GARDENING

GET THE GARDEN LOOK

SEARCHING FOR GARDEN DESIGN INSPIRATION? GARDENING WRITER JULIA HEATON, LOOKS AT FOUR DISTINCT STYLES AND HOW TO CREATE THEM IN YOUR OWN OUTDOOR SPACE.

Japanese style

Take inspiration from larger gardens open to the public. Red is an iconic element of Japanese design. This is all about creating a tranquil space for meditation and contemplation, where you can feel closer to nature. Minimalism is key so that all the style elements have space to shine. Evergreens in different shades of green and a few choice plants help to re-enforce the calming atmosphere as does having only one plant at a time in flower. The idea is that the beauty of each can then be enjoyed alone.

Landscaping elements:

A water feature: To symbolise renewal. The sound of trickling water or the stillness of a reflection pool has a calming, natural appeal to the senses;

An area of grey gravel or sand: Use a rake to create the pattern of flowing water and rocks to represent the natural world of mountains or islands rising out of it;

Bridges: Crossing the gravel stream or a pond and painted red to represent wisdom and transformation;

Pagoda: Used as outdoor temples in traditional Japanese gardens, these are ideal spots from where to view the garden;

Winding stepping stone pathways: To represent the journey through life; Gates: Symbolise a threshold, to give the sense there’s something to discover on the other side; Bamboo: Use a bamboo fence to block unwanted views; Stone lanterns: Shaped like pagodas for added character.

Plant choice

Bamboo and conifers provide a yearround evergreen backdrop as do Japanese azaleas, which give added value with vibrant coloured flowers. Alongside grass Ophiopogon japonicus consider Nepeta subsessilis (Japanese catmint) with flowers in blue, pink or white.

To represent the different seasons use a cherry tree like Prunus ‘Kojo-no-mai’ for its wonderful spring blossom. And no Japanese garden is complete without the dazzling foliage of a maple like Acer Palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ in autumn.

Plant choice should include trees and shrubs like Buxus Sempervirens (box) and Taxus baccata (yew) that can be pruned in true Japanese fashion to represent cloud shapes and the natural world.

Mediterranean style

The Alhambra Palace garden in Spain incorporates many of the classic elements of a Mediterranean garden. The rustic charm of a Mediterranean garden will conjure up holiday memories of sunny days and warm balmy nights. At its heart is scented, colourful planting and an informal atmosphere for outdoor dining with friends and family. This style has the added bonus of being low maintenance, leaving more time to unwind and enjoy.

Landscaping elements:

Gravel and paving: Replace a high maintenance lawn with gravel pathways

and use paving stones in warm terracotta tones to create seating areas. Gravel keeps weeds down and conserves moisture. Plant through it at irregular intervals for a relaxed feel and soften hard-edged paving with ground cover plants;

Pots: Arrange groups of plants in terracotta pots and use a Grecian urn to make a statement focal point;

Shady spaces: Fragrant climbing plants on a pergola give shade from the sun and protection on a cold windy day. Place weathered wooden tables and benches underneath for dining;

Water feature: Add a small stone fountain or a trough;

Mosaic tiles: These add a splash of colour and pattern to dull walls and steps;

Cooking area: A purpose built barbecue or pizza oven is an outdoor living essential;

Plant choice

Clipped box hedging (Buxus sempervirens) adds structure and height and can be used to define one space from another. It’s also evergreen as is slender, conical shaped conifer Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’. Use this either side of a gateway or at intervals along a path.

For gorgeous wafts of perfume around your pergola choose white flowered climber jasmine (Jasminum officinale). Climbing roses and a grape vine are pretty special too.

Plant lavender and rosemary along pathways and they’ll give off a wonderful aroma as you brush past. And nothing says Mediterranean more than a lemon tree or bougainvillea, although these will need to be in a pot and moved to a conservatory or greenhouse for winter.

Other plants for that authentic sunny look are: geraniums; low maintenance agapanthus; succulents like sempervivums to soften paving and grasses like Festuca glauca with its blue/green foliage. For a frost hardy tree go for an olive in a pot. Keep in mind that many Mediterranean plants like this are drought tolerant so you need to provide them with well-drained soil.

