention, I'll go through them over the next couple of days so that you can have time to consider them all properly. The list is by no means exhaustive and you may already have your own theme that you want to explore. That's good - keep going with it!

For everyone else, here are a few to whet your appetites and get those creative juices flowing even more!

Formal Gardens

Formal gardens are generally created using a combination of geometric shapes and straight lines. They can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Formal gardens have a sense of order and appear to be straightforward and logical. (note the word "appear"!) This is particularly evident if the design is symmetrical. Formal gardens have a controlling effect on its visitors, directing them to follow certain paths. French formal gardens such as Versailles rely on strong ground pattern and structural hedging to provide their distinctive shape. These formal gardens are arranged around an axis, or a series of axes and they incorporate framed views or focal points.

Asymmetrical formal gardens are generally more interesting, intriguing and unpredictable. Getting the balance right in an asymmetrical garden is the key to their success, using areas of "mass" and "void", and the size and shape of the different areas to counterbalance each other.

Typically formal gardens use evergreen plants such as topiary and clipped hedges as the primary planting. The structure and architecture of the plants contributing to the overall formality of the design.

Informal Gardens

In the 18th century Britain rebelled against the rigidity of formal garden design and began to create more informal gardens, reflecting the surrounding landscapes and opening up the boundaries using curvaceous lines and soft contours. Back then they created open spaces within their boundaries and encouraged livestock to graze. Now I'm not suggesting you borrow the local farmers sheep here, but you get the gist of an informal garden - keep it simple and free-flowing.

The informal garden has a natural, wilder feel and there are no limitations in its design. It has a more relaxed feel than a formally designed garden and encourages visitors to roam freely around it. Informal gardens can link very nicely to surrounding countryside or they provide a sanctuary in town environments.

Informal gardens work best when loose materials are used such as gravel that easily form free- flowing shapes and curves. Harder landscaping materials such as paving can be used in an informal setting but will need to be positioned in an informal manner.

Planting in an informal garden should also be relaxed, and they should be encouraged to flow over paths to "soften" the design. They can also be planted in drifts rather than tight blocks allowing them to merge together. It's all about creating soft lines in an informal garden, so throw out your rulers for this design! Avoid using rigid, architectural plants such as the topiary and clipped hedges from the formal designs. Instead opt for less rigid plants, and allow shrubs to have the space to grow to their natural shapes and sizes. Bamboos and grasses are perfect for an informal garden as they create movement and generally have soft forms.

Informal gardens tend to require a higher amount of maintenance than a formal one, so you will need to consider how much time you can devote to looking after your creation. It may be that you have your heart set on an informal design but cannot devote much time to it. In this case you will need to be very careful with your selection of plants so as to create an informal look but with minimum maintenance requirements.

If you want to include water to your design then make it "fit" with your chosen design. Creating a rigid, square water feature raised with bricks would be inappropriate for an informal design. the design would need to reflect nature as much as possible, copying the size and shapes of streams, ponds, lakes and rivers in exact proportions.

Take a look at how nature creates its gardens. Head off into the countryside the next sunny day you have available and study the contours of the land, how the streams curve and how the plants grow. This will give you a greater understanding of how nature works and help you create a great informal design.

You can, of course, combine the two themes together if your garden has enough room to accommodate them both. You may decide that close to the house requires a formal setting whilst as you move to the further boundaries you can allow for a more informal, relaxed design. The choice is, as always, totally yours.

How to form Shapes and Patterns in your Garden Design

Time to learn more about how to design your perfect garden.

You have now completed you functional layout plan and taken into consideration the principles of design that I covered last week. (Check my archives for this information)

Now, you need to begin the

design layout!

Don't worry, as before, we'll take it one step at a time and look at tips to make the process easier. It would not work well to just draw any old shapes and patterns on to your design and hope for the best! You have to decide the best logical decisions to ensure that your plan will look good. This can be made easier by using tools such as geometry and grids to assist us.

The most important thing to remember is that designing your garden isn't about drawing pretty patterns. You are, after all, a designer, and not a decorator! Having said that though, there is a place for patterns in your plan as they can help to form an intrinsic part of the design. Totally confused? Patterns can create mood, direct movement, and even help to alter the perceptions of the space.

