I've just returned from a lovely month in Sicily. Whilst, there wasn't exactly an abundance of gardens to visit in the area I was staying in, here are some design tips I picked up... 1. Shape and Form Of course, we can't all grow cacti, but even so, take a look at how their form and structure … [Read More...] about Garden Design Tips – Sicilian Inspiration
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Garden Makeover the Designer Way
When the weather starts heating up you’ll either be basking in the sun or cooling off in the shade and enjoying the beauty of your garden or patio... But what if you haven't yet created your dream … [Read More...] about Garden Makeover the Designer Way
Drought tolerant gardens – lush Xeriscaping not Zeroscaping deserts!
How do you create a beautiful garden in a dry, low water region without needing to constantly irrigate or risk having it look like a desert? I'm going to draw examples from the unlikely bedfellows … [Read More...] about Drought tolerant gardens – lush Xeriscaping not Zeroscaping deserts!
Garden Design Takeaways – Chelsea Flower Show 2019
The inspiration for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show (the most prestigious gardening show in the UK) was very much about getting back to nature in the garden. As you might have seen with Kate Middleton’s involvement with the RHS Back to Nature Garden. I’m delighted to say the natural theme permeated the entire show in […]
Awkward shaped garden design tips
Having a garden that is an unusual or awkward shape can often feel like a nightmare to deal with. Actually, though, an awkward shape garden is often a blessing because it enables you to come up with a design that is very unique, that you wouldn’t have been able to do in a regular rectangular […]
Natural Garden Design Styles Vs Native & Wildflower Planting for Wildlife
I’m often asked by people how they can either create a more natural looking garden because they live in the countryside and don’t want anything that’s ‘overly designed’ or folks that are deeply concerned for the environment and want to do their bit for wildlife. There are also a lot of people who want to […]
Sloping garden ideas – successful landscaping design tips
How do you tackle sloping gardens like these? With severe garden slopes, you basically have 3 options: Live with the slope Terrace it (quickly or slowly) The compromise Whilst the garden design methods I teach here at Successful Garden Design are simple and cost-effective, that does change the moment you have to tackle a sloping […]
How to Landscape Around Raised Beds
An SGD reader recently wanted to know “how to plant around raised garden beds and structures within a walkway border bed and keep it visually appealing and cohesive“. The short answer is you can’t (well, not easily)… A garden with lots of unconnected elements never looks right. They need to fit into the overall design […]
Garden colour – in unexpected ways
Part 1 – Colourful Garden Walls Most of us love a colourful garden, but the good news is, you don’t have to rely on just flowers… Painting walls and features is a really simple way to brighten any garden all year. What colours should you choose to paint your garden walls and feature items? The […]
Garden paths – How to choose the right style for your garden
There are many different styles of materials that you can use for paths. Garden paths can be made from anything from gravel to paving, pebble mosaics, brick, timber to recycled church floor flagstones! Before we get going on what type of materials you should use, we need to look at the most important part and […]
