http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 8:21:27 PM idstudios/RSS (Version 2.0) en-au http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/10/Choosing-Plants-Part-3/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/10/Choosing-Plants-Part-3/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/10/Choosing-Plants-Part-3/ Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:00:00 AM
Feature plants:
Feature plants are the real show stoppers of the garden and individually, or in small numbers, give punchy impact to a garden. A feature plant can draw the eye to an area or lead a person through a garden with ease. These sorts of plants also work well at the entrance of a house. Make sure you do not go over the top with feature plants as they then loose their impact. The best feature plant I have seen to date was in Hampton court gardens and it was a very mature aloe ferox in a pot. Feature plants are set off really well by pots as pots raise the plant that few extra feet that make sure their on the stage they deserve.

Mixed garden beds:
Planting a mixed garden bed can be very daunting a few tips when combining your favorite plants are: make sure the garden bed is nice and wide, start with the low ground covers at the front and rake back in mature size towards the back. This gives the garden bed a depth and makes the bed feel lush and full. It also makes maximum use of all the space. Rows of formal hedging are now a bit dated and uninviting so planting in odd numbers will remove the symmetry and make the planting look more natural. The texture of the leaves makes a huge impact too; finer leaves in the foreground make more of an impact compared to if the were at the back of a bed where they can diminish the feeling of depth. If you want to use a larger sized leaf in the fore ground try lower growing plants like hosta’s as taller large leaf plants in the foreground can hem in and suffocate a space.

Clumps and drifts:
Planting in clumps and drifts is where you clump numbers of the same plant together to form either a clump of plants or a swath of plants in a drift. These work well in larger beds but can be applied to the smaller garden bed to give a natural comfortable feeling. Try to combine textures and foliage colours that add interest and give depth to a garden bed. Low growing purple cordylines look great clumped through drifts of silver artemesia.]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/09/Choosing-Plants--Part-2/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/09/Choosing-Plants--Part-2/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/09/Choosing-Plants--Part-2/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 AM
Hedging:

Hedges can be found in almost every Australian garden and are a great green boundary in the garden; they can be used for screening out ugly fences, intruding neighbors and defining boundary lines. Low hedges define garden bed borders and help frame the plants that make up the center of the bed. Not all hedges have to be formal; do not automatically think of a formal style when you think of hedges. A loose hedge can create the feeling of segregation without installing the formal theme. Aerial hedges or pleaching can have a great effect but work best in larger spaces where the open aspect of the pleach can be exploited. My favorite native hedge is the Acmena (lilly pilly) as it grows quickly, has great dense green foliage. There are now even cyillid free varieties. For low formal hedging it’s hard to go past buxus with its compact growth and hardy when established nature. Another great hedging genus is the viburnums, mostly quick growing with a huge variety of flowering shrubs, these can be formal or loose and can be used almost anywhere.

Mass planting:

Mass planting is when one species of plant is used on mass and can be very effective in many gardens. Modern houses look great with mass plantings of spiky architectural plants; my favorites include cordylines, yuccas, New Zealand flax and Doryanthes. Cottage or formal gardens appreciate mass plantings behind some low hedging to really set them off. I like the combination of a low buxus hedge with a mass planting of wind flowers or salvia leaucanthea poking over the top. Grasses make a great mass planting and can either give a meadow feel or a modern feel depending on situation and surrounding architecture. Bright colours are emphasized on mass but really suit a larger space. Mass planting courtyards can appear a bit lifeless so really focus on the built structure if a single plant type is what you want.

Next month we will look a few more popular styles of planting by focusing on feature plants, mixed garden beds and clumps and drifts planting.]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/08/Choosing-Plants/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/08/Choosing-Plants/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/08/Choosing-Plants/ Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:00:00 AM
When I design a garden I like to have an idea of what plants I may use whilst I design but these are never set in stone. The placement and general characteristics (height, shape, impact) of the plant will stay true to the design but the actual plant will be chosen at the nursery. I like to do things this way because I will always see I plant I have never seen before at the nursery and this may be the winner I’m after. Whilst developing the built sections of the garden you will notice micro climates that previously had gone unnoticed or had been created by construction, these will affect the final plants you choose.

The major restraint to planting comes down to climate and sun exposure. Next time you have a day at home keep an eye on the garden and note down where and when the sun hits the garden. This is the info you will need to share with your green thumb friend or the professional at your local nursery. By using a local nursery the staff should know your general climatic requirements but let them know if you have anything out of the ordinary, e.g. if you’re on the top of a windy exposed hill.

The style of the planting must complement the bones or structured elements of the garden. For example tropical plants are going to look out of place in a formal garden. Don’t let this stop you from experimenting as there are lots of plants that cross the boundaries and shine out of their usual element. There are of course some plants that typify a certain style, for example bamboo and Asian gardens go hand in hand. Using these stereotypical plants in your garden will conjure the feel or genius loci you are after. The bespoke green feel will come in the other plants you use around these and the way in which they are set out.

With my next installment I will delve into how to set out your garden beds and where and when certain types of plants should be used. I will also give examples of my favorite types of plants.]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/07/Adding-The-Detail-To-Key-Areas-Of-Your-Garden/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/07/Adding-The-Detail-To-Key-Areas-Of-Your-Garden/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/07/Adding-The-Detail-To-Key-Areas-Of-Your-Garden/ Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:00:00 AM


Working out the finer shapes and details of such elements cannot just be for esthetics. The function and use of the garden have to play a major part in the design. How will people enter and depart the garden? How will people travel through and around the garden? How will people travel up to, enter and depart each element. You will find these questions dictate the finer points of laying out the garden. The real trick to a great landscape design is incorporating beautiful form and function as one.