You need to decide which shapes are going to form your design and how you are going to compose. You don't need to pluck these shapes from thin air. Refer back to all of the information that you have collated so far and search for clues. If your design brief stated that the garden would be formal then this would suggest using solid shapes such as squares and rectangles. They would also need to be set out in a symmetrical pattern to emphasise the formal theme. On your functional layout plan, you have already decided where some of your shapes need to be located within the space and so use these as your guide. You may need to juggle a few shapes to permit them to sit better in your design. This is normal and shows that you are allowing the design to change and develop as your thoughts and ideas become clearer.

Not certain that your shapes and patterns look right in your plan? Not a problem. Think back to your principles of garden design: unity and harmony, scale and proportion, and balance. These principles should be applied to the process of positioning shapes and patterns. Try to relax and let your sense of imagination have a slightly higher say than sensibility. You don't have to get it right first time. Just keep experimenting until you get something you feel happy with.

Okay, so you've looked through all of your work so far and you've still no idea what direction to take your design in and indeed no idea what blimin' "shapes" to use! Take a step back from your garden design and think more about the composition of shapes in general. Get yourself some fresh paper and draw the outline to your garden on to it. Then, draw yourself some different sized shapes on separate paper and cut these out. Now, within your garden boundaries, place your shapes in different ways and see what looks good to you. This could help you to reach some decisions about your design.

Consider each shape individually and then look at how the shapes relate to each other. You will need to analyse each shape to fully understand how it can be used to most effect within your garden.

The Circle is a strong. formal and simple shape that occurs in nature. It has symbolic meanings in many religions and cultures, such as in China where it represents heaven and forms the basis of the Tai Chi symbol of Yin and Yang.

The circle is made up of a centre, a circumference, a radius and a diameter. We can also extend the radius out from the centre of the circle, beyond its circumference. A tangent can be created by placing a line outside the circle that touches the circumference and forms a right angle with the radius line. (See diagram) To join any shapes to a circle it is important to link these new shapes with one of the lines we have identified. If you do not use these lines then the design will look unbalanced and awkward.

The Square is also a formal shape. It is a man-made shape with rigid sides and axes that pass through it. It is composed of a centre, sides, axes and a diagonal. Lines from the sides and axes can be extended beyond the outline of the shape to help formulate and create adjacent shapes. The axes can be used to divide the square into smaller squares or rectangles. A rectangle can be formed by extending one side of the square.

Similar shapes are relatively easy to combine as they generally fit together fairly easily. if you want to combine different shapes, then just remember to join them using their different component lines and they should fit together in a more pleasing composition.

When combining shapes prevent yourself from placing them in such a composition that you create acute angles (less than 45*). This will be very difficult to actually landscape and will look weak . Creating acute angles normally arises when combining circles to other shapes. Whichever shapes you are combining they will need to differ in size to establish a dominant shape. If you fail to do this then the design will lack identity, be dull, and lack focus - sorry!

Circles can be combined in many different ways such as overlapping them or in concentric circles. When overlapping them it is best to make sure the centre of the overlapping circles passes through the circumference of the underlying circle. If there is too little overlap then you could be creating an acute or obtuse angle which may be difficult to deal with, and, once again, will not look right.

Have an experiment with a pair of compasses and see what you can do with circles. Try expanding the radius out of the original circle and drawing a new circumference so that you create a wedge. You can also try drawing circles with in circles and creating the appearance of a cut tree trunk.

Have fun and get to know your shapes!

Time to get a bit more technical with the whole shape thing. You can create a shape using a curvilinear design. A curvilinear design uses the the circumference of circles and ellipses to form the design. Try not to confuse this with natural and free-flowing designs, where you purely draw a shape with your hand and do not use other shapes to create it. To successfully create a curvilinear design, you will need to combine circles so that they are tangent to each other - the fewer, larger circles you use, the simpler and stronger the curvilinear design will be. Curvilinear designs work best in informal garden settings. Take a look at the diagram. You can see how the circumferences of the circles create the curvilinear design.

To combine rectangles is a fairly easy process and you can usually achieve pleasing results without much effort. They are useful for creating formal, symmetrical and asymmetrical designs. Consequently, they are used to link architecture with gardens and are often placed close to the house or building to create patios and terraces. Rectangular shapes do not work so well for informal designs.

To combine them, as with all shapes, use rectangles of different sizes. Try to keep the shapes fairly large and restrict the number used to prevent the design becoming messy and cluttered. There will need to be a hierarchy of sizes, preferably with one larger, dominant rectangle that is surrounded or overlapped by smaller ones. This theme works particularly well in long, narrow gardens.

You can develop the rectangular theme by laying then at angles to the house and creating diagonal themes. if a site is very short and small, using a rectangle at 45* to the house can can take away the emphasis from the closeness of the rear boundary to the house by directing the eye towards its longest axis.

