There is nothing nicer than cosying up in front of a winter fire and dreaming of spring. While spring may feel a world away, there is plenty that we can do to plan for the coming year, and winter is a wonderful time for a spot of creative thinking.
My garden design practice continues to work with clients to create their dream gardens right the way throughout winter, and I want to share with you some of my strategies and tips so that you can plan your garden during these chilly winter months.
This is part one of a two part special, where I help you to make plans for your own garden oasis – whether it is a new garden in the making, or a bit of a revamp to your existing garden.
The Wish List
Firstly, my favourite bit… the ‘wish list’. Make a list of all the things you want for your garden. This includes things that you want to be able to do out there: morning coffee in the sun; dining with friends and family; growing herbs and veg, and basking in the sun (I told you we were dreaming!).
Then think about focal points, a good design needs elements to draw the eye. Don’t forget to include the views from your windows, after all we probably spend as much time looking out into our gardens as we do in them. Treating your window as a bit of a ‘living picture’ really helps to draw the outside in.
Other elements you may want to consider include places to sit; shelter, in the form of an arbour or pergola, and how about a pond or a water feature which would be a real bonus for attracting wildlife!
Then turn your attention to the more practical side of the garden. What are your storage needs? Do you need a shed – and if so, how big do you need it? A bike store perhaps; a play house for the kids; somewhere to keep the bins? Make a list. These are the jigsaw pieces that you will need to create your garden.
When I first visit a garden, I have lots of ideas of how it can be designed but the important part is to get the right design for the client. Everyone is different, as are our gardens, so it is hugely important that we collect all these pieces of the puzzle before we start. That way we make sure it is a good fit for your lifestyle and taste.
Garden Analysis
Next up comes an analysis of the garden as it is. What works in the garden, and what does not? Where are the sunny areas, and those in shade (bear in mind that the sun is low just now, so there will be more shade than in the summer months)? Does a wind howl through the garden, from which direction? Are there frost pockets, or any issues with drainage? You can also do an audit of the existing features, are they fit for purpose, in the right place, do you like them?
Garden Levels and Drainage
One of the most common mistakes I see in garden design relates to levels and drainage. Gardens are hardly ever flat, and the management of slopes can often cause a fair bit of head scratching to get right.
Slopes are not too much of an issue for planted areas (depending on the gradient of course), but when it comes to paths and patios, they need careful consideration. Do we need any steps or retaining walls? These can be some of the ‘bigger ticket’ items in a garden, which require some thought and consideration as to how we can work with the gradients in order to be kind to the budget.
Gravity features a lot in garden design, as does rainfall. Put these together and we often find gardens that have issues with drainage. Get to know your soil. Is it sandy, loamy, or clay? Clay soil is notorious for holding onto water, whilst sandy soil tends to drain freely. Our soil has a large part to play in how quickly rainfall will drain away.
Top Tip: clay soil can benefit greatly from the incorporation of some mushroom compost.
Ideally all of the hard surfaces (paths, patios etc.) will drain into a flower bed or lawn, but all too often I see hard landscaping direct water towards buildings. This is obviously bad news when it comes to issues with damp in our homes. When rain hits a hard surface, gravity will cause it to run to the lowest point – it is as simple as that, yet so often overlooked. When adding any hard surface into your garden always ask the question, ’Where will the rain water go?’
Plant Choice Comes Last
Notice that I have not yet talked about plants. Designing a garden is akin to building a house. Firstly, there is the architecture, the layout, and the building materials. Then comes the interior design and soft furnishings. The backbone of a garden is the layout and the materials with which it is constructed.
The plants become the window dressing – they fill a garden, as furnishings fill a house. You would not dream of setting out your sofa before your house was built. Get the structure right first for the garden, and your plants will then come in and compliment it wonderfully.
Plants turn an outdoor space into a garden, just as interior furnishings turn a house into a home.
Collect the Pieces
Now that you are well on your way to collecting the jigsaw pieces for your garden design, it is even better if you can get creative and collect some images to help with your dreaming. Creating a mood board is a lovely activity for a cold winter night. There are online resources like Pinterest which you can use to pin images.
In the next part, I will help you turn these jigsaw pieces into a design, and take the next steps to making your dream garden a reality.
Designer and Director of Lynn Hill Garden Design, Lynn loves designing wonderful green spaces and has worked on a wide variety of projects – from small townhouse courtyards, to sprawling country landscapes. She has created gardens at Chelsea Flower Show, Hampton Court Flower Show, and Gardening Scotland, as well as working with BBC TV as a Design Consultant for Beechgrove Garden COP26 Special.
Lynn is passionate about sharing her vision and skills. Having a 1st Class Honours Degree in Community Education from the University of Edinburgh, as well as an HNC with Distinction in Garden Design, she brings a dedication to social and environmental purpose. She has been honoured with many awards which stand testament to her devotion, skill, and attention to detail.
Green spaces can be sanctuaries that nourish us, heal us, inspire us. Lynn encourages us to view our gardens as an extension of our home, and embrace the benefits they bring to our health and wellbeing.
A member of the Scottish Ecological Design Association, and Women In Property, Lynn also finds time to work alongside Scottish Actor Gordon Brown to create a holiday respite home for families with children affected by cancer for the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund.
See more of Lynn’s work at www.lynnhillgardendesign.co.uk