You are reading on Flower garden designing techniques (Principles of garden design).

How to design a flower garden

Everyone would like to have a perfect plot of land, but in actual practice the plot available for gardening either will not be in a good site or the shape and size will not be ideal. Whatever may be the case, one should not to be hopeless. A good designer is one who will make the best use of such a site. In such a case a land with natural undulations should not be leveled, but rather the differences in levels should be utilized with proper designing. Fencing, though may not look artistic but is essential in any garden. The fencing should be in such a way that it looks natural and should not obstruct any natural view. For example, if there is a natural forest, scenery or a hillock just outside the boundary, it should be incorporated in the garden as if it appears to be a part of the garden.

The other aspects of garden design which to be carefully considered while designing are briefly discussed below.

Axis

This is an imaginary line in any garden, around which the garden is created striking a balance. In a formal garden, the central line is the axis. At the end of an axis, generally there will be a focal point. However, other architectural features such as bird-bath or sundial can also be erected at about the midpoint.

Focal point

In every garden, there is a centre of attraction which is generally an architectural feature focused as a point of interest. Thus a focal point is one of the elements of good landscape design.

C. Mass effect

The use of one general form of plant material in large numbers in one place is done to a have mass effect. To see that such arrangements do not become monotonous, the size of the masses should be varied.

Various methods of collection of sem*n have been devised from time to time. The older unsatisfactory methods have been gradually replaced by the newer modern techniques.

Unity

Unity in a garden is very important, as when this is achieved, it will improve the artistic look of the garden. Unity has to be achieved from various angles. First, the unity of style, feeling and function between the house and the garden has to be achieved. Secondly, the different components of the gardens should merge harmoniously with each other. The aim is to give the visitor an over all impression of the garden rather than blowing up some special features. The last point, which is also very important is to achieve some harmony between the landscape outside and the garden. A garden laid out in complete defiance of the local conditions may look exotic. For example, cacti planted in a seashore garden is completely out of place as these are inhabitants of dry localities. To achieve a unity between the house and the garden, it is a common practice to train creepers on the front porch which covers the rudeness of masonary work and also bring the house closer to nature. For the same reasons, foundation planting broadly means the planting of bushy plants near the foundation of the house.

Space

The aim of every garden design should be such that the garden should appear larger than its actual size. One way of achieving this is to keep vast spaces preferably under lawn, and restrict the planting in the periphery, normally avoiding any planting in the centre. But if any planting has to be done in the centre, the choice should be a tree which branches at a higher level on the trunk ( or the lower branches are removed) and not a bushy shrub. Such planting will not obstruct the view or make the garden appear smaller than its actual size. A large open space planted haphazardly allover with trees looks smaller than its size. The technique of creating an illusion of more space is also referred to as forced perspective.

F. Divisional lines

In a landscape garden, there should not be any hard and fast divisional lines. But there is the necessity of dividing or rather screening a compost pit or a mali's quarter or a vegetable garden from the rest of the garden. In fact areas under lawn, gravel, stone or cement paths, and-shrubbery border have their natural divisional lines from its immediate neighbor.

The divisional lines should be artistic with gentle curves and these should also be useful. Above all, lines should harmonize with one another.

Proportion and scale

s Proportion in a garden may be defined as a definite relationship between masses. For example, a rectangle having a ratio of 5:8 is considered to be of pleasing proportion. As this ratio comes down, the form looks neither square nor a rectangle, and this kind of design becomes undesirable.

There is no set rules regarding scale or proportion in a garden. But a simple rule is that a design should look pleasant. It is better to have an adhoc design first and then try it out on the actual spot. If the design looks appealing as well as pleasing, it is implemented. When a shrubbery border has to be planted, the outer design is marked by arranging a rubber hose or thick wet rope in different. designs on the spot and the one which looks best is adopted. Then sticks of different heights representing the various shrubs, are planted in various positions and by the method of permutation and combination the most proportionate looking arrangements is adopted.

The steps in a garden, should not only be broader than those inside the house but should have deep treads (the stepping) and low risers also. This means the steps are spaced wider, making climbing easier and pleasant. Moreover a very wide flight of steps dividing two lawn areas at different levels, makes the translation easy and inconspicuous. The common practice of laying out a small rockery at the base of a large tree with small thorny specimens looks not only ugly, but is also out of scale. A tiny pool in the midst of a large lawn also looks disproportionate.

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Principles of garden designing - Flower gardening

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