Design Gloucestershire - By: Gareth Hoyle1

A private garden is a special place where nature is presented in all its beauty for the ultimate enjoyment and relaxation. Your garden can be a setting for a quiet gathering with friends, a romantic candlelit meal, or an alfresco early morning breakfast to the sound of the birds singing. Creating the perfect garden can be an artistic expression, combining practicality and aesthetics into the ideal outdoor space.

Humans have been creating ornamental horticultural environments since the dawn of time. Egyptian tomb paintings from the 1500s BC have been found that depict lotus ponds surrounded by symmetrical rows of acacias and palms. Darius the Great of Persia was known to have a ‘paradise garden’, as many great and affluent leaders did at this time. There have been many different styles of garden throughout history, such as the very geometric and formal French gardening style of the Gardens of Versailles. In England, wild gardens and perennial gardens have also been popular in the 19th century.

Nowadays, you don’t have to be incredibly wealthy or royalty to have your own garden, as most modern homeowners have this privilege. Trends in modern gardening include a recent environmental consciousness and awareness of sustainable garden design, such as green roofs or rainwater harvesting. A recent trend is also to grow fruit, vegetables, and/or herbs in one’s own personal garden, due to a desire for ‘organic’ produce and a global increase in food prices.

However gardens need not serve a practical purpose as some are simply decorative. Your garden can be anything you want it to be, when you incorporate your favourite flowers, some attractive sculptures, lights, and outdoor furniture.

If you are planning a garden, think about how much time you will be spending there and what types of purposes you would like your garden to accommodate. Do you want to have a quiet place to sit and reflect while you watch the birds and smell the flowers? Perhaps you want a grassy area where your children can play, or a water feature such as a fountain, waterfall, or fish pond. Do you want an open design, or a winding maze of small stone pathways and several beds of flowers?

Also, it is important to consider how a garden fits in with its surroundings. A good garden design will blend seamlessly with the landscape around it. Consider using plants that are native to your area, not only will they be easier to care for as they will thrive in the climate; they will also not look out of place next to the garden’s surroundings.

Also, before you decide what type of garden you want, think about how much time you want to spend maintaining it. If you love gardening and want to be out there weeding and tending to your flowers that is great. If you are not so inclined, you might consider a more natural garden of hardy shrubs and native plants that don’t require a lot of tender loving care.

There are many landscaping and garden design experts out there who can help you when it comes to determining what kind of garden suits your needs. Enjoy the beautiful weather more when you have somewhere to enjoy it! Get started on your dream garden today.

About the Author

Stephenchristiegardens.co.uk has a reputation as a designer who creates beautiful gardens. Visit the website today for more on Garden Design Oxfordshire and Garden Design Gloucestershire

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