How to Select a Design Style for Your Garden
As is the case with many types of design, landscape design includes many different stylistic options. As a gardener, you should be aware of the options at your disposal. After exploring a few of the most popular design styles, you will be ready to transform your garden.
Sifting through the multitude of garden design styles can be a daunting task. With so many stylistic options available, the idea of settling on one becomes overwhelming for even the most experienced designer. To make matters more manageable for you, we’ve created this article to help you find the right style for your landscape.
The Importance of Design Intent
Let’s start by discussing why it is crucial to have a design style in mind. While some people are quick to begin making changes to their landscape without an overarching goal, having a clear design intent is a much better approach. You can always make changes to your design as you work through your project. But if you have a vision of your final product, it will act as a roadmap for your work. A solidified design intent also helps to ensure that your landscape design will be cohesive and appealing when you are finished.
Understand Exiting Styles
One of the best ways to narrow down the design styles that apply to your yard is to evaluate the existing styles on your property. The most prominent structure you should consider is your house and any other buildings on your property. However, you may also have some existing garden features that belong to a particular design style. Do your best to match your new landscape design style to the styles that already exist on your lot. This will prevent any incongruities between what you will add and what is already there. The end result will be a unified design style that is present throughout your property.
Consider the Local Environment
Plants are one of the most vital elements of any landscape design. And every plant has a distinct set of growing requirements. You’ll need to keep those requirements in mind as you browse different design styles. Occasionally you may find that the style you desire is not appropriate for the region in which you live. For example, if you try to create a tropical garden in an area with frigid winter temperatures, you are unlikely to meet success. That is why it is so essential to understand your local environment and the plants and design styles that are suitable for that environment.
Follow Your Personal Taste
After you get an idea of the existing styles on your property and the potential limitations of your region, it is time to match your landscape design style to your personal taste. This is often one of the most enjoyable aspects of planning a garden or landscape design. After all, you will be the person to look at and use your landscape most often, so you should strive to create something that is enticing to you.
A Few Common Garden Design Styles
To help you find what is right for you, we have included brief descriptions of some of the most popular garden styles. There are many more styles out there, but this selection will give you a glimpse into what you might be able to achieve in your yard. Read on to become familiar with each style and determine your preference.
Formal Garden
Formal gardens are all about order. They usually feature straight lines and right angles. These gardens need a lot of maintenance to keep their appearance pristine. This maintenance can include regular pruning and trimming to preserve the ideal shape of your plants.
Cottage Garden
Cottage gardens tend to be informal and full of many different types of plants. These can include bold flowers as well as herbs and vegetables. The result is a garden that is useful, inviting, and bursting with color.
Japanese Garden
Japanese gardens are places of peace. These areas are meant for meditation and often include well-manicured trees, mosses, and step-stone paths. Japanese gardens can appear whimsical, but they usually follow a strict set of traditional design principles to achieve their iconic look.
Modern/Minimalist Garden
Modern gardens often emphasize simplicity. That simplicity can come in the form of a limited plant pallet or a set of carefully selected materials. Minimalist gardens often make use of regular shapes to create straightforward forms, with contrast coming in the form of texture and color. The end result is a striking and stylish garden design.
Mediterranean Garden
This garden style is ideal for anyone who lives where the weather is consistently how and relatively dry. Mediterranean gardens are home to plants that love those conditions. These gardens usually have patio spaces and walkways and attention-grabbing garden elements such as pergolas and clay pots.
Pollinator Garden
If you love the sight of butterflies and birds, a pollinator garden is what your yard needs. These gardens typically have astounding flowers that will attract your eye and the attention of pollinator species. Creating a pollinator garden can be extremely rewarding as well. Not only will you love the appearance of such a garden, but you can also have some peace of mind knowing that you are doing your part to help the natural world.
Naturalistic Garden
Naturalistic gardens mimic the environment in which they exist. Whether you live in a woodland, a desert, or anywhere in between, taking cues from nature is what will allow you to design one of the gardens. The benefit of this approach is that your garden will flow naturally with its surroundings. This is also an opportunity to plant native species to support regional ecosystems.
Kitchen Garden
A kitchen garden is the garden of choice for any avid cook. If you have dreamed of picking fresh produce and herbs to use in your culinary adventures, this garden style will make that dream come true. The key to creating a great kitchen garden is to locate it close to your house for easy access and to fill the garden with your favorite ingredients.
Low-Maintenance Garden
For some, the best garden is one that calls for the least garden work. While there is no such thing as a no-maintenance garden, there is a garden style that will keep maintenance low. Low-maintenance gardens include plants that thrive without your attention. They also feature materials such as gravel that are easy to maintain with little to no effort.
