People often fail with their landscaping or garden redesign project because they don’t have a thought-through plan that takes into account all of their space. All too often, amateur gardeners will decide what to do in part of a garden rather than conceiving their design as a whole.
This might mean designating one space as a patio or a terrace, another as a lawn and another as a border. If you work on these landscaping elements in isolation, then what you end up with is unlikely to work together.
Therefore, you should think about garden design aesthetics from the start, even if you are a beginner. In this article, we look at some of the other common landscaping mistakes to avoid.
Your seating area
Frequently, a garden will feel cramped even when there is plenty of space outside because the patio or terrace has been planned without enough room. Think about what your patio will look like when all of your garden furniture is on it. Is there still enough room to get around a table and chairs? Will you have enough space for guests?
Don’t compromise on the hard landscaping elements, which you will later regret. It’s better to go a bit bigger and add pots and planters later than try to squeeze in your deck or terrace.
Functional pathways
Garden paths are another common problem in landscaping projects. Don’t just have a pathway from A to B, for example, from your back door to your greenhouse or washing line. A meandering path will make your garden look bigger. Paths made with brick courses, shingles or hard-wearing turf with edging are good.
Soil improvement
Don’t begin planting borders or laying turf unless you have taken the time and trouble to improve your soil. This isn’t just about fertiliser and adding a layer of topsoil but also dealing with problems like compaction. If you’ve been wheelbarrowing hard landscaping materials like paving slabs around, your soil may have suffered, so aerate it and loosen compacted areas.
You should also consider your loam type. When you’re undergoing the temporary disruption that landscaping work causes, it is a good time to balance your soil if you happen to live in an especially acidic or alkaline area.
Light and shade
When choosing your planting, it is a good idea to consider which parts of your garden get the most sunlight and which don’t. Even in south-facing gardens, you might have to include shade-loving plants next to neighbouring fences that block out most of the light.
You’ll also need to think about drought-tolerant and shade-loving plants if you are going to plant under a tree. Fortunately, many native species of woodland flowers are very well adapted to just such conditions in the UK.
Garden privacy
On paper, your landscaping project might look fantastic and give you everything you need to enjoy your space on a bright summer’s day. However, you should also consider how overlooked or exposed your design might make you.
Weigh up whether more evergreen planting would be a good idea at the edges of your property, especially if, during the winter months, much of your planting will die back, leaving you more prone to lines of sight from outside. Alternatively, consider a garden structure, such as a gazebo, to help create more privacy.
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