5. Develop a plan

Sketch out the bones of your plot on paper. Show where the house is, the boundaries and any features such as mature trees, pond, summer- or greenhouse, which will remain. Then, using this template, begin to draw. Having decided what you wish to be included, leave that aside and develop a masterplan.

Your garden needs tobeajourney:you want to lead your own eye around it if you are looking out from a window inside. So you must use shape. The objective is to take the eye away from the boundary and lead people on a journey. You want to make the most use of what may seem like a relatively small space. So trying out different shapes on paper is a good start.