Charlie Albone

As a garden designer I try to change and use different garden styles as much as possible. This keeps designing interesting and stops me from getting bored. I love the peacefulness a Japanese garden can give its surroundings. Similarly a native garden can root and ground a space deeply both physically and emotionally; contemporary gardens can be both challenging and intriguing. Every individual garden style evokes a different genius loci (mood) for its inhabitants- working out what you want for your own personal garden is where the fun of garden design begins.

Research is the key to working out what style of garden you like. I tend to use books and magazines over the internet; I love the layout and “flickability” of these media. Try to see as much as possible outside the books and magazines. Go searching for the elements you like in the books and see if they work in the outside world. Try to get a hands-on feel for what you want to live with. The open garden scheme is a great way to start the creative juices flowing, as is any botanic garden.

Finding a style you like is not only about the finishing touches that define that style but also the layout of each style. It is important to remember what style elements you don’t like as much as elements you do like. If you are not a fan of the way certain elements are used in certain garden styles, you can apply this knowledge to suit your needs. For example if you do not like the ‘unkempt’ look cottage gardens have; then the planting scheme for your garden should involve some more ordered elements to it. This also applies to elements you do like. For example if you like the grounding large stone gives in a Japanese garden but don’t want a fully stylized space, try using smaller natural elements like pebbles or recycled timbers to achieve this.

Do not despair if you can’t decide nor want a single style. Combining styles can achieve stunning results. Beware, it can also give some uneasy and uninviting results too! To avoid the latter, I like to write a list of all the things I would like to have in a design, with the finishing style next to it. I then cull this down to a select few elements. Selecting a few elements will prevent a mismatch of styles and the busy cluttered look that comes from too many ideas being thrust into one space.

Have fun searching for styles! I’m sure you will surprise yourself in your likes and dislikes, and don’t forget if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me!