Comments on: What makes a great garden?

By: vona

vona — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:35:08 +0000

Seeing as how secret garden is one of my favorite books ever. i would love a little secret spot in my garden one day. i love gardens with useful plants like herbs and spices and flowers etc.

Oh yeah, it has to have a tree. preferably a fruit tree.

By: Rachel Mathews

Rachel Mathews — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:02:24 +0000

Iain and Alison you make good points about having a surprise element or hidden part of a garden – it all adds to the magic.

Alison, you are lucky to live in an area where you can use natural local materials. Perhaps I need to learn to love chalk more – seems to be an abundance on the outskirts of Cambridge!

I can’t wait to see your garden transform (especially having had a sneak peak of Alison’s design). Keep us posted on your progress.

By: Alison Kerr

Alison Kerr — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:20:05 +0000

I love the idea of a “secret place” in a landscape. Beyond that, I think the elements of the garden landscape need to flow together and to fit the surroundings.

A garden in Kansas should look different from a garden in England or Italy; it should say something about where the garden is and what is special about that location. Incorporating local materials for the hard landscaping and native plants to bring local butterflies and birds both help.

I’m really excited about the garden landscape Rachel helped me to design through her Beginner’s Design course. I’m going to have lots of local rock and plants. I’m itching to get started!
.-= Alison Kerr´s last blog ..Garden Friends in February =-.

By: Iain Gray

Iain Gray — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:00:57 +0000

Personally, I’d say love, care + character make a great garden, but I speak as an enthusiastic amateur gardener, not as a designer.

From my experience of gardens that have been “designed”, I think that having the element of surprise, or a secret place is what transforms a garden from nice to magical.
.-= Iain Gray´s last blog ..How To Do Free Market Research (Without Leaving Your Seat) =-.