Once you have worked out what you want in your garden and where you want it, you then have to work out how you will apply the style you want. This is done by the materials used to construct each element in the garden. The key here is research or to make it sound a bit more appealing “shopping”.

When out shopping try to restrain from buying the first thing you see that you like. You need to start gathering samples of all the different elements you like and placing them together to see how they sit with each other. Samples I always gather would be flooring materials, walling materials, timbers, paint colours and plants. Other smaller samples will have to fit with these major components (for example the type of mulch you use), but these have less impact on the overall design, so can be added during construction. Be sure to check each sample in different areas of the garden, paint especially can take on a whole different mood when in the blazing sun compared to a shady corner.

The next major component to a successful garden design is the plant material you use, so next month we will take a look at how and what plants to use to add the finishing touches to a great garden design.

]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/06/Key-Garden-Elements/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/06/Key-Garden-Elements/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/06/Key-Garden-Elements/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:00:00 AM
The placement of these areas relates directly to the style of garden you want. For example with the placement of an entertaining space: If you want a wilderness type of free flowing garden then you may want to wonder through the garden before reaching the entertaining space, thus connecting you with the wilder greener side of the garden. Or if a formal more regimented garden is more your style then placing the entertaining space off an existing structure such as the house you will get the effect of the lines of that structure continuing into the garden and this will add to its formality.

To get the right placement of these areas you need to first sketch them out on a base plan. I find it best to come up with three or four completely different concept sketches. By forcing yourself to come up with different ideas you will experiment with shapes and scale. This will also confirm what it is you really want from your garden as well as (and as importantly) what you do not want.

During this process it is important to keep in the back of your mind the overall feel you are trying to achieve with the garden. Below is a plan I drew up for a very small internal Japanese inspired courtyard. The courtyard did not receive any traffic and was purely ornamental therefore there were few elements to incorporate. The scale of these elements used could be large to increase its impact.

The elements it needed were:
1. An impacting feature – the feature bench
2. Some water so the sound could be heard through the house
3. Softening of the hard hot house and boundry walls – The plant material and water feature
4. A Japanese influence – The pot and hanging lanterns as well as the bamboo and grasses

This process as a whole starts off with broad shapes and spaces and through the scribbles refines itself into a garden design. It is important not to rush this process and to question the placement of each key element as much as possible. The detail and refining of this is what comes next and will really add your personal touch to the garden.




]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/05/bgarden-Stylesb/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/05/bgarden-Stylesb/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/05/bgarden-Stylesb/ Mon, 26 May 2008 12:00:00 AM
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!]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/04/Landscape-Plans/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/04/Landscape-Plans/ BLOG POST Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/04/Landscape-Plans/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:00:00 AM
What I’m trying to emphasize here is the importance of the process we call the “landscape design.” Since my first attempt I have changed my method of getting to the finished product. Through these articles I will take you through the process I go through to reach a finished landscape design.

The initial step, which is sadly the most boring, is getting yourself a scale base plan. This has to be accurate so take your time; time invested here will really impact on your completed product. First, measure all your boundaries and external house walls, and try to get all the angles as true as possible. Then make a note of any constraints on your design. These will include drains, down pipes, power lines and levels.

Once you have all this information you need to plot it to paper to create the base plan. If you do not have a drawing board or drawing tools, try using squared paper and a scale ruler. If even this is too much for you, or your site is too large, a surveyor or designer can complete this step for you.
Before you leap in to scribbling your ideas all over the page make sure you have plenty of copies, as I’m sure you’ll have plenty of ideas. Then, on one copy, do a ‘functional analysis’. This looks at all constraints outside of your site that will impact on your garden. It will make note of things like nosy neighbors, the flight of the sun and shade; any prevailing winds and areas you need screen.

Now we need to start looking at styles of garden, but I’ll leave that for next month.]]> http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/04/Welcome-To-My-Blog/ http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/04/Welcome-To-My-Blog/ GENERAL Charlie Albone http://www.lifestylechannel.com.au/CharlieAlbone/2008/04/Welcome-To-My-Blog/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:00:00 AM
I have been designing and building gardens for almost ten years now and really enjoy seeing my imagination come to life in the various forms of materials and plants. A good landscape design can really alter the genius loci (mood) of a space; you can feel a special emotional connection with an area that will stay with you forever. For me it’s a pleasurable experience to create a space you will want to spend time in and then return to. In the upcoming articles will share some of my tips for you to use in your garden designs.

In this column I aim to show and discuss with you the finer points of landscape design. I’ll take you through the process I go through when designing a space and we will look at maximizing your space’s potential, amongst many other things. I won’t give too much advice on the old favorites like how to prune your roses or how to start a compost heap. Although all that information is vital to the success of a garden I want to share with you what I am passionate about: landscape design. From a design’s conception to its completion you will come across various hurdles and constraints. I aim here to help you through these, so feel free to ask me anything regarding your design problems, and even share your solutions.

I look forward to speaking with you and sharing my knowledge with you each month but until then feel free to e-mail me directly via the "Ask a Question" button at the top of this page.]]>