Cool Gardens - the pleasure of off-peak

Gardeners and garden designers often talk about extending the season of interest in the garden and for the most part we’re usually referring to plants – great plants for winter interest or autumn colour, for instance, but this time around I thought we’d look at ways of making the garden a lovely place to be beyond those balmy summer days. We’ve actually met people that don’t venture into their gardens at all from the point that the temperatures drop in the autumn until it rises again with those first sunny days of springtime, and for us, that’s way too long to be avoiding your garden! So, here are our top 4 things to think about, that if tackled, might just entice you back out into your autumn, winter and early spring garden again…

Comfort

We all love a bit of comfort but if we’re going to enjoy some throughout the cooler, wetter months then our comfort needs to be practical. Opt for furniture that can be left out in all weathers and/or design in some incidental, all weather sitting stops so that finding somewhere to sit doesn’t become a job in itself. For extra comfort choose cushions that are covered in weather proof fabrics and/or store them either in the seats that they belong to or in close proximity to them. The trick is to make the act of sitting comfortably as quick and easy as possible – if we have to work too hard at it we tend not to do it at all…

Shelter

If you have the room for one, a permanent structure will lend itself better for all year use; think gazebo type – with a roof and open sides – like in our image of Kew, here (although most domestic gardens opt for timber alternatives) - but shelter can be provided in many ways. The rain shadow of evergreen trees for instance may be all you need or the windbreak afforded by some dense border planting can make a cosy, inviting corner; even the meeting point of two fences with a bit of strategic planting can make an inviting sheltered spot. Suit the shelter to your style of garden and its environment and position it for optimal benefit and use. Anchor it by planting around it and leading pathways to it and if you’re designing your garden get that structure into your plan first so that it beds into your overall design.

Warmth

Of course for off-peak garden visitation we recommend wrapping up warm before you set foot outside of the house but to make a real event of it warmth is where it’s at! South facing walls will be naturally warmer than other aspects but for extra oomph you can’t beat a fire and for the real thing there’s a dizzying array of possibilities from corten steel fire pits to brick built outdoor fireplaces and clay or metal chimineas and log burners to suit any style. Fire pits look brilliant but if your site is even vaguely windy chimineas and fireplaces deal with smoke much more effectively. Check the eco-standards of wood burning options before buying though; the Government is cracking down on them! If you love flames but don’t want everything that goes with burning a real fire consider gel or bioethanol fires and if you just want heat without the flames gas and electric patio heaters come in many shapes and sizes including floor standing, ceiling rigged and table topping (electric heaters are generally more versatile and eco friendly than gas).

Ambience

Ambience is what will make your outdoor space one that you want to spend time in. Shelter, comfort, warmth all contribute to the character and atmosphere of a place but add lights, planting, views (whether near or far) and other decorative elements to your off-peak garden and it can be transformed into a truly magical place. Sipping a hot drink, wrapped up and warm in the quiet of a frosty winter morning is just lovely – we highly recommend it!

The Slab Effect

The Slab Effect

Love them or loathe them, chances are you have some slabs – paviours to us garden designers – somewhere in your garden. Incredibly versatile and varied paving slabs offer all sorts of opportunities through colour, function and form for garden owners and designers, but not all paviours are created equally. So, how do you decide what’s the ‘best’ paviour for your garden project? Here are some performance related things to consider as a starting point….

Most people tend to go for the look of a paving effect first but it’s worth knowing what you’re going to do with your newly paved area before you invest, so that the paviours themselves are fit for the purpose you intend. So, for instance, are you going to walk over them, drive over them, sit on them, park on them, etc? Will the area be high or low ‘traffic’? What are the prevailing weather conditions that it will be in, will it be in sunshine or shade, hot or cold, etc?

All of these things require varying performance capabilities from a paviour. In our UK climate for instance we need paviours that won’t crack in repeated freezing temperatures or go green with algae and lichen growth when sited in a shady spot, so in this regard when considering a paviour look for water absorption figures/guarantees from suppliers. Reputable suppliers will provide them but unfortunately that’s not the case with many stones available. The lower the water absorption figure, the better the chance of an algae-free shady spot or a cracking paviour in freezing conditions. The suppliers we use typically offer paviours with water absorption level of 1.7%.

