Redesigning Garden

ceewash

I have a standard garden but it is wider than long and want to completely redesign it. Don't really know where to start. Is it worthwhile paying someone or can I do it? How much does it cost to have a designer. I would like help with planting, not just hard landscape. Any advice welcome.

Farway

It really depends on you, bit length of piece of string question and how deep are your pockets?

First thing is what do want your garden for? Kids playing footie or you quitely sipping cocktails under a tree & admiring the view?

Once that's decided go from there

Woolsery

I was going to say the same thing as Farway; the garden design starts with you.

Do people need garden designers? I don't think many of us do if we learn a few first principles from books, articles and probably these days, videos. For example, a wider than long garden may not be best viewed all together and a bit hidden away creates an air of mystery etc.

goldfinches

I was going to ask exactly the same question as Farway and make the same comment as Woolsery so shan't repeat either of them but will say that I have noticed a lot of very good gardening books on sale in charity shops over the last few years so it's well worth a prowl. The other place worth trying is your local library as if it was a very well reviewed book and/or by a very well known author they certainly bought it and this subject is written about at least once every decade or even more frequently. All the books give lots of sample layouts and planting plans and knowing what you don't like is helpful too. 

Farway

PS, you can get ideas from going around other gardens, many have "typical layout" of suburban gardens, and of course a lot of garden cnetres push things which may spark an idea

And watching garden programmes, such as Gardeners' World with other gardens could trigger something varying from lush tropical to parched prarie

In fact with wide but short garden I agree with Woolsery, you don't want to see it all at once, not knowing where you live but I'd go for a jungley tropical look, short winding path to a open hidden space among tall lush foliage where you can sip your sundowners

Woolsery

It's also worth mentioning that most gardens are compromises. For example, although there are only two of us making the decisions, my OH and I have some different ideas, or by now I'd have a bog area fed from the roof via a wadi!

Sometimes the location plays a major part in choices too. Joy of joys, I have a stream garden all to myself, but it's in a semi-wild place, so gaudy garden plants won't look good there. It's also semi-shaded and in a frost pocket, which immediately rules out  plants which enjoy good drainage and sun in order to thrive.

twopenny

I have a garden that shape and the hardest to do ive found out.
So many choices.
But you can't ask someone to do it unless you know what you want. Same as a house.
I spent hours online looking at small gardens and saving the items I liked for inspiration.
I went round village open gardens taking photos.
I had to study how I was using the garden, where the sun and shade was, where to sit etc.
I'd start with that. Taking into account heatwaves and shade v .warm sun spring and autumn.
Keep in mind that new plants will cost quite a lot over all and take time to mature. 
If you want to post some photos , size and say what you need to use it for everyone will chip in. They may not be what you want but that's a start to knowing what you dont and do want.

goldfinches

Woolsery said:

It's also worth mentioning that most gardens are compromises. For example, although there are only two of us making the decisions, my OH and I have some different ideas, or by now I'd have a bog area fed from the roof via a wadi!

Sometimes the location plays a major part in choices too. Joy of joys, I have a stream garden all to myself, but it's in a semi-wild place, so gaudy garden plants won't look good there. It's also semi-shaded and in a frost pocket, which immediately rules out  plants which enjoy good drainage and sun in order to thrive.

Get you Lawrence of Arabia!   🏇  I'd have a herb and vegetable potager, a fruit cage, an asparagus bed and an orchard plus nut trees all surrounded by edible hedging with a library and kitchen with attached bedroom and bathroom plonked roughly in the middle. If I had a stream I'd want a living bridge too. 
PS I could do without any neighbours near enough to be audible as well, might as well make it perfect while I'm at it.
What does everyone else want?

ceewash

Thank you all. I've lived with the garden for 30yrs and it's been a football pitch for many years. Now the dog is wrecking my lawn chasing her ball. So yes I need some inspiration. Want to move the patio area to get more sun, the original one has no sun due to next door's huge extension. I love gardening although I'm a complete amateur. I would just like it to be my garden now I've retired. Any tips on good gardening books or websites. I'm an avid follower of Gardener's World but get a bit overwhelmed as where to start.

Woolsery

goldfinches said:

Woolsery said:

It's also worth mentioning that most gardens are compromises. For example, although there are only two of us making the decisions, my OH and I have some different ideas, or by now I'd have a bog area fed from the roof via a wadi!

Get you Lawrence of Arabia!   🏇 

We were once friends with a couple, now deceased, who used to open their 4.5 acres to the public. The one thing their garden lacked was a stream, but they'd constructed a wadi taking the water from the house roof about 100m to a large pond. If it worked for them....

theoretica

Personally, I would love an arboretum.  But wanting a sunny patio is a good start - which are the sunniest spots in the garden?  Which have nice views/privacy already or would want something around them?  The dog running over everything perhaps makes some garden features less likely to be a success.  How much maintenance do you want to do and what sorts?  Pruning, weeding, replanting?