Designing a Creative Gardens
Key Points
- Garden design balances creativity and function: Plan based on how you’ll use the space, sunlight, and maintenance needs for a practical retreat.
- Shapes and levels add depth: Use diverse shapes, pathways, and layered plants to create sections and visual interest in your garden.
- Incorporate themes and colors: Mix vibrant colors and unique themes like art movements or fantasy to personalize and enhance your garden’s vibe.
Did you know your garden can be so much more than just a patch of grass?
Many people don’t realize that a garden can actually serve as an extension of your living space, allowing you to get creative in ways that aren’t possible indoors.
Imagine turning your outdoor space into a relaxing retreat or even a spot to host friends on warm summer evenings!
But here’s the thing—great garden designs aren’t just about looks. The best gardens are practical too.
Whether you want a minimalist space for relaxation or a lush haven for local wildlife, a little planning can go a long way.
If you’re new to landscaping or don’t know where to start, now is the perfect time to explore how to make your garden both beautiful and functional.
Start by considering how you’ll use your garden.
Are you dreaming of an outdoor lounge, a fun play area for kids, or a spot to grow fresh herbs?
Understanding your needs will help you design a garden that truly fits your lifestyle.
Practicality
You need to consider how you are going to use your garden within your design, as well as the time you have available to maintain it. You will need to plan your space effectively and learn more about the practicalities of gardening.
Consider which areas of the garden get the most sun, and which areas spend most of the day in the complete shade, as this will determine how you plan to use the space.
Preparedness mama has a great article about starting to design a garden from scratch, which you might find useful if you don’t have a lot of landscaping experience.
Shapes
Your garden doesn’t have to comprise just simple linear lines and box plots. Adding a wide variety of shapes to the layout of your garden can make it more dynamic.
It is also sensible to use shapes to section off various areas of the garden for different uses.
For example, you could have a rectangle of patio close to the house, and another circular patio area further up the garden to expand the amount of usable space.
Think about how you will link the different spaces of your garden together: create pathways to direct the line of sight down towards the end of the garden.
Levels
Using plants to create different levels will create the illusion of having more space. Use a range of plants, from small ground-level shrubs to taller plants.
If your garden is large enough, consider adding a trellis or planting a few small trees. For long gardens, adding archways will create different sections, or ‘rooms,’ of your yard, and each space can be designed differently for more variation.
Creative Gardens: Color
Certain colors of plants will work better together than others, so work out a color scheme in advance.
Try not to be too monochromatic unless you specifically design your garden to have a minimalist or modernist atmosphere. Including four or five different colors in your scheme will add more variation.
Themes
The possibilities for landscape design themes are endless.
If you enjoy a specific art movement, such as Art Deco, you could design your garden to suit it.
You could even be more literal with your theme and create a tribute to your favorite show, book, or film.
Fantasy themes are also an innovative way to get creative, especially if you have children: fairy gardens are a good example of this.
However, keep in mind that the subtler your design is, the more diverse the uses for your garden will be.
Your garden design is your chance to let loose and create a retreat in your own backyard, so don’t be afraid of exploring original and unusual designs.
