An assessment of the garden in history, however brief, cannot ignore the pervasive influence of oriental garden design. Gardening was a craft in China in ancient times and it crossed the sea to Japan in the seventh century All to develop into a distinctive style of its own, which continues basically unchanged to this clay.
At the other extreme there was also the tradition of the cottager's garden, used for growing vegetables and for keeping a pig and a few chickens. Today the situation is very different: the twentieth century has brought increased leisure, while gardens have become smaller and available to many more people. The interest in gardening continues to grow but is, nevertheless, only one of many demands on our leisure time. It is therefore important that a garden is well designed from the outset, with the owner's requirements taken into consideration, so that it can be safely left to mature in the way it was planned without needing constant attention.
In this context it is often easier to define style in a negative way: concrete slabs, for instance, lack the subtlety and texture needed for paving a cottage garden, and asbestos pots would he out of character in the garden of a traditional brick house.
A good garden plan not only demonstrate the enormous range of needs and activities which can be catered for within such a limited space, they also show how a design based on individual needs will transform the same basic plot into a unique, well planned garden.
All materials, to a degree, dictate how they should be used. In planning your garden try above all to avoid mixing materials and styles as it is rarely successful. Plants too have very definite characteristics and the selection of them will certainly influence the overall look of the garden. But the choice of materials must come first when establishing the layout and basic style. With a small garden, he aware of the limitations of your plot. The challenge is to achieve the desired effect within narrow boundaries, always hearing in mind that a visual link between the house and the garden is of great importance.
Once the fundamental style of you: garden has emerged, from a consideration of building materials and the interior look of your house, from then on each individual's garden is unique. Its character grows partly out of practical solutions to practical problems and relates also to the specific functions the garden is expected to perform. At a later stage planting will course flesh out the bones of your garden and give it finally a very particular feel. - 15266
At the other extreme there was also the tradition of the cottager's garden, used for growing vegetables and for keeping a pig and a few chickens. Today the situation is very different: the twentieth century has brought increased leisure, while gardens have become smaller and available to many more people. The interest in gardening continues to grow but is, nevertheless, only one of many demands on our leisure time. It is therefore important that a garden is well designed from the outset, with the owner's requirements taken into consideration, so that it can be safely left to mature in the way it was planned without needing constant attention.
In this context it is often easier to define style in a negative way: concrete slabs, for instance, lack the subtlety and texture needed for paving a cottage garden, and asbestos pots would he out of character in the garden of a traditional brick house.
A good garden plan not only demonstrate the enormous range of needs and activities which can be catered for within such a limited space, they also show how a design based on individual needs will transform the same basic plot into a unique, well planned garden.
All materials, to a degree, dictate how they should be used. In planning your garden try above all to avoid mixing materials and styles as it is rarely successful. Plants too have very definite characteristics and the selection of them will certainly influence the overall look of the garden. But the choice of materials must come first when establishing the layout and basic style. With a small garden, he aware of the limitations of your plot. The challenge is to achieve the desired effect within narrow boundaries, always hearing in mind that a visual link between the house and the garden is of great importance.
Once the fundamental style of you: garden has emerged, from a consideration of building materials and the interior look of your house, from then on each individual's garden is unique. Its character grows partly out of practical solutions to practical problems and relates also to the specific functions the garden is expected to perform. At a later stage planting will course flesh out the bones of your garden and give it finally a very particular feel. - 15266
