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!