When designing shape combinations it is important not to get too carried away - remember keep it simple.

Okay, so you've got your shapes but how do you position them into your plan? There is a method using grid-lines that can help you to position your shapes and make sure that your shapes are in proportion to the building or house.

The grid system works by taking a measurement from a feature on the house and using this dimension to create a grid square - this grid is then repeated to fill the site. The feature that you use to determine the size of the grid square should be located on your baseline or house facade so that it visually connects and relates to the garden. The theory is that the designer (you) can use this dimension to draw up a grid for use as an underlay, onto which you can then arrange the patterns and shapes that will form the design. The measurements used for the grid will have a direct relationship with the house, and resulting patterns should also therefore be in proportion to the house.

Take a look at this next diagram. The unit of measurement for the grid square has been taken from the french windows. The shaded squares show how you can use the grid to create shapes and patterns for your design. Easy, hey?

The grid-lines don't always work for every designer but have an experiment anyway and see if it works for you. You can also try scaling your grid squares up or down proportionately or, when you feel confident with the method, even rotating the grid 45* to the house.

Whether you decide to use the grid or not, try to link lines from the house or baseline to shapes in your design. This will continue to create a direct relationship with the house and the garden. If there are existing features within the garden that are to remain then these should also link to the new design in a similar way.

Once you have created some interesting shapes for your garden, experiment with them by tracing the overall outline that your shapes have made and considering how they look. It must be a shape that is possible to create in real life.

Remember, I mentioned freehand curves earlier? If you want to create a natural look to your design it is possible to draw curves and shapes freehand although it is somewhat harder. You will have difficulty reproducing your shapes and will have to use the offset method of measuring to ensure accuracy. If you create a garden using this freehand method, then you must make sure that the shapes are bold, natural and not forced. Give me geometrics any day!

When you have got to a stage where you're happy to combine your functional layout plan with your new design layout, use smaller, scaled-down, versions of your site outline and roughly sketch in your proposed design layout. By drawing these rougher sketches it will be less intimidating than drawing onto your larger plan and will hopefully allow you to be more spontaneous with your layout. Make sure that your smaller plans are still in proportion otherwise you'll end up in a right pickle when you try to draw it onto your larger plan.

Friday's Plant of the Week- Carex buchananii

Another week is coming to an end and so we need to add another plant to your file.

This week I've chosen a grass to look at which can be planted with our previous plants; Rhus typhina, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' and Sedum spectable 'Autumn Joy' to provide you with a fantastic display of autumn interest.

This Friday's plant is:

Carex buchananii

Deciduous or Evergreen: Deciduous

Design Function: Ground Cover, Architectural

Form and Shape: Round, spiky mound of arching leaves

Texture of Leaves: Smooth with course edges

Colour of Foliage: Bronze

Colour of bark: N/A

Colour of flowers: Brown

Main Season of Interest: Autumn

Horticultural Information:

Country of Origin: New Zealand

Soil Type Preferred: Moist, well-drained

Aspect Preferred: Sun or Shade

Height and Spread at 5 years: 75cm x 90cm

Height and Spread at Maturity: 75cm x 90cm

Other notable Cultivars of Species: Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' (Gold-green striped leaves)

My Personal Opinion of Carex buchananii

In the past I've never really been a fan of grasses. I always thought that they were too messy! However, I planted Carex buchannii in a gravel path and it has performed beautifully. It takes the harsh edge away from the path and creates a more relaxed, informal atmosphere to the garden. It also looks fab all year round, which is a bonus. I believe you can plant it next to pretty much any thing and it will enhance whatever it is surrounded by. Easy to care for, this grass just gets on with things!

Ten Spring Flowering Bulbs to tempt you with

Have you been to your local garden centre recently?

If you have you'll have noticed that the seasons are changing and that in the small gap between selling summer bedding plants and those dreaded Christmas decorations, all the garden centres are busily stocking their shelves with autumn plants.

Whilst ripping out your geraniums in favour of winter flowering pansies and cyclamen may be a little bit early still, now is an excellent time to think forward to Spring! I know that's a slight contradiction but hear me out, okay?

When I worked in garden centres, I always got really frustrated during Spring. People would do nothing in their gardens for the winter months (and quite rightly to - it's blimin' cold out there) and then once the excitement -or trauma- of Christmas is over, they'd traipse in to their local garden centre and ask for daffodils and tulips. And what did I say to them?

