Deviating from three common design principles frees you to create a truly unique garden
Whether I am visiting apublic gardenor in a landscape painting make by nature , I guess about what makes these stead special . I of necessity conclude that the gardens I love best deviant from the principles I was taught as a designer . And if I have learned one matter in more than 20 years of horticulture , it is that break down some of the more common rule — such as space decent , sticking to a singlecolor scheme , and separating sun and shadiness flora — can make a truly unique and personalized garden .
One rule of garden design advise that plants should be tiered — or layered — withtall plantsin the back and unretentive plants in front . To make a garden finger more rude and unexpected , however , I suggest placing tall and bold - leaved plants near the front or center of a layer and interspersingshorter plantsthroughout . This allows the center to fall to different expanse , creating unexpected persuasion around the plants and leading to interesting shadows and depth .
Rule 1:AlwaysSpace and Tier Plants
The rule of spacing plant can also be overrate . For a complex and intricate garden , I prefer a full flavor . This often results in plant bush andperennialscloser than one might anticipate or that the nursery recommend . That articulate , it is important to maintain a close ticker on thickly planted bed so that breaking this rule results in a tapis of plants that weave into one another and not a chaotic pot . One agency to do this is to prune selectively or remove plants if they become overgrown . Pruningplants — especially into topiaries — make a striking contrast to what could become a junglelike look while also adding unlooked-for computer architecture to the garden .
As I mature as a nurseryman , I well understand how color influences a garden , and have find that varying the color schemes from one area to another suggest unlike moods . This leads to a more exciting garden as a whole . My garden , for illustration , has four preponderating color schemes : a unripened - and - snowy sidewalk garden with splashes ofvibrant colorsa calm down green - and - ashen - only garden in the back , where I spend most of my time ; a welcoming nerveless - color garden at the incoming to my house ; and a spicy - color garden along a drive that links the sidewalk and back garden . While these garden dissent from one another , they are unite by specific works or a plant life people of color .
The pavement garden , for example , is predominantly green and white with a few splashes of vivacious colors from plants such as pink foxglove ( Digitalispurpureacv . , USDA Hardiness Zones 4–8 ) and golden - leave ‘ Little Honey ’ oakleafhydrangea(Hydrangea quercifolia‘Little Honey ’ , Zones 5–9 . At least one of the colors in this garden is repeated in the side garden .
The visitant ’s garden at the entrance to my mansion reveals flower of blue , pink , and purpleness , admit a mix ofdelphiniums(Delphiniumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–7 ) with digitalis ( Digitalis purpureacvs . , Zones 4–8 ) . These coolheaded - colour flowers combine with livid flowers in the area , and the effect is welcoming . Gray- and silver - foliage plants , such as honey bush ( Melianthusmajor , Zones 8–11 ) , command attention , and blue - allow for shrubs , like St. John ’s wort ( genus Hypericum frondosum , zone 5–8 ) , bring to the spectrum of racy leafage and flower color .
By line , a driveway that I share with my neighbour evokes a signified of escapade , with its orangish , magenta , and other hot colors . This field and the visitor ’s garden are divided by an arbor plant with vines to fall apart the spaces .
Rule 2:Stick to One Color Scheme Throughout the Garden
The back garden is primarily green and lavish under a canopy of old hardwoods . Visitors comment on the peacefulness of this space , largely because they can take a breather their eyes from the acute colors of the drive garden . motley plant , such as ‘ Spider ’s Web ’ Nipponese aralia ( Fatsia japonica‘Spider ’s Web ’ , Zones 8–10 ) and variegated dogwood tree ( Cornuscontroversa‘Variegata ’ , zone 6–9 ) , combine with ‘ snowbird ’ oakleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea quercifolia‘Snowflake ’ , Zones 5–9 ) within the shade to illumine the space . There are few heyday — and even those are in variegate shade of gullible and white .
alter the colour dodge from garden to garden make an unequaled experience within each distance . Yet unite the space with a similar plant or individual vividness forestall the garden as a whole from becoming jarring .
With the exception of the private road garden — where all plants are sun fan — I integrate sunlight andshade plantsthroughout my gardens . I have promote this alone blending through judicious pruning and proper plant placement . Twenty years ago , for good example , during the early development of my garden , I establish many understory tree throughout the holding . This was peculiarly true in the back , where extant trees were more than 100 feet tall and flush it to furnish enough shade . I planted several mintage ofJapanese mapleto produce an intermediate bed under the hardwoods . As the garden matured , however , these Tree became too dull for underplantings to blossom . Rather than take them , I embarked on a practice of selective pruning to add light into the space . Not only do understory plant now blossom attractively in the back expanse but also the thinning of these trees allows deeper views into multiple areas .
Rule 3:Sun and Shade Plants Need to be Separated
heedful pruning also enabled me to combine Sunday and shade plants in the entrance garden . Sun lovers , such as ‘ Newport Pink ’ dianthus ( Dianthusbarbatus‘Newport Pink ’ , Zones 3–9 ) , are more intriguing when juxtaposed with shade industrial plant , such as ‘ Toyama - nishiki ’ Japanese maple ( Acer palmatumvar.dissectum‘Toyama - nishiki ’ , Zones 5–8 ) and variegated fragrant Solomon ’s sealing wax ( Polygonatumodoratum‘Variegatum ’ , Zones 3–8 ) . The cut back trees ply trade protection for shade plants yet do not block the light for the plants that like sunlight . This combination of foliage and flowers in the sun is more interesting than a large belt of peak typically find in a sunny area .
Although I did not purposely go under out to go against these and other design rules when I begin design my gardens , I have fare to realize that doing so is , indeed , a fashion of its own . Does this mean that all garden need to desolate design principle ? I do n’t conceive so . But to extract individuality , gardener might need to search out new rules . In my case — and in my garden — that unexampled rule is one of surprise .
Large Bold PlantsMake a Statement in the Front of a Border
place improbable , bold , or boastfully - pull up stakes plants in the front of a border create surprise . Here are a few of my favorites — all of which serve as showstoppers in my gardens .
Bear’s Breeches
Name : Acanthus mollis
Zones:7 to 11
Size:3 to 6 feet improbable and wide
condition : Full Dominicus to fond shade ; moist , well - drained soil
‘Little Honey’ Oakleaf Hydrangea
Name : Hydrangea quercifolia‘Little Honey ’
Zones:5 to 9
Size:4 foot tall and wide
Honey Bush
Name : Melianthus major
Zones:8 to 11
Size:6 to 10 groundwork tall and 3 to 10 foot blanket
Conditions : Full sunlight ; moist , well - drain ground
‘Spider’s Web’ Japanese Aralia
Name : Fatsia japonica‘Spider ’s Web ’
Zones:8 to 10
Size:5 to 12 feet tall and wide
Conditions : Light , dappled shade ; moist , well - drain soil
David Ellis is the owner of Ellis Land Design , a blueprint / build business firm in Atlanta , Georgia .
Photos : Lynn Felici - Gallant
This bed demonstrates that you don’t need a lot of room between plants to have organization.Order is achieved, instead, by texture, color, size, and the placement of elements.
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This bed demonstrates that you don’t need a lot of room between plants to have organization.Order is achieved, instead, by texture, color, size, and the placement of elements.
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Predominantly green gardens are calming.A green-and-white plant palette allows the eye to rest, especially after visiting a colorful area.
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Blend sun and shade plants.Mix together plants such as hellebores, Japanese maple, roses, and delphiniums in areas that are both open and protected by trees.
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Introduce shade using trees.The proper placement of trees in an otherwise sunny area creates dark pockets, allowing for the introduction of shade plants just steps away from a sunny planting.
