If you are fortunate enough to be the owner of a garden in London (bonus points for usable grass), you may be faced with the joyful challenge of working out exactly what you are going to do with it. Here, Diarmuid Gavin explains how to choose the right garden. And all it takes is a bit of daydreaming...
"Recent years have brought us a sensory overload, as we have been assaulted by varieties of different garden types and planting schemes like never before. This has happened through television, garden shows, magazines, books, garden centres and nurseries."
"We are swamped by choice. Gardening, garden styles and garden creations and makeovers have become trendy, some would say, faddish. For your own garden it is something you want to avoid. You want to make an informed decision on what you want, what you love and what is suitable."
"Make an informed decision on what you want, what you love and what is suitable."
"So, we are talking garden style."
"What does that mean? What is a style?"
"Well, for me it’s a practical and visual manifestation of garden types that have evolved in different places around the world for different reasons."
"On the surface it sounds complicated, but it’s not really. Close your eyes. Do it now. And name for me in your head as many garden styles as you can think of. Right. Let’s see how you did..."
"Number one – the makeover style. This garden has been popular on television for many years, generally contemporary, featuring clean lines, often architectural planting or maybe grasses, the garden as a room outside, high on fashion.
Number two – the twee suburban style I was brought up with, lawns, cherry trees, bedding plants, and rows of hybrid tea or floribunda roses, rockeries and crazy paving, all surrounded by a hedge. Both of these styles have been a response to how we have lived at various times.
Number three – the very English cottage garden – sentimental and colourful, a chocolate box image of herbaceous flowers, and traditional rustic materials – stone walls, dovecotes, wishing wells, fruit and vegetables, quaint.
Number four – the posh garden. Hedges trimmed within an inch of their lives, Buxus sempervirens (box) as plant number one, deliciously flowing herbaceous borders, colours ranging from hot to cool, then back again, for Gardens Illustrated devotees, Lutyens benches, cast iron statuary, fountains and brick pavilions with terracotta tiled roofs. Grand gardens.
Number five – the Italian/Tuscan gardens of our dreams – tall Cypress tress, lavender, cooling canals of water, focal points, parterres, terraces stepping down sloped sites, views beyond being captured by the garden user, shady grottoes to contrast with blazing sunshine.
Number six – the Japanese garden. A Zen-like soulful escape from the material world! Gravel raked into swirls around rocks masquerading as craggy islands, bamboo, maple, Ophiopogon, Acorus, lanterns to light the way, stepping stones over still pools, pathways which offer the visitor choice, moss and temples, tea ceremonies."
"All these garden styles have evolved for different reasons, in different places."
"Their evolution ranges from social or economic conditions, rulers wanting to dominate the landscape and dominate plants, the creation of heaven on earth for meditation, or practical responses to keeping areas of vegetation neat and tidy."
"What garden is it that you like and why?"
"For many it’s memories of growing up, digging vegetables with Granddad or staking up dahlias."
"Try to step beyond what’s new or exciting, and even a classic style that’s 'in' again."
"It may be that you have your house exactly as you want it, from architecture to interior design, and the new garden won’t work unless it matches seamlessly."
"You might be a plantaholic and have a craving to display as many different types of species as possible."
"You might love the contrast between leaves, the architectural nature of foliage, or it could be that you really appreciate flower arranging."
"Whatever it is, try to step beyond what’s new or exciting and even a classic style that’s 'in' again."
"Now is another time to close the eyes, and tell me what would your ideal garden be and why? Does it suit you and all the other members of the household, does it seem to fit your spot in your head, can you afford to create it, do you have the time and skill to look after it?"
"Take some time on this and enjoy your deliberations!"
Discover more...
Find more garden and home inspiration on Discover, or see Diarmuid's latest garden creation at Park SW20.