"YOU'RE TOO LATE!!!"

The bulbs that will grow into lovely Spring flowers are on sale NOW!

If you're thinking that in the depths of Winter, when not much else is growing you'd like a bit of colour to cheer you up then consider buying yourselves some bulbs now. Dig yourself a hole (depth dependant on bulb type) chuck in your bulbs, re-cover and forget about them. Then in February, March or April you'll be pleasantly surprised by a lovely display of cheerful flowers. What could be better?

There are literally hundreds of bulbs to choose from but here are a few to get you tempted:

Narcissus 'Cheerfulness'

An attractive, early flowering daffodil with white outer petals that surround clusters of smaller petals in the centre. The blooms are long lasting and have a strong fragrance. They are also good for cutting. For a bold display, plant the bulbs in large groups in well drained, fertile soil.

Planting Depth: One and a half times the bulb depth below the soil.

Plant Height & Width: 40cm (16in) x 15cm (6in)

Tulipa 'Red Riding Hood'

The bright red flowers of this striking tulip have black marks at the base of the petals, and its lance-shaped leaves are strongly marked with purple stripes. It is one of the earlier flowering tulips of the species. Plant bulbs in a sunny situation in well-drained, fertile soil, or a rock garden where they can be left for years. Alternatively, plant them in containers and replant the bulbs in the garden after flowering. For a bold display, plant with a yellow tulip, such as 'Yokahama'

Plant Height x Spread: 20cm (8in) x 15cm (6in)

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Blue Jacket'

This is one of the best blue flowering Hyacinths, with wonderfully fragrant, navy blue blooms. It can become quite an overpowering fragrance if planted in too plentiful a group. The petals have a waxy texture and purple veins. Plant it in deep, well-drained, fertile soil in sun or partial shade. Hyacinths are perfect for creating early colourful spring displays and are useful in container or window box displays. Grow them either outside, or forced in bowls of bulb fibre indoors. Note: if you intend to have your hyacinths flowering in time for Christmas, you will need to buy 'prepared' bulbs and restrict their levels of light each day.

Plant Height x Spread: 30cm (12in) x 8cm (3in)

Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'

This vigorous dwarf iris flowers from late winter. It's upper petals are covered with fine, deep blue veins, while the broad lower petals have a yellow centre and are heavily marked with blue lines and speckles. Plant bulbs on a sunny bank or other well drained situation, making sure the bulbs are kept on the dry side during the summer. It enjoys neutral or slightly alkaline soil.

Plant Height x Spread: 12cm (5in) x 7cm (3in)

Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty'

This bulbous perennial has small spikes of bell shaped, violet tinted, deep blue flowers arranged on one side of the stem. It is ideal for rock gardens or mixed herbaceous borders beneath deciduous shrubs or trees, where it will give you an early spring display of colour. It prefers sandy, well drained, fertile soil in slight shade or full sun. If clumps become too large, divide after flowering during the summer.

Plant Height x Spread: 20cm (8in) x 5cm (2in)

Crocus chrysanthus 'E A Bowles'

This dainty crocus has deep lemon-yellow, goblet shaped flowers, with purple feathering on the outer petals. The leaves are dark green with a white stripe. Plant in groups in well drained soil at the front of a sunny border for an early splash of colour, or grow in raised beds and containers.

Plant Height x Spread: 7cm (3in) x 5cm (2in)

Narcissus 'February Gold'

One of the most common and widely grown daffodil, 'February Gold' is extremely vigorous and in early spring produces nodding, large golden-yellow flowers with slightly swept back petals. The flowers are set off by mid green, strap-like leaves. It is suitable for planting in borders or for naturalising in grass. Plant to one and a half times their depth in sunny sites, ensuring it is well drained and reasonably fertile soil.

Plant Height x Spread:30cm (12in) x 8cm (3in)

Convallaria majalis

Lily-of-the-valley is a delightful late spring-flowering plant with arching stems of white, sweetly scented, bell-shaped flowers that appear between the dark green leaves. It makes an ideal ground cover plant for shady, damp situations and spreads very quickly by means of creeping roots. 'Albostriata' has gold-striped leaves, and 'Fortin's Giant' is slightly taller, growing to 30cm (12in). Although you can buy as bulbs, you will have a greater success rate if you buy Convallaria 'in the green' (already growing with bare roots).

