Whilst forest fires blaze on one side of the globe and pandemic status is issued on another, you may feel guilty about being so concerned with the top garden design trends of 2020. However, everything is valid on different scales. Creating a haven within your own space offers you sanctuary from the world outside and you have every right to enjoy it.
Garden design, just like architecture or fashion, follows trends and often comes full circle to repeat itself. This year will be no exception. Colours and styles from interiors and fashion often influence the garden design world. In interiors this year bold colours, texture, and a step away from minimalism (maximalism) will be extremely prevalent.
Let’s take a look at how that will impact our gardens.
Bold colours
Grey has been over used slightly for the last few years and it is time to add some excitement outside. There’s no need to go crazy and mix primary colours everywhere, but a wall, furniture or a sculpture in a stronger colour can then become a statement piece of the garden. Use this colour as accents throughout planting, the interior or smaller items to tie everything together.
Texture
Dry stone walling at The Newt, Somerset
This can be used with planting but also through patterns and material choices. Smooth modern materials have been dominating gardens for a while now and it is time for natural materials to make a comeback. Gravels, setts and natural stone offer a deeper level of detail to a garden than the expanses of porcelain we are getting used to. Using features such as; reclaimed cobble pathways or slate on edge gives a strong sense of craftsmanship and attention to detail.
If you want to add depth to the garden with texture, then planting’s the way to do it. Utilising plants that provide year round interest is extremely important; for example a Phlomis russeliana provides evergreen heart shaped leaves, with dusky yellow flowers in Summer and then the spent seed heads can be left through the winter, adding height and drama, especially when covered in frost. Combining plants like this with fluffy seed heads of Pennisetum will make for a reliable, textural display.
Maximalism
This concept works in interiors by making the space more homely, showing off beautiful smaller pieces of interest. The same idea applies outside, for example groups of clay pots or salvaged lanterns add a new level of detail to the garden rather than one expanse of paving.
Seemingly small additions to the garden can have a much larger impact to the overall image.
Ecological Planting
We are becoming far more aware each year of the pressure we are putting on the natural world. Making beautiful gardens is one thing, but making them ecologically diverse takes them to the next level and you can rest easy knowing that you’ve done your part.
By creating varied habitats with diverse plantings, you can encourage more wildlife into your garden – benefitting both you and the local wildlife. Try creating layers of planting from ground cover to canopy trees and everything in between. This will give you a layered plant community that is more species rich per square metre than a block planting of evergreen shrubs!
For planting inspiration go and check out the Broadstone Garden that we completed last year. It’s teeming with wildlife!
My Dad lives with paranoid schizophrenia, which can be quite severe at times. In a time when mental health and wellness is mainstream, serious mental illness is still often misunderstood and rife with stigma.
Being a schizophrenic doesn’t define my Dad as a person, but it has impacted his entire life, leaving him unable to work and often getting himself in unfortunate situations, or sectioned for long periods of time. Whilst this is his situation, many people with schizophrenia do manage to work and hold down a more ‘normal’ lifestyle.
Some common symptoms of schizophrenia are: Paranoia, delusions, visual or audio hallucinations, muddled thoughts, lack of motivation, difficulty with social interactions. Just to name a few.
It also isn’t as simple as someone having the same symptoms every day of the year. It’s common to have up and down periods, where the symptoms and behaviours may become more extreme. Sometimes leading to a state of psychosis where someone needs to be sectioned under the mental health act.
Hopefully this has given some personal insight into schizophrenia. If you need any information or support, please go and check out @rethinkmentalillness ❤️
My Dad lives with paranoid schizophrenia, which can be quite severe at times. In a time when mental health and wellness is mainstream, serious mental illness is still often misunderstood and rife with stigma.
Being a schizophrenic doesn’t define my Dad as a person, but it has impacted his entire life, leaving him unable to work and often getting himself in unfortunate situations, or sectioned for long periods of time. Whilst this is his situation, many people with schizophrenia do manage to work and hold down a more ‘normal’ lifestyle.
Some common symptoms of schizophrenia are: Paranoia, delusions, visual or audio hallucinations, muddled thoughts, lack of motivation, difficulty with social interactions. Just to name a few.
It also isn’t as simple as someone having the same symptoms every day of the year. It’s common to have up and down periods, where the symptoms and behaviours may become more extreme. Sometimes leading to a state of psychosis where someone needs to be sectioned under the mental health act.
