Planning for garden simulation

When planning your garden consider all the various simulations a garden can hold if you plan it right. you could sow seeds and place objects willy nilly, or you could carefully plan a garden that will entice all the senses when someone enters it.

Some points to consider…

Sight: This is an obvious one. Of course you want an aesthetically pleasing space, but also one that fits your personal tastes. All white with pops of blue can help you create a relaxing garden, but if wild colors are more your style don’t shy away – your garden should reflect your personality, not some home and garden magazine personality. Read choosing a color scheme for your garden to get a real perspective on color choices.

Texture: Shiny, soft, rough, feathery, lacy and more. Your garden should have a variety of textures but some work better in specific places than others. For example, plants with contrasting textures, say, smooth leaves near adobe, maximizes the textures of the architecture.

Scent: Of course scent is a biggie in any garden, but you want to aim for scents that work with each other rather than contrast in a negative way. You can also set aside specific scented areas, for example, herbs like lavender, basil or lilacs near your resting bench or hammock are peaceful vs. the more exciting onion or mint and some roses.  Get some ideas for scented garden plants.

Balance: If your garden is all tall in one area, short in another, and yet another area consists of nothing but ground covers it can throw your harmony off. Try to sketch out your perfect garden before you ever plant a seed. Consider all of the above, plus garden decor like statues, birdhouse, and resting spaces, like benches. A garden should work hard for you, but there’s no reason it can’t also be pleasing to your senses.

Which parts of the garden are most important to you – the scents, the visuals, or something else?

[image via stock.xchng]