This year we’ve all spent more time than ever enjoying our gardens – they have become the place to escape into newly-valued fresh air, to work and play, indeed they have been a salvation for many. We understand more about how we use our gardens – and how we would like to change them. If you are looking to redesign areas of your garden don’t leave those changes until Spring – now is the time to plan ahead for next year.
As the impact of Covid continues and combines with Brexit, the garden landscaping industry faces a shortage of landscapers, materials and plants next year. Most landscapers are currently booking into Spring and plant nurseries are warning that stock levels will be lower than normal. This Winter is the opportunity to review your garden and plan any design, landscaping and planting work well ahead.
So where to start in reviewing your garden design – here are my top 3 suggestions:
Evergreen structure and screening
While the skeleton of the garden is laid bare in Winter, consider if you have enough ‘green framing’ to carry it through every season. Evergreens form the backbone of gardens as well as providing a safe haven and food for wildlife through the bleakest weather. Evergreen doesn’t mean boring either – there are plenty of green colours and leaf textures to choose from. Consider including flowering evergreen trees such as Arbutus, variegated shrubs like hollies and dogwoods, textural grasses and soft topiary shapes.
Newly discovered spaces
Many of us have repurposed areas in our gardens over lockdown – creating sunny morning coffee spots, hastily-constructed home offices and gyms, experimental vegetable patches and spontaneously planted borders. Now is the opportunity to bring these ideas together into a well-considered design that maximises our enjoyment of the space, combining the practicalities of hard landscaping with softening and structural planting.
Year-round planting to create atmosphere and support nature
Lockdown studies remind us of the importance of British gardens as ‘green corridors’ for the country’s flora and fauna. Muddy Boots philosophy when designing a garden is to create colour and interest for 365 days of the year – there should always be something to catch the eye from a window in winter and a deckchair in the warmer months. Every tree planted should have at least 3 seasons of interest, every plant should have a job whether to provide contrasting shapes (globes, spires, umbellifers, foils and more), fragrance, wildlife interest – colour is not the only deciding factor in selecting plants.
The importance of planned design
Working with a garden designer provides you with an opportunity to look at the garden with ‘fresh eyes’ – to review what you want to feel when you are in your garden space, to pinpoint priorities from what is often a long wish list, to make the best use of time and budget, and to create a garden that brings pleasure instead of being another thing on the To Do list. Muddy Boots is currently taking design bookings to create gardens for next summer – please get in touch if you would like to discuss your ideas
emma@mymuddyboots.co.uk or 07702 599562
