DRAWING THE EYE

Add striking features as focal points to bring interest and inspiration to your garden

LEAD THE WAY

The trick in any design is not to show everything at once. Make the journey through the garden enticing by hiding interesting features along the way. An archway over a path, however simple and rustic, is an instant draw and, once through it, you can be pulled on to explore further, down a meandering path. Unless the route is heavily used, grass paths are a good choice – they look natural and help to give a more verdant atmosphere both visually and literally.

SEEKING ATTENTION

A well-used motif in formal gardens is the placing of an object – be it sculpture, sundial or water feature – as a focal point at the end of a long vista (left and opposite, below). In larger properties this is often grand and imposing but it is an idea that can be adapted to any size of plot. A covered bench, or a large pot, closely planted with seasonal colour and perhaps raised up on a plinth of looselaid bricks, could form the focal point in a cottage garden. Reclaimed stonework – an old birdbath, for example – is worth looking out for in reclamation yards or you could position a columnar tree to draw the eye.

DECORATIVE EFFECTS

Positioning a striking focal point in the middle of a garden can help a narrow space seem wider or a broad space longer. An eye-catcher, such as this stonework urn (left) filled with seasonal planting, can be made the centrepiece of a design, with symmetrical paths leading out from it, allowing it to be seen from several different viewpoints. Building a strong pattern – such as this hypnotic swirl of cobbles (right) – into paving can be effective, especially when viewed from the upstairs windows of your house. It makes a fine contrast to the surrounding leafy planting.