Hopefully this has given some personal insight into schizophrenia. If you need any information or support, please go and check out @rethinkmentalillness ❤️
The brief for Charlie & I was to make a wild Welsh inspired garden for a young family to enjoy. All with the challenge of a huge existing concrete pad to work around.
Luckily slate chippings cover a multitude of sins and tied in beautifully with the show stopping water feature. Made using slate walling stone by the very talented @landy3614 - it definitely stole the show!
There’s something very satisfying about poking plants into the nooks of a dry stone wall and around the base of the water feature.
The covered pergola gives them somewhere to sit outside even in the typical wet Welsh weather👌
@benjaminrichardpope and the rest of the team did an amazing job on this one! @leighapugh @jimbobs2020 @burdfieldlandscaping 🙌
The brief for Charlie & I was to make a wild Welsh inspired garden for a young family to enjoy. All with the challenge of a huge existing concrete pad to work around.
Luckily slate chippings cover a multitude of sins and tied in beautifully with the show stopping water feature. Made using slate walling stone by the very talented @landy3614 - it definitely stole the show!
There’s something very satisfying about poking plants into the nooks of a dry stone wall and around the base of the water feature.
The covered pergola gives them somewhere to sit outside even in the typical wet Welsh weather👌
@benjaminrichardpope and the rest of the team did an amazing job on this one! @leighapugh @jimbobs2020 @burdfieldlandscaping 🙌
This is my thought process behind setting out this beautiful bed, but the same can be applied to any planting scheme that you’re setting out!
People work in different ways, but generally this is how I approach most of mine.
I forgot to mention the x3 Tree Ferns which will make an amazing feature in the corner of this bed. I can’t wait to see this planting knit together over time.
Big thanks to @johnstonelandscapes & @johnstone_landscapes_jake who are building the garden and have done an amazing job on everything so far. Not far from completion now 🤞
If you have any questions about setting out or plant combos, just drop them in the comments below 🪴
This is my thought process behind setting out this beautiful bed, but the same can be applied to any planting scheme that you’re setting out!
People work in different ways, but generally this is how I approach most of mine.
I forgot to mention the x3 Tree Ferns which will make an amazing feature in the corner of this bed. I can’t wait to see this planting knit together over time.
Big thanks to @johnstonelandscapes & @johnstone_landscapes_jake who are building the garden and have done an amazing job on everything so far. Not far from completion now 🤞
If you have any questions about setting out or plant combos, just drop them in the comments below 🪴
Rearranging some potted plants can make BIG changes to your space…
I’d been growing these Colocasia for a while now and I was finally ready for them to go outside. They can take a while to get going, but when they do they grow SO fast!
I’ve always loved exotic style planting so they fit this section of the deck really well, amongst some of my other favourites. Especially against the water feature.
Colocasia are not hardy at all, so will need to be brought in after Summer! Well worth it though. My bulbs were from @farmergracy (not an ad.) - and they were great quality. 3 bulbs = 3 happy plants.
Rearranging some potted plants can make BIG changes to your space…
I’d been growing these Colocasia for a while now and I was finally ready for them to go outside. They can take a while to get going, but when they do they grow SO fast!
I’ve always loved exotic style planting so they fit this section of the deck really well, amongst some of my other favourites. Especially against the water feature.
Colocasia are not hardy at all, so will need to be brought in after Summer! Well worth it though. My bulbs were from @farmergracy (not an ad.) - and they were great quality. 3 bulbs = 3 happy plants.
Today’s Garden Rescue was a big transformation! Ripping out a lawn can be a bold move, but sometimes it just makes life easier and opens up other design opportunities.
It has made the garden easier to maintain for Anne, whilst also creating more of a journey through the garden.
The raised beds and raised water feature that you can perch on, makes it easy to potter in the garden, or just sit and relax under the pergola!
Not all gardens need crazy over the top design elements. Just a simple pergola, some nice paving details, and the sound of water is all you need for a dream garden. Oh.. and the plants of course!! 🪴
Today’s Garden Rescue was a big transformation! Ripping out a lawn can be a bold move, but sometimes it just makes life easier and opens up other design opportunities.
It has made the garden easier to maintain for Anne, whilst also creating more of a journey through the garden.