Plant Height x Spread: 23cm (9in) x 30cm (12in)

Erythronium dens-canis

The Dog's-tooth violet has distinctive purple, pink or white pendant flowers with reflexed petals.The decorative oval-shaped, green leaves have pinkish-brown mottling on the upper surface. Dog's tooth violets can be planted in woodland or grass, and grow best in well-drained, fertile soil in partial shade. To propagate, lift and divide the clumps of bulbs after flowering and replant immediately in fertile soil.

Plant Height x Spread: 15cm (6in) x 10cm (4in)

Fritillaria meleagris

In late spring, the snake's head fritillary produces pendant, bell-shaped, purple or white flowers, with a distinctive checkerboard pattern on the petals. It grows well when naturalised in grass, and will often self seed. Take care when mowing, as young seedlings look very much like grasses. it should be planted in a moist, well-drained soil, and prefers slightly alkaline conditions. If the bulbs become too congested, mark the position and they can be lifted in the autumn and replanted elsewhere.

Plant Height x Spread: 30cm (12in) x 8cm (3in)

Whetted your appetite? Why not take a trip to your garden centre and give your self something to look forward to next year? Not only will you have a fabulous garden display in spring but the garden centre staff won't have to tell you you're too late when you ask them for daffodil bulbs in February!

Getting the Balance in your Garden Right - more garden design principles

Okay...so we now have perfect unity and harmony in our well proportioned and simple design!

The other principle that we need to pay attention to is

Balance

A Balanced design will create a garden that is comfortable and visually pleasing. It will unite all of the features and elements within the space and create harmony. You see how all the different principles relate to one another?

To get the balance right, you need to think of how you'd feel in that space - you wouldn't feel very comfortable in a room that had all it's furniture pushed to one side - would you?

The easiest method for achieving balance in your garden would be to design a formal, symmetrical and evenly spread garden. Symmetrical gardens are naturally balanced and so you would not need to concern yourself too much with this particular principle. If you want an informal garden however, this will require a bit more consideration on your part to ensure that you get the balance right.

When dividing up your site (refer back to your functional layout plan here) you should make sure that each area relates to each other area. They do not need to be the exact size and shape - that would be boring- but they need to form some kind of relationship, not just two dimensionally but also three dimensionally. Consider which areas will become your masses (the solid aspects of your design; such as planting, buildings, etc) and which areas will be your voids ( the open areas of your design; such as lawns, patios, pathways, etc).

Use the furniture in the room as an example- all of the masses (furniture) are squished to one side of the room. The masses and voids in this space are not very balanced at all!

Now look at what each area is responsible for. You will have some areas that are to be for sitting and relaxing whilst other areas are for playing or walking. Try to balance out the different uses. The aim is to prevent the garden from becoming too static or active in any one particular section of the garden. If you are including a veg patch don't forget to add a seat to this area. That way you can balance work with sitting and enjoying the fruits of your labour.

Most gardens benefit from having secluded areas which are not immediately visible when entering the garden for the first time. You will need to consider the balance between these secluded areas and the open spaces. The function of each of these areas will dictate that balance to a certain degree - helping you to reach a decision.

Look at the balance you require between light and dark spaces. Too many shady areas will create a gloomy garden, whilst a bright sunny garden will be harsh, and tiresome. A totally sunny garden will also be harder to plant as they will need to be able to tolerate dry, hot conditions all of the time.

Sometimes you won't be able to control the amount of light that your garden receives. If your neighbour has a huge tree that casts a massive shadow over your garden, you'll just have to work with it, I'm afraid. Using light coloured paving materials and flowers can help to reflect any light that does reach that area and make it appear brighter. If, on the other hand,, your garden has no natural shade you will need to address this and add something that will add shade. Whether that would be a tree or a purpose built structure depends on what would fit with your design.

You will need to balance your choice of colours too. Introducing too many colours will make your design feel chaotic, whereas, not enough colour could make the design feel dull and uninteresting.

Take a look at this picture. How does it

make you feel? Is it too much colour or a well balanced design? (This was a design (not mine!) exhibited at Gardener's World Live show and people's views were mixed on the day )

Consider carefully where structures might add to enhance your design, and bring balance to it. Features or structures can help balance a three dimensional element in your garden and ensure that there is something of interest at all levels. When choosing which structures or features you want to use, make sure that they are the correct size and weight for your design - not too flimsy or overpoweringly large.

Remember - everyone's

views and ideas are different.

Just because you are convinced that your design is balanced, someone else may disagree altogether. Don't worry about it! So long as you feel that you have kept to the principles of garden design then you'll be happy with the finished design - and, after all - it is YOUR garden!