Plan your peace in paradise

Expert tips and tricks to design a garden that’s timeless, elegant – and all about you

Garden design is much more than just plonking down a few plants and adding water. It involves working around existing structures – including those of your neighbours – and choosing trees, shrubs and groundcovers that complement them. It means working with your environment – your climate, aspect, exposure and soil – and considering how you can exploit the size of your garden to your advantage. So take time to just sit in it for a bit and absorb its space, its light and shadows, its breezes and noises. Anticipate activities, like kids’ games, and remember utilities, like the clothesline. Think of colour themes, flowering times and foliage texture and size. Then you’ll realise you can use these factors to turn your simple plot into a private paradise!

1 How to fake it Succulents do flower, but it’s their enduring, flower-like foliage that cements their performance. 2 aspire TO GREATNESS Want drama? The pride of Madeira (Echium fastuosum) will deliver it for you! 3 take the tourist route Stepping stones, whatever their size or shape, can be a daily journey of delight by giving you the chance to introduce different groundcovers. You can continue with grass between pavers, as here, or add a liƒle elevation, some colour and big interest with bugleweed, mondo grass or preƒy chamomile.