How to plan your garden’s layout

Every garden, regardless of its size, has the potential to be a wonderful space that enhances both your lifestyle and your property. You would be extremely fortunate if you purchased or inherited a property which already featured the perfect outside space but you can create your dream garden.

Establishing your ideal garden will take a great deal of thought, planning, time and effort. But the results could be spectacular. Getting started is often the hardest thing of all and you will need to evolve the right layout before you attempt to make any changes.

So, if you would love to transform your property and you don’t quite know where to start, here’s how to plan your garden’s layout.

Live with your garden
If you have recently moved into your home, it might be tempting to get stuck into your garden makeover immediately. But it would be far better to live with your garden for a few months. This will give you a better idea of what the space’s shortcomings are and which aspects of it have proved useful.
It is worth taking your time, even if you have lived in your home for several years. You may not have previously devoted much thought to your garden and so it would be helpful to spend time in it while thinking about how it could be improved.

Evaluate the existing characteristics of the space
There are certain characteristics of your garden that you cannot change such as its size, the nature of the soil and the amount of sunlight it benefits from. Test your soil and discover which areas of the space get sun, a little sun or no sun. Your existing garden could provide clues as to which plants thrive in which areas. By moving around your space and exploring it, you will see whether there are parts of the garden that are hard to reach, inaccessible or prone to issues such as waterlogging. Any issues you find should be addressed when you create your plan. Complete your evaluation by measuring your garden and any significant features that it contains.

Determine the purpose of your garden
Think about how you intend to use your garden. Do you wish to incorporate an entertainment space such as a patio or deck? Are you looking to attract wildlife to your property, and would you like to grow vegetables? Is an impressive floral display your priority? Remember that the available space might limit what you can include so it is important to be realistic and to establish priorities. Write a list of the elements large and small that you want to feature in your garden including:

• Areas for entertaining, play, planting and growing vegetables
• Outbuildings such as sheds, greenhouses or garden rooms
• Water features including ponds and fountains
• Pergolas, pots and bird feeders Practical elements including water buts, taps and storage.

Plan how to deal with any awkward aspects of your space
Does your garden feature sloping ground, large trees that you cannot remove, boggy areas or any other elements that could prove challenging? If it does, consider how you could make the most of those aspects of the space, how you could conceal them or how their impact could be minimised.

For instance, would an area prone to waterlogging be a great location for a wildlife pond? Could you excavate sloping ground to create terraces? Would a large tree be the perfect place for a tree house?

Consider colour and sound
Vibrant colours and the sound of running  water can transform your outside space and bring it to life. Of course, flowers will lend colour to your garden in the summer but what about the winter months? Incorporate red and golden foliage into your planting scheme for year-round interest. You could also paint your fences to make a feature of your borders.

If you wish to create a relaxing ambiance, nothing compares to the sound of running water. That sound will also help to mitigate the impact of traffic noise and other noise pollution. It is possible to include a water feature in even the smallest gardens and so it is worth exploring your options.

Think about maintenance
New projects are incredibly exciting, and you will probably feel highly motivated when first planning your garden. But think about how your space will work for you moving forward. How much time do you really have at your disposal to maintain your garden and do you relish the thought of weeding and caring for your plants every day? Your garden should be a pleasure not a burden.

Before evolving your plan, decide whether you can cope with a high maintenance garden or whether you should use paving and planters to create a low maintenance space that you can keep on top of.

Create a draft layout
Make a rough sketch of your space showing where you wish to position each defined area of the garden and the features you have decided to include. Using graph paper will help you to keep your plan to scale.

Consider that you can incorporate curves and circles in your design, you don’t need to confine yourself to square and rectangular areas for lawns, beds, pathways and patios.

Your sketch should reveal whether it is possible to include every feature on your wish list. You may need to change your plans if it becomes clear that certain areas would be too small to be practical or that the large greenhouse you wanted would overly dominate the garden.

Don’t forget to incorporate the pathways, stepping stones or steps you need to access every area of the space.

Look carefully at your design to decide whether it will deliver the practical elements you require while also being aesthetically pleasing.

Refine the details of your layout
Once you have evolved a layout that you feel will satisfy your needs and produce a beautiful look, it will be time to refine the details of your plan:

• How will you create divisions between the different areas of your garden? Will you use fencing, trellises, hedges or walls to divide your space?
• How will you conceal the unappealing aspects of your garden such as storage areas, water butts and composters?
• Think about lighting. Which areas of the space should be illuminated for safety, to enable you to see your garden at night or to highlight a particularly attractive feature?
• Which plants, flowers and trees do you wish to include in your beds, borders and pots? Mark the location of significant plants and trees on your plan.
• Consider the practicalities of your space. Where will you require power and water? How will you run utilities to those areas? How will you move materials to where you need them during the project?

You should now benefit from a suitable layout for your garden and one that includes every detail that you wish to incorporate. You may need to further refine or to amend your plans as you progress with the project. But you are in possession of the blueprint for your garden and it should enable you to realise your vision for your space.

You can now move on to scheduling your project. It is important to research the availability and delivery times of the materials you will be using and the features you will be including. Decide where best to start, bearing in mind that you don’t want to complete an area of the space only to trample over it in order to reach another later on.

If you struggle to settle upon a suitable layout or feel that you don’t have the time or skills required to complete your plan, contact us, as professional designers and landscapers. We will help you to establish the right layout, look and planting scheme before bringing the plan to life.

Complete and implement
Once you’ve decided on a design, it’s time to get your hands dirty! The first thing to do is to prepare the soil and add compost or fertiliser as needed. Then, arrange your plants according to your plan, making sure to water them thoroughly after planting.

Like anything that requires some planning, the first steps can often feel like the largest, but once it is broken down into manageable tasks, anything is possible. The more time spent planning, the more time saved in maintenance and repairs. Let your creative juices flow and don’t let the limitations of your space stop you!

If you are interested in the field of garden design, take a look at our expertly curated courses! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener honing your skills or you are just curious to learn more, our courses have you covered. Learn from industry professionals, acquire hands-on experience, and turn your backyard into a work of art. Enrol today and begin a journey that will turn your garden dreams into a bountiful reality!