Wednesday 22nd May 2013 We enjoyed a fabulous Garden Design with David Stevens
INTRODUCTION
TO THE COURSE
This Course can only be a ‘taster’! – But I will take you
right the way through the sequence of just how to design a garden, the pitfalls,
the ‘tricks of the trade’ and the practical commonsense things that will make
your garden work for you. We shall
cover both theory and practice, the latter in the Garden Centre seeing just
what plants we can choose for a whole range of situations, soil and
microclimate – enjoy!!
Your
role during the course and how to get maximum benefit.
1 What is a Garden design
2 What is a Designers job
3 What you should expect from a Designer
THE
BASIS OF GOOD GARDEN DESIGN
Wherever you live in
any part of the World the PRINCPLES of design remain the same.
This is to do with the manipulation of space, plants come later and that is perhaps the most important
lesson of all.
1 It cannot be separated from other design
The Masters: Frank Lloyd Wright
Lutyens
Mackintosh
etc
2 Reflects YOUR personality
3 Reflects house AND LOCALITY
4 Responsibility to your neighbours
5 House/Garden and landscape cannot be separated
6 The garden has to contain practical AND beautiful
Do not copy
fashion
Do not copy from
books/TV/shows etc.
While most of us
can design our homes the ideas dry up outside – why?
THE
SIMPLE THINGS WORK BEST
ANALYSIS – WHAT HAVE YOU GOT/WHAT DO YOU WANT
What have you got – Learning to know your garden – analyse – survey and the birth of
ideas. Don’t slash and burn
What do you want – Moodboard, checklist, priorities
The importance of and how to prepare a scale drawing.
Budgets
Degree of
Maintenance
GARDEN
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
The importance of
an indigenous design style – and your personality
Don’t just copy
Rosemary Verey (although she was brilliant) or anybody else
The importance of Inspiration from whatever source – always take a camera and
notebook – everywhere
Borrowed landscape
– within and without
TENSION/
MYSTERY/ SURPRISE
The subdivision
and manipulation of space which is the basis of all good design.
GARDEN
STYLES – AND WHICH WILL SUIT YOU
You don’t have to
conform to a given style (ie) English, Japanese, Country Cottage etc., although
you might incorporate one of these.
You can choose
your own style from (THERE ARE ONLY FOUR)
Formal (balanced)
Freeform (fluid)
Deconstructivist (breaks the rules!)
DON’T BE AFRAID OF RECTANGLES
DIFFERENT
GARDEN SHAPES
The importance of
positive and negative space
The importance of
the diagonal line
The right angle
rule
The question of
curves
PREPARING
AN OUTLINE SCHEME
Choose a garden
style (simplicity)
Don’t crystallise
too soon
Keep it loose
Try different
version
PLANTING
The English/ AND other styles
Don’t necessarily copy any particular style – but take the
best as long as it suits you and your micro-climate.
Reflect an Identity in planting
A worthwhile style that uses a
blend of textures, shapes and colours with a subtle mix of indigenous and
exotic species.
You will have checked out your
micro climate/prevailing winds etc. – make the most of local knowledge.
SOIL, CULTIVATION AND COMPOST!!!!!!!!
BUILDING UP THE PLANTING PLAN LIKE A WOODLAND
1 THE OUTER FRAMEWORK – (ones, twos,
threes) largely evergreen, tough screening, higher + trees.
2 THE MIDDLE GROUND – Lower, more colourful,
variation in height, shape, texture etc, three, five, seven (mix shrubs –
perennials)
3 THE LOWER STORY – GROUND COVERS – big drifts,
foliage or colour.
4 THE FOCAL POINT PLANTS – (careful or will
become spotty)
The theory of REVERSAL
planting
THE USE OF COLOUR
Colour grading (or how to throw
away the colour wheel!)
Hot attracts
Cools recede
How to link colour ranges by
using grey/cream etc.
“lifting “colour ranges by cross
fertilisation
RESEARCH PLANTING CONDITIONS
Remember that there can be different micro-climatic
conditions within your immediate locality area or even your garden.
Understand temperate or other
climatic zone you live in
Research areas of micro climates i.e.,
courtyards, seaside, hillsides etc.
Know your planting areas ie
North/South facing walls within the garden infra structure and subsequent
climatic conditions within those areas.
SUMMING UP AND QUESTIONS!
