Readers choose their favourite design ideas from Gardens of the Year finalists
Gardens of the Year finalists have provided lots of inspiration over the years – our reader takeover group picked their favourite design solutions for you to try
We’re constantly inspired and surprised by the creativity and ingenuity of our Gardens of the Year finalists. So in this special reader takeover feature we look back at some of our favourites, with the help of our guest panel. Our group of five set out to find 10 of the best design solutions that will enhance your garden no matter how big or small.
Targeting tricky design dilemmas, such as shade or incorporating water in the garden, our reader group sifted through a selection of images for each category, then each one cast their vote on what they loved most about each one. The best example from each to be shown here was the one with the most votes. The decision-making process sparked some lively debate about what makes a great garden and we hope you find them all as inspirational and useful as our panel did.
1 Make a splash
Including water in a garden has so many benefits, from adding a relaxing sound and gentle movement to allowing you to grow aquatic plants and attracting wildlife. Our reader group loved the formality of this water feature and were amazed at how it worked as a centrepiece, even in such a small garden.
“This fountain and pond show that water features are not just for big, open spaces.”
John Fleming