1).What is meant by Site
Assessment?
When planning your garden, it is necessary to determine what
the potential the site offers, and compare it to a realistic wish list of all
the things that you would like to see included the design. The ‘site’ will in
part determine your choices. To what extent is the garden exposed to or
sheltered from the elements? What is the substance of the soil? Are large trees
casting excessive shade? Is the site overlooked? What grows well in the type of
soil? Will I be able to have a lawn, or is some alternative a more sensible
option? What plants will I be able to grow? Will I be able to grow my own fruit
and vegetables? Do I have space for a patio or perhaps a deck?
2).Can I assess a
site in the middle of the winter?
Yes, you can. But you need to project ahead. If the sun is
hidden by clouds, check where it sets to determine the westerly direction. If
the sun is out, remember that winter brings longer shadows than summer. Parts
of the garden that are permanently shaded in winter can be well lit in summer,
depending on the height of any buildings, walls, hedges or other planting.
3).What are the
advantages and disadvantages of having and enclosed garden?
Enclosed gardens, with high walls, hedging, or trees
surrounding them feel very privates, and so are excellent for entertaining and
sunbathing. If the garden is small, deep shade cast by the boundary can be a
problem a certain times of the year if the surrounding walls or fences are
high. Conversely, they will be very sheltered and provide either a sun-trap or
a shady retreat. Gardens in built-up areas are often overlooked by neighbors
and the design and planting scheme needs to take this into account.
4).What are the best
design solutions for a garden that is dark and enclosed?
An enclosed garden with low light levels has certain advantages
in that the temperatures stays relatively constant with no searing heat in
summer or extreme cold in winter. An oriental scheme that is predominantly
green can be highly effective, focusing on Japanese Maples, ferns and hostas.
To add color, grow some of these I gazed oriental containers. Subtropical plants
such as bananas (Musa) and tree ferns (Dicksonia) will also do well here. A
garden of evergreens will add year-round color.
5).What are the
advantages and disadvantages of an open garden?
A very open garden, one that is wide and long with
low-growing plants, feels spacious, especially if it backs on to fields. If the
garden has a view, you can integrate the landscape into the garden by
concealing the boundaries with low-level planting. A downside is that the
garden may well be exposed to strong winds and so you may need to plant out the
view in order to create shelter.
6).I have read that a
large garden should be divided into separate areas. Is this true?
If you set out the garden so that the whole thing can be
seen in a single glance you can create a sense of spaciousness – especially if
you are able to ‘borrow’ elements such as mature trees, from the surroundings.
Dividing a large garden into ‘rooms’ creates mystery and surprises and allows
for seasonal plantings with separate areas devoted to spring and summer beds,
or perhaps even a winter garden. You can also design around different themes -
a Mediterranean garden, a wild garden, a kitchen or herb garden, etc.
7).Is it possible to
disguise an awkwardly shaped garden?
Absolutely! Designs built on curves can be easier on the eye
since those that rely on straight lines expose shapes that are not symmetrical.
You can also disguise an awkwardly shaped garden with thick plantings of
evergreen shrubs at the boundaries. Laurels, hollies, privets and viburnums can
be highly effective when massed together, or plant carefully so that the eye is
drawn to specific areas other than the boundary.
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