Beautiful gardens do not just happen by chance, but are carefully designed. As a leading garden designer, Andy Stedman Design has a deep understanding of this process and firsthand experience in crafting luxury outdoor spaces from scratch.
Garden design is both an art form and a science, as it is a creative yet calculated process to achieve the desired result. A combination of creativity, structure, and horticultural knowledge is required to design beautiful gardens that thrive throughout the seasons.
To help you understand the process better and learn more about what we do, we are sharing the key principles of garden design in this post.
Using our experience and skills within the field, we will guide you through the essential elements of garden design and what it takes to create breathtaking landscapes.
Garden design is a careful balance of creativity and structure, requiring a variety of skills to achieve. At Andy Stedman Design, we take pride in offering luxurious garden transformations and creating high-end outdoor spaces for our clients.
Over the years, we have developed a deep understanding of garden design and its principles, allowing us to tailor the service to suit all our clients’ requirements. We know what it takes for garden design to work, and it relies on these main principles:
Balance is one of the key principles of garden design, as this is what gives any landscape a sense of order and visual appeal. When a space is well-balanced, the eyes move naturally through it, allowing full appreciation of the space without distraction or tension.
As every landscape is unique, balance does not always look the same in design. Based on the organic layout of the land, the theme of the design, and the desired result, there are two ways that balance can be used:
Symmetrical Balance: Formal And Structured Design
Symmetrical design is the classic approach, often seen in traditional or formal gardens. This form of balance relies on mirroring elements on either side of the central point, which will be defined by the garden designer and organised appropriately. For example, two identical planting borders adorning a straight path, or structural plants framing the entrance.
Symmetrical garden design is a way to evoke a sense of stability, order, and grandeur, due to the fact that it is commonly used in formal grounds and gardens. It can be a great garden design tool for front gardens, where a strong visual statement is desired.
Asymmetrical Balance: Natural And Relaxed Design
By contrast, asymmetrical designs feel more organic and informal. Instead of perfect symmetry, which can create a formal appearance, asymmetrical gardens balance themselves through different shapes, colours, or textures.
While the balance is still strategically planned by garden designers, it is less visually obvious. For example, a large tree on one side of the garden is balanced with a group of smaller shrubs or even a water feature on the other.
To evoke this informal feeling, asymmetrical design still needs to be balanced, but this can be achieved without uniformity. This is a great option for contemporary landscapes or gardens that aim to blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings.
Proportion is about relationships, which means the connection between plants, paving, structures and the people using the space.
To ensure a successful and attractive design, the relationship between all of these elements needs to complement the space it’s in. For example, a tree that is too large for a courtyard garden will disrupt the landscape, making it appear smaller and overshadowed.
Proportion and scale are key principles of garden design because they determine whether the landscape aligns not only with the location but also with the requirements of the clients.
When designing a garden, professionals will focus on both vertical scale, which refers to tall elements such as trees, pergolas and walls, and horizontal scales, such as paths, lawns and borders. All of these elements need to be considered in proportion to the landscape itself, the people using it (for example, how many people can the garden comfortably hold without being crowded), as well as the rest of the design features.
This requires expertise and a keen eye for detail, which is guaranteed# when working with Andy Stedman Design. We consider scale and proportion from the very first drawings done of your garden. Everything is created to scale to ensure a cohesive balance.
Focal points anchor a garden, drawing the eyes to key areas to create structure and rhythm throughout the landscape as a whole. By attracting attention in specific areas, focal points give you a moment of pause and can emphasise the unique purpose of each garden zone.
Including focal points within garden design requires an understanding of the previous two principles, proportion and balance, to ensure the maximum benefits. Whether it’s a statement tree, a water feature or a bespoke sculpture, your chosen focal point needs to complement the rest of the garden design and attract attention for the right reasons.
Based on the size of your garden, you may have multiple focal points to divide zones and create interest throughout. However, it is important to note that a focal point does not have to be dramatic to be effective. Something as simple as a wooden bench or a view through a pergola can be the perfect focal point for a planting area, enhancing design, balance, and cohesion.
A successful garden design is cohesive, which means that everything ties together and makes sense as a whole. From the colours and materials to the planting and paving, everything needs to make sense as part of the bigger picture.
Unity is a key principle of garden design for this reason, and is presented through consistency and repetition. For example, the repetition of similar colours or materials links zones together and generates a central theme of the garden design.
Through both repetition and consistency, whether it is of materials, colours, plants or even shapes, you can generate a sense of flow throughout the entire garden design, ensuring every element balances well with the overall image.
Garden design is a sensory exploration, and while visual appeal plays a role in this, it is not the only thing to consider. A successful garden design also impacts the way you feel once you enter a space, which is done through:
Using a combination of shapes and structures, from rounded shrubs to upright stems and cascading perennials, can add movement, visual enhancement, and personality to the garden design.
Garden design should be as practical as it is beautiful, and this can vary based on each individual project.
The right garden design for you will be based on how you want to use the space, whether this is for relaxing, dining, or entertaining. Who will use the garden can also be considered here, whether you are designing for an adults-only environment or a family garden for young children.
Functional garden design can include a range of elements to suit your requirements, and these will be discussed with your garden designer in the initial stages. Some common examples of functionality within garden design include:
Zoning for different activities or purposesPrivacy and shelter to make the garden secluded and suitable for all weather useAccessibility and maintenance requirements, whether you are looking to create a low-maintenance garden that is easy to manage or a landscape that supports your gardening hobby.
To ensure that every garden we design is both practical and beautiful, our