Driving over paviours demands strength and flexibility, something that is usually best accommodated with smaller, albeit thicker, paviours. That’s why so many driveways use block paving or setts, the smaller shapes allow for ‘flex’ as the car wheels drive over them, but larger paviours can be used with some careful thought and a suitable base. Never opt for anything less than a 32mm thickness for driveway paviours and preferably choose 40mm, 50mm or more. Flexural strength is sometimes mentioned by suppliers and this refers to the strength of a material in response to flexing stress and force applications – generally the stronger a stone is the less chance there is of it failing or being attacked by frost once it’s laid.

If you’re going to use paviours on pathways and patios choose slip resistant finishes; this used to mean that it’s usually best to avoid highly polished paviours and lean instead to a more textured or rivened finish but many stone suppliers today promise slip resistance on the vast majority of their paving if it is maintained properly, so it is possible to get that smooth, contemporary look with a functional slip free surface with a little more effort. Sandstone or Yorkstone are popular natural stone choices here but we’re seeing many clients opting for vitrified paving now.

Vitrified Paving

The word vitrified technically refers to a conversion/glazing process that turns things into a glass like substance – so ceramic and porcelain are words sometimes used to mean very similar, if not the same, thing – but vitrified paving can look far more natural than you’d usually associate with ceramic or porcelain paviours. The benefits of vitrified paving include exceptional strength, high anti-slip properties and little, to no, water absorption which in turn means high performance and less maintenance requirements.

Of course I’ve only managed to touch upon a few things about paviours within this article – it’s a massive area but other things like colour, shapes, ethical sourcing, bases and the main deal breaker for most of us, price, will have to wait for another day…

Up Front Garden Design

Up Front Garden Design

I thought I’d make a change from normal proceedings this time around, and rather than focus on a garden design principle or tip I thought I’d consider a specific area of our home: often overlooked, but always on view, our front gardens frequently get short shrift when it comes to imaginative home improvement.

Recent trends in front gardens have seen significant increases in full paving practices and substantial reductions in plants both of which have detrimental knock on effects to humans, wildlife and the planet as a whole. It may sound dramatic and it’s easy to think that ‘my little bit’ won’t make a difference but cumulatively lots of ‘little bits’ following these trends are increasing the possibilities of flooding, contributing to climbing urban temperatures and pollution levels, impacting negatively on wildlife and making our environment more fractious, depressing places to live.

It may sound trite to say that a little bit of garden design inspiration can help mitigate these very real threats to ours and our natural world’s existence but if we all start to really think about the space outside our homes as a ‘garden’ first and a car park or a bin store or a mere transition point from a pavement to our front door second, then we just might stand a chance of reversing these damaging trends. Don’t get me wrong, I still stand by the design mantra of ‘form ever follows function’ but there’s no ‘form’ in fully paving a front garden; it is functionality without form and it is that idea – that you have to sacrifice form entirely in order to get a car (as an example) onto your front garden – that I want us all to reconsider. With a little bit of imagination and an application of design principles there is no reason why we can’t have our cake and eat it too i.e. have a functional but still lovely front garden.

So, some top tips for achieving it? Read on…

Approach your front garden design as you would your back garden. Be considered!
Make a plan of your front garden so you know how much space you have available to you. Make particular note of boundaries and house walls too.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the only option available to you is to completely pave over your garden!
Minimise paving as much as you can, either don’t include any at all or combine paving with permeable surfaces so that rainwater can penetrate to the ground below. This will help mitigate the potential for flooding.
Make a list of what you want to use your front garden for. If its car parking for instance, consider how many cars you really need to park on your front garden (if space allows!). If the number includes ‘occasional’ or overspill spaces you can be more creative with that. For instance you can occasionally park on a lawn (especially if it’s been reinforced with plastic cell/mesh products!). And night time and weekend only cars can be accommodated with gravel options and drive over planting such as Thyme, Creeping Jenny (use this one sparingly, it can be invasive!) or Ajuga.
Aim to maximise planting – it reduces pollution, urban heating, can help reduce flooding, is great for wildlife and humans alike:
- Consider hedges instead of boundary walls or fences – hedges are great for screening, for wildlife and also act as a filter for dust from the street – they also look great!
- If you can’t use a hedge look at your boundaries and house walls for vertical and climbing plant potential.
- Use corners for planting opportunities – you usually can’t park in a corner! Consider small trees in corners that can add height and interest to your space.
- If you have very little space available to you utilise containers to their best effect – you can still get plants around you!
- Also consider green roofing – can you plant up your car port or bin store roof?