The raised beds and raised water feature that you can perch on, makes it easy to potter in the garden, or just sit and relax under the pergola!
Not all gardens need crazy over the top design elements. Just a simple pergola, some nice paving details, and the sound of water is all you need for a dream garden. Oh.. and the plants of course!! 🪴
People often have awkward spaces like this (before pic at the end) that they don’t know how to deal with. My lovely clients in Bradford on Avon wanted somewhere to catch the morning sun, surrounded by plants, all within a tiny corner of a courtyard.
The Bath stone walls make a beautiful backdrop for the garden. I used reclaimed pennant flagstones underfoot, 300mm steel edging to make a bed and deal with levels and a bespoke larch corner bench. We also used pebbles in mortar to make a threshold between the reclaimed pennant and existing cobbles.
There is even planting under the bench to maximise planting space, and a Star Jasmine on the wall. An Acer palmatum adds height and makes the garden feel more snug.
The combo of white Salvia and Geranium ‘Anne Folkard’ is a real triumph!
People often have awkward spaces like this (before pic at the end) that they don’t know how to deal with. My lovely clients in Bradford on Avon wanted somewhere to catch the morning sun, surrounded by plants, all within a tiny corner of a courtyard.
The Bath stone walls make a beautiful backdrop for the garden. I used reclaimed pennant flagstones underfoot, 300mm steel edging to make a bed and deal with levels and a bespoke larch corner bench. We also used pebbles in mortar to make a threshold between the reclaimed pennant and existing cobbles.
There is even planting under the bench to maximise planting space, and a Star Jasmine on the wall. An Acer palmatum adds height and makes the garden feel more snug.
The combo of white Salvia and Geranium ‘Anne Folkard’ is a real triumph!
Now this was a quirky garden rescue brief! A garden to show off all of the large animal sculptures that the client had collected.
Sculptures are very subjective and whilst one might not be your cup of tea, they can mean a lot to someone else. Joe absolutely adored his sculptures but they needed to be immersed in the garden so the whole family could enjoy them.
Using strong lines and vistas, the sculptures became focal points around the garden, immersed in planting. When it all grows out over the years this will be an absolutely cracking garden!
‘Luigi’ the Ligustrum topiary stag, modelled by myself and @jac_broccoli , was an extra special feature in the garden. It’s amazing what you can do with some very skilled hands, some steel wire and some privet plants! This was bespoke made by @agrumitopiary
And it was @ameliabouquetgardendesign Garden Rescue debut! I think she smashed it, can’t wait to see one of her designs built too 👌
Legendary build team too @benjaminrichardpope and co 💪
Now this was a quirky garden rescue brief! A garden to show off all of the large animal sculptures that the client had collected.
Sculptures are very subjective and whilst one might not be your cup of tea, they can mean a lot to someone else. Joe absolutely adored his sculptures but they needed to be immersed in the garden so the whole family could enjoy them.
Using strong lines and vistas, the sculptures became focal points around the garden, immersed in planting. When it all grows out over the years this will be an absolutely cracking garden!
‘Luigi’ the Ligustrum topiary stag, modelled by myself and @jac_broccoli , was an extra special feature in the garden. It’s amazing what you can do with some very skilled hands, some steel wire and some privet plants! This was bespoke made by @agrumitopiary
And it was @ameliabouquetgardendesign Garden Rescue debut! I think she smashed it, can’t wait to see one of her designs built too 👌
Legendary build team too @benjaminrichardpope and co 💪
What an awesome brief for this Garden Rescue. I love designing exotic style contemporary gardens and this one really had it all!
Putting in the water feature that you can actually walk over really made this garden feel like you were in a luxury exotic resort. Combining that with some big feature plants, bespoke chairs, and Charlie’s bar area, this ticked all the boxes.
Small gardens don’t have to be boring!
Thanks to the team as always for pulling out all the stops to make this garden.
What an awesome brief for this Garden Rescue. I love designing exotic style contemporary gardens and this one really had it all!
Putting in the water feature that you can actually walk over really made this garden feel like you were in a luxury exotic resort. Combining that with some big feature plants, bespoke chairs, and Charlie’s bar area, this ticked all the boxes.
Small gardens don’t have to be boring!
Thanks to the team as always for pulling out all the stops to make this garden.