Cottage Garden

A cottage garden can be created in any size space. This natural, informal, look doesn’t require a lawn and the dense, colourful planting is a mix of ornamentals and edibles that has no rules. Traditional materials and vintage repurposed items like planted-up wheelbarrows and barrels turned into water features complete the look.

Landscaping elements:

Fencing: A picket fence to contain overflowing planting in the front garden is the ultimate in kerb appeal. Use it in the back garden to give spaces, like a veggie patch, their own identity. Go really rustic with woven hazel or willow fencing;

Pathways: Whether gravel, reclaimed brick, bark or cobbles, keep pathways winding and simple. Let planting cascade onto them as they meander to a point of interest;

Obelisks, gazebos, arbours and pergolas: These structures add height, are attractive and provide support to scented climbers like honeysuckle;

Ornaments: Rising out of the planting a strategically placed birdbath, sundial or statue provides a focal point and contrast to the lively planting;

Planting style

Deep borders, overflowing with a mix of perennials, annuals, edibles bulbs and shrubs in a variety of colours, foliage textures and fragrance. Repeat plants around the plot to form natural drifts of colour and to visually tie the theme together.

Cottage style is famed for tall spires of plants like delphiniums, hollyhocks and lupins. Another way of adding height is with sweet peas, which will clamber up an obelisk or wooden wigwam to explode in a profusion of colour. And when it comes to walls, you can’t go wrong with clematis and wisteria or a climbing rose. In fact any type of rose is a must-have.

Leave seed heads of plants like allium, rudbeckia and echinops to form and provide structure in the colder months. And use self-seeding plants like aquilegias, Verbena bonariensis, erigeron, nigella and foxgloves that will naturally develop the planting scheme for you.

Don’t forget to plant up bulbs for spring interest. And remember, there’s no right or wrong place to grow edibles, so you’re free to plant fruit, herbs and veg where you like, even if that’s alongside pathways.

Coastal inspired

Even if you live miles inland, there’s no reason why you can’t recreate a coastal garden. Simply plant where you like for a fun, laid back seaside vibe.

Landscape elements:

Gravel and shingle: Replicate the beach by laying weed suppressant material on top of your soil, planting through it and adding a top layer of gravel or shingle;

Shells and pebbles: Use crushed shells as a mulch around plants in pots. Write the names of plants on larger shells and use them as plant markers and dot different sized pebbles in amongst the gravel/shingle surface to add texture and interest;

Decking and sleepers: Arrange sleepers at intervals into gravel to form an unstructured pathway and lay decking to provide a surface for outdoor entertaining;

Weathered timber: Stand a variety of lengths on end in a row to represent breakwaters;

Find and repurpose: Hunt down seaside artefacts in junk shops. Items like fishing nets, lobster pots and glass fisherman’s floats look striking against shingle;

Driftwood: Makes a lovely structural focal point and can also be bought on-line;

Seating: Hammocks are fun and sum up the theme perfectly as does a classic deck chair;

Colour: Pale grey or white painted walls, buildings, fences and any other structures mirror the weathered seaside look. Go for a universal paint that can be used on all surfaces;

Planting style

Look to perennials like sea holly (eryngium), euphorbia, sedum and scabiosa. Prickly, purple coned sea holly adds texture to a planting scheme and loves full sun.

Imitate grasses found on sand dunes. Blue fescue (Festuca glauca) is an ideal evergreen and feather reed-grass calamagrostis has lovely golden seedheads that last into winter. And for the look of seaweed Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ is ideal amongst a group of pebbles. Choose different textures in muted colours, planting clumps at intervals to form drifts of the same grass.

Away from the rolling grasses the architectural shapes of the cabbage palm (Cordyline australis) and trachycarpus will form an evergreen backdrop. Contrast them with the frilly silver/green foliage of sea kale (Crambe maritima).

This is the ideal space for rock plants like thrift (Armeria maritima), an evergreen with brilliant pink flowers, the fragrant dianthus and daisy-like flowers of fleabane (erigeron).