Dreaming of a beautiful garden

Davesnave

madmum33 wrote: »

I'm going through the same process at the moment. There are some excellent websites with guides to garden design, do a google search. They all say to start with a framework, all year interest from trees, shrubs and foliage, then add your flowers with herbaceous perennials, bulbs and finally annuals. A good way is to start with white flowers then add other colours.

Good luck!

Yes, and that is spot-on advice. Most people new to gardening have a problem relating to the structural elements of a garden, particularly trees & shrubs that don't seem to do anything 'exciting' for most of the time. It is only later when they've tried the other approach, (maximum in-yer-face flower power!) that the idea of a balancing force of foliage & shape gradually creeps in.

I once read that a good test of your garden's long term appeal is to shoot some photos of it in black & white. If it still looks interesting, then you've probably got good contrasts in shapes & forms going on, besides the more obvious colour. Now most of us have digital images, it is dead easy to do this....if we dare!

ANY_CHANCE

Thanks lots of great advice wish you were all local to come over and tell me what to put where!

Should i take some photos/ drawing of what i allready have?