Part 1 - Laying out your garden

Laying out your garden - part 1

In this lesson we'll cover some core principles that will help you progress your design, with top tips around dimensions, focal points, routes and materials.

There are a few rules of thumb for dimensions:

• a bed should be at the very least 50cm wide to comfortably fit one plant, but wider beds will feel less cramped
• a path should be at least 75cm wide but a metre is good. You'd need 1.5-2m for walking side-by-side
• an access path behind a border for maintenance could be 50cm wide
• height restrictions – check local regulations for the maximum height of any permanent structures
• terrace – depends what you're using it for but remember table plus space for chairs to be pushed back and people to be able to walk around the back of the chairs. You'll use it more if it's comfortable and practical. In general, you want enough room behind a pulled out chair for someone to still be able to pass behind it.

Useful and beautiful

People will use space or paths in your garden if it's easy to get to, looks nice along the way, and leads to something worth seeing.

• If any of these elements are missing, people won't be drawn to it so much.
• Consider scented planting on either side and a comfortable seating area at the end.

Remember if it's easy to use,

Using focal points

Focal points are key in a garden.

• They can be as complex or simple as you want – e.g. a tree, piece of art, planting, little mirror set in a wall. You can use something as simple as a green dome of Euonymus or yew.
• These draw the eye and make the visitor use the spot that looks out on the focal point.
• A focal point can also create a journey through or around a garden.

Using materials economically

When considering your budget, bear in mind:

• hard materials are always more expensive than soft – a square metre of paving bought brand new will be at least four times as expensive as a square metre of planting
• you might need hard areas outside the house or under seating, but for more casual seating areas, you could just have a grassy spot where you can pull up folding chairs when needed
• curves, e.g. a curved wall or seat, are generally more expensive than straight.

Seating in shaded areas

• Depending on your garden's aspect, you might not want your dining area directly outside the house.
• You can still have a terrace near the house if it's in shade, but add some raised beds of plants that thrive in shade, and some seating for a hot summer day. Lots