Elly’s tips on creating a new garden

I like to use different types of hedging. The russet of beech in winter makes a lovely contrast with the deep green of yew. I also create a most satisfactory hedge out of ivy grown on an upright iron frame. Remember when placing seats and benches you won’t always want to sit in the sun. We love to have our morning coffee in the sun, but most of the time we prefer shade. If you want a bridge across your pond, place both at the same time. I added a bridge four years after the pond and had to destroy half the garden to get it into place. Plan for the surface of a pond to be mainly water. Covering the surface with waterlilies – as I do – can look lovely, but you need to keep them in check. I plant mine in baskets and even then I have to reduce them every year. Even in a garden overflowing with plants, you need quiet spots to sit and just ponder. I have seats outside the main part of the garden, from where you can sit and look out over the countryside for miles. I’ve also deliberately left one room empty, so you can simply sit and look at the sky or meditate.