Starting a new garden or want to make some changes to your existing garden?
What you need is some inspiration.
If you wanted a new kitchen or bathroom you would visit a DIY store or bespoke designer shop for inspiration, they have complete kitchens or bathrooms on display. You can actually twiddle the taps, compare different work surfaces and colours, it is easy to make a decision on the look or theme (if you can get your other half to agree). You could even use the design software to make sure everything fits, there are standard sizes and once fitted it always looks the same.
However while your colour themed planned kitchen, may go out of style the layout never changes. Gardens are more dynamic always changing and improving, plants flower at different times, they continue to grow, your garden changes shape and evolves.
While it is a good idea to plan your garden, most are not thought out and we often buy on impulse and just plant randomly.
What you need is some inspiration to help with your impulse buying.
So where can we find garden inspiration?
Before you start looking perhaps you should find your ideal garden, then you can look for inspiration in the right place. Find the garden that suits your personality or lifestyle.
Look at existing gardens
A good place to start looking for inspiration, is your neighbouring gardens, here you will find out what works in your area, this can save you expensive mistakes.
Go out for a walk find the best garden and ask the owners for advice, gardeners are friendly by nature.
Get their advice on local nurseries and suppliers it will save you money.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to the neighbours you will still see the plants that can succeed in your area, so-called indicator plants.
Cordylines need a sheltered spot, if you see them in your neighbours garden there is a good chance you can also grow them
National Trust and Historic Gardens
It might seem odd looking round large stately home gardens, how can you possibly recreate them in your tiny garden.
This stunning focal plant could be reproduced on a much smaller scale in your garden
It is possible to create a small Japanese feature if you don’t have room for the real thing
There are always things you can pick up, for instance, one plant or combination of plants will catch your eye and you can add them to your garden.
You can pinch planting ideas and colourful combinations
Blue and silver simple but effective
You will see mature shrubs and trees, you can see how much room that dwarf? conifer or tree you just bought might need.
Plant shows and fairs
Here you will find inspirational displays, show gardens, a wide range of sundries and new or unusual plants
Plant societies are full of lovely enthusiastic people, you may catch the gardening bug.
Garden centres
Packed full of seasonal colour, display ideas and colourful plant combinations.
There will be inspirational displays and plant combinations.
Magazine and books
Lots of glossy high-quality pictures and design ideas just remember they might not be suitable for all areas.
Quite often plants are used as props to create the perfect look, you need to read between the lines.
This hydrangea looks good in flower but is not suitable for growing in a patio pot, still, it takes a good picture
A stylish and striking image, however, the grass is an outdoor type and is only there for decoration and would soon die in the house
Online Inspiration
Lots of nurseries and plant breeders have great ideas for using plants
The internet is full of good ideas.