Hopefully this will give you some ideas of where to start and we can all begin to make our neighbourhoods lovelier places to be! Check out the RHS website too for more ideas about how to green your little bit of grey Britain.

Planning your Patio – the 2 F’s to Success

The Problem with Patios

Patios are often the most expensive part of a garden and because of that are often the most long lived part too so it’s worth trying to get your patio ideas ‘right’ before any build commences. The majority of the times we’re called out to consider a patio redesign it’s because the existing patio isn’t, or is no longer, fit for purpose. But there’s an architectural design saying: ‘form ever follows function’; and if you can keep it in mind when you’re thinking about your new patio the odds are improved that your resulting patio will work for you.

So, what does the phrase mean? Today’s garden design interpretation and application is probably much more relaxed than its pure functionalist creator intended but it generally means thinking about what you want a space for (function) before you start thinking about what it will look like (form). Sounds pretty obvious right? You’d probably be surprised at how many patios we come across that didn’t apply the idea!

Take the ‘usual’ positioning of a patio as an example. 9.9 times out of 10 it’s right outside the back (aptly named!) patio doors. Accepting the fact that many people inherit a patio with the house they buy you’d still probably be surprised at how many people, when in control of one do just ‘put’ their patio outside the back doors of their house because that’s where they’ve traditionally been placed, rather than actively making the decision because it’s the best place to suit their own needs. But if, for example, my client is a sun lover who wants to sit in the sun as much as possible and the house casts the patio in shade all day her functional requirements aren’t being met by this particular space.

In this shady, back of house scenario; my sun loving client would be best served by positioning her patio in the place that gets the most sun in her garden with the space being big enough to allow plenty of sunbathing opportunities while offering enough privacy and seclusion from neighbours, for instance, so the planting and things adjacent to the patio may end up being just as important as the patio itself, in terms of meeting its functional goals. My large dinner party hosting clients on the other hand, living in the adjoining house, would appreciate a patio big enough to accommodate a large table and chairs, as near to their kitchen as can be. And for my sun loving clients who also love to throw al fresco dinner parties? For them it’s probably a two patio design because a single patio wouldn’t be able to quite accommodate their dual functional requirements adequately.

The ‘form’ of the patio areas would then begin to fall out of their proposed functions and in these very simplified examples their position has already fallen out of them so now it’s time to consider size, shape, materials, aesthetics, incorporation into the wider garden, lesser functional requirements, etc.

For the dinner party couple, for instance flat, slip free surfaces accommodate tables and chairs best so paviors are the obvious choice here. The size of the patio needs to accommodate their overly large dining table and chairs with enough space to get around them comfortably when they are in use. The position of their patio next to the house requires careful drainage solutions and a robust build. The transitions from the house to the patio, and then from the patio to beyond, need careful consideration both in terms of their look and their usability; the materials and use of them need to aesthetically tick the boxes from viewpoints both outside and inside the house, in all seasons and all of these things, and more, need to be considered with budget very firmly in mind.

It is all a tricky balancing act but if you can remember the phrase you’ll stand a better chance of success with your patio.

Now you see it – magical garden design

Garden Designer as Magician?

Before we start I do want to make clear that garden designers are not magicians! We can’t pull a rabbit out of a hat or find a fortune for you behind your ear but that said garden designers do have a few tricks up their sleeves that, like magicians, depend on the powers and skills of misdirection, and dare I say it, manipulation.

