RHS2 Extract 2

Although we have considered harmony, space, balance, etc. we have not yet discussed planting styles. As mentioned earlier, the style of the building and, to some extent, the interior, should be reflected in the garden so that all work together in harmony.

The most obvious first decision is whether to adopt a formal or informal design.

The former is based on straight lines and geometric shapes, often with strict patterns and clipped hedges, while the latter adopts natural curves and meandering paths with plants spilling over the edges. The formal design is generally more simple and many people feel more comfortable with this. It also blends well with modern, minimalist buildings.

The informal garden feels more natural with bends and curves, but care needs to be taken to ensure these do not appear false. In nature a curved path will almost certainly arise as a result of bypassing some obstruction (a fallen tree, large rock, etc.) and curves need to be generous or they will appear as unnatural wiggles with no reason for their existence.

The cottage garden (a romantic style) is usually informal and has little apparent order to it with flowers interspersed with fruit and vegetables. This modern interpretation is based on the original need for the cottagers to grow as much as they could to supplement their meagre diet and low (if any!) wages, whilst retaining an attractive appearance to the garden.

‘Natural’ garden styles are experiencing renewed popularity largely as a result of the increased awareness of the importance of encouraging wildlife into the garden and the role we, as gardeners, can play in producing habitats where native species can proliferate to reduce the likelihood of their extinction. Such garden style attempts to mimic natural habitats with the inclusion of wildflower areas and informal ponds, etc..

By contrast modern styles include features which are, to many, alien in the garden environment e.g. stainless steel, glass, perspex and the like. These gardens tend to be very functional and less associated with gardening per se and are seen as outdoor rooms used for entertaining, and relaxing.

Such gardens usually have more hard landscaping than soft and often incorporate contemporary features and colours and that fit well with a modern lifestyle - long working hours, little leisure time, ‘ready’ meals, etc..

This not to say that 'modern', 'formal' and 'contemporary' gardens must always mean minimalist design or the sleek lines of ultra modern buildings: formal, contemporary garden design can also fit well with traditional buildings (see previous page).

The Japanese style of gardening, right, which is very popular at the time of writing, can work very effectively in both large and small spaces to create a sense of peace and harmony by using gravel, stones, trees and shrubs (often Bonsai) with lanterns and small water features. These gardens also tend to be lower maintenance and so complement a busy lifestyle.

An example of a formal garden style can be seen in the picture below, one of the fine knot gardens to be seen at Hampton Court Palace. Parterres de broderie evolved from the knot gardens of the late middle ages. These knots were often features with a cutwork parterre, or they would be at the centre of a simple arrangement of square or rectangular flower beds. It was not unusual for knot gardens to be surrounded by raised walks, so that the viewer could better enjoy the design.

Knot gardens are often included in modern herb gardens, but during the period when such gardens were fashionable, the herbs that were grown for medicine and cooking were usually grown in a less ornamental part of the garden.

The early knots were usually composed of herbs, the plants being used to form the interlacing bands of the knot. Because these bands had no beginning or end, they represented infinity. By the early 17th Century, boxwood was used more often than herbs because it is easier to maintain. As knot gardens evolved, they merged with the cutwork parterre and topiary designs, for example coats of arms, were executed within the beds of the parterre.