The garden designer’s motivation for using such skills is fairly benign: how can we hide this ugly corner, for instance, or make the garden feel bigger, smaller, longer, wider, shorter, more intimate or more expansive; I’m sure you get the picture! We often want things we haven’t got or struggle to deal effectively with things we have and gardens are no different – thank goodness then for some of the tried and tested illusionary tools in the arsenal of a garden designer…

Colour – I’ve mentioned in previous articles the qualities of colour that can help make a border feel larger or smaller but the effect works for gardens as a whole too. Place bold colours at the front of your garden (nearer to the viewer) to make the whole area feel larger, with neutral and darker tones behind. The boldness of the colour catches the viewer’s attention first, making what’s behind it appear to recede and therefore the viewer’s perception of the whole space is that it’s larger than it really is.
Texture and scale can work in a similar way to colour; the misdirection technique of catching the viewer’s eye makes them subconsciously ‘relegate’ what’s behind the eye catcher as being further away. Position a big, eye catching piece of sculpture nearer to the viewer and what’s (a fair distance, ie. not immediately) behind it will appear to recede, even if what’s behind it is physically bigger than the sculpture in reality. Place plants with smaller, more uniform foliage behind eye catching, showy-textured plants and not only will the distraction technique work – as with colour – but the manipulation one will too as we play with the viewer’s perception of perspective. The loss of detail in the more distant plants creates the illusion of greater depth and therefore distance. The result? The space looks bigger than it really is!
Perspective illusions can be created in other ways too. Long straight lines for instance trick the eye into thinking that a space is larger. The further the lines are away from the viewer the closer they appear to become to each other, appearing to be converging and therefore carrying with it a sense of ‘distance’. Knowing that the viewer will perceive the lines in this way means that you can actually manipulate them in order to intensify the effect. For instance physically converging the edges of a straight pathway slightly so that at the viewpoint spot the edges are actually wider than they are at the distant spot would work, or trimming boundary hedges so that they are slightly taller at the view (near) point than they are at the far point. Linear perspectives like this, of course, only work when viewed at a particular ‘spot’ but they are incredibly effective, especially when combined with a scaled down focal point at the convergence point (like in our main image). Because we know that things appear smaller when they’re further away from us, we’re tricked by our own experience and expectation when viewing the focal point – because it’s smaller it ‘must’ be further away and thus our perception of the distance is manipulated and we perceive it as being much further than it actually is.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of this subject, it’s as expansive as the results appear magical, but hopefully it will give you an insight into some of the ways garden designers achieve some of the effects they do.

Top Tips for Choosing Surfaces in your Garden Design

Surface, surface everywhere

In and of their own right, for many of us, surfaces don’t often take precedence when thinking about our gardens but they are a key element of any garden design.

It is the surfaces of the hard landscaping that usually dominate a garden through the winter and set off beautiful planting schemes in the growing and flowering seasons but surfaces are much more than that because the materials used to create that perfect patio or winding pathway carry with them not only functionality but scene-setting, mood enhancing, aesthetic impact that does much of the legwork in hanging a whole garden design together.

Surfaces help define the mood and look of a garden, for instance, if you want a contemporary feel to your garden then smooth, sleek surfaces with sharp edges add that touch of ‘precision’ that many contemporary spaces exhibit. Conversely if you’re longing for a more relaxed cottage garden style then reclaimed brick, cobbles or rivened finishes lend themselves well here.

It’s not just patios and pathway surfaces that we have to think about either; surfaces are everywhere in our garden whether it’s the finish on built in seating or the tops of raised beds, the materials we mulch our borders with or the fillers we use between elements of a garden design, they all add to the whole and thus need to work harmoniously in order to complement the finished product.

Key elements of surfaces to consider

As we've already seen the look and finish of surfaces play key roles in surface decisions but they also have to perform well too, so function is another important part of thinking about surfaces too – whatever we choose it has to be fit for purpose otherwise what’s the point?

Another major factor and key influencer in surface decisions is price so knowing your budget definitely helps here! As much as we sometimes wish it wasn’t so, we do generally get what we pay for and a quality surface often brings with it a substantial price tag. That’s not to say that less pricey substitutions can’t work in a garden design because they definitely can but being aware of the implications of choosing one product over another is something well worth giving careful consideration to before making that final decision.

Each surface material will bring its own characteristics to the garden so as garden designers we'll help our clients weigh them all up - taking the above things into consideration (amongst other things!) - before making recommendations about which surface products to include in our clients’ garden designs.

Key surface areas in a garden design:

Patios & seating areas

Often the most expensive material purchase in a domestic garden design, pavers are the overwhelming material of choice for patios for Blue Daisy clients because of their level laying capabilities and stability. They are durable and come in all materials, shapes, sizes and finishes. There will be a paver that will suit any style of garden, functional requirement and budget.

Paver laying patterns can also make a difference to the feel of your patio - stretcher bond laying patterns (like brickwork) often dominate but random patterns and stacked bond (grid style) can also look good as can angular laying styles. Mixing materials - pavers and bricks for instance can look great - and sometimes can also help reduce costs.

Alternative options might include, for example: bricks, setts, tiles, polished concrete or crushed granite which will also give a stable, level, durable surface suitable for a patio; and decking is also still popular for raised or floating seating areas.

Pathways & fillers

Pathways are less demanding than patios so loose aggregates are viable and popular surface materials here - they are usually cheaper than paving the whole pathway too.

Gravel, chippings and pebbles are popular choices and again they come in all sizes and colours so keeping the harmony of your garden design remains possible.

Bark chippings can also look great in woodland gardens and productive areas - they're cheap and sustainable although they'll also need topping up as they'll naturally decompose over time.

Loose aggregates require good edgings so they don't spill messily into other areas of your garden (see edging, below).

If we've used aggregates on pathways we'll tend to use the same surface materials for fillers too to keep the cohesion of the garden design - coverings for drainaway areas or sometimes utility areas, if they're visible, etc.

Alternative options for pathway surfaces might include bricks, sets, cobbles, tiles, concrete, crushed granite, hoggin, mixed materials, the list can go on….

Edges

Good edges can make a big difference to a garden design's finish. Not only do they look good, they serve a functional purpose too - they might be mowing edges for lawns or keeping loose chippings in pathways or mulches in borders - they can also help knit a design together.

We've used sett edging in the Coventry garden design shown in our main image. The setts add extra detail across a small impromptu seating area next to a children's play area. The edging works as a mowing strip for the lawn, it keeps the rubber play grade bark in check, edges the patio and looks good to boot!

Visible edging surfaces are often decorative and are frequently brick or sets, haunched in for stability. Timber edges are less obvious but can still look aesthetically pleasing and there are plenty of other edging materials out there to explore and experiment with too!

Structures & other vertical surfaces

Structures usually include vertical as well as horizontal surfaces, examples might include pergolas, screens, raised beds, retaining walls, fixed seating, arbours, arches and others.

Boundaries are vertical surfaces not to be ignored either since they provide, in most instances, a backdrop to the rest of the garden and as such become an integral part of the whole.

For things like seating the tactile qualities of a surface come to the fore too. Beautifully honed, silky-smooth wood feels warm and sleek to the touch, for instance, adding extra layers of textural qualities to the overall garden design.

Soft landscape surfaces

People rarely think about their lawns and borders as 'surfaces' but they can be just as important as any other surface in a garden design. Mirror smooth, striped lawns carry with them a certain style and statement that less manicured grass areas fail to and when it comes to functionality different grasses lend themselves to different requirements, for instance, hard wearing grass suits child and dog traffic more than others.

Border mulches can also add aesthetic qualities to a garden design as well as soil improving and weed-surpressing functionality.

Just like every other surface decision the soft landscape surfaces also need to be in keeping with the overall garden design.

We've tried to give you a flavour of some of the key surface elements of a garden design here - we've barely managed to scratch the surface (see what we did there??) of this subject - but we hope that we've sparked your enthusiasm to learn more!

Panic for Fence Panels? Think Again!

Lots of us have been affected by continuous storms and constant battering by the rain causing damage not only to plants in our gardens but fencing too. This has led to a national shortage of fence panels to the extent that according to the BBC, prices have risen by up to 30%. Newspapers have also reported that a black market has opened up with 'normal' - usually budget - fences being offered at £80 a panel!

That's extortionate but it's also an extremely good reason to consider creating a green boundary in your garden instead of fence paneling. It's no secret that we love plants here at Blue Daisy and we love living boundaries, here are some of the reasons why…

They can look fantastic - Beech, Hornbeam, Photinia Red Robin, Box, Pyracantha, Berberis, Holly (non-invasive) Bamboo the list goes on… green boundaries look great and can sound great too
They are functional - they give us the privacy we so often crave and can in some cases act as a sound barrier (not completely but much better than a fence panel can). They can also help mitigate urban flooding.
They're great for wildlife, not only for birds and mammals but in many cases for our beleaguered pollinators too (see Pledge for Pollinators and RHS Wildflower Plants for Pollinators List Released for further information about pollinating insects)
They add interest - because they are living many will change with the season
Sure you will need to maintain them but living boundaries - hedges - can help distribute and dissipate wind as it passes through its leaves and branches - this can be really beneficial for protecting the microclimate of your garden. It also makes them more likely to survive high winds and stormy weather.

So what are you waiting for? Contact us to organise your new living boundary today!

Garden Design Quick Tip: Movement

Quite often we're asked the question ‘how can I make my garden more interesting’ and movement is one element of good garden design that often gets overlooked. It is just as important as all the other elements, not only does it create a feel, an ambience, but also added interest.

Movement doesn’t have to be dramatic or exciting it can be soft, understated and subtle and each person can have their own take on what movement in the garden means.

It can be incorporating moving water, for instance, which shimmers and sparkles in the light but also adds that refreshing trickling sound as it moves, creating a mood. The sound of movement often adds that extra layer that works and plays on the senses too - not only trickling water but rustling leaves, swishing grasses - as per our image - and other 'movement sounds' all play their part.

Navigating around a garden can also be what some people define movement to be, how to create journeys so you interact and move through the garden. Paths are great elements for this but care must be taken with the dimensions of them and their exact purpose, adding a path as an afterthought can often look out of place.

Incorporating plants that move gently in the breeze and give that extra vertical lift can really make them stand out from their more static counterparts. Ornamental grasses are great for adding movement as their habits are quite different and there are some that offer good all year round interest of both foliage and seed heads which last right into winter.

Lawns Gone Wild!

Just let it go…

I recently read an interesting article by Frank Ronan in Gardens Illustrated (May 2010) called ‘Live and Let Grow’ which has inspired us to write another lawn related blog. It is something that we really like the idea of and have recently seen some great examples. Some people can be quite obsessed about their lawns ensuring they are highly manicured, so if you recognise yourself in that description, the following may be quite a scary concept for you!

Consider letting your lawn or an area within your lawn just grow long and wild. The grasses will eventually flower and other flowers will self seed and look beautiful and natural as they sway in the breeze. Not just good for aesthetic reasons alone it also encourages a whole new level of bio-diversity into your garden.

The best way to do this is to mow an edge around the proposed meadow area for two reasons, one is for ease of maintaining and keeping pathways clear. The other is to provide a ‘frame’ for the meadow area making a feature of it so that it can be admired by your friends and family members.

How to do it? Well simply just leave an area not mowed in the springtime and as it all begins to grow it will provide an area for small insects and as the flowers set seed the birds will have a feast! Leave the grass long overwinter as it can provide a useful habitat for small creatures to hibernate. Next spring just cut it back and let it grow all over again!

Wild areas in the garden whether it is the lawn or a pile of logs needn't look messy – get creative as insects, animals and birds don’t really mind as long as they can access the nectar, seeds or simply take shelter in longer grasses, so make it look chic!

If this is something that you’re interested in and live in or near to Kenilworth we’d love to help you create that meadow look either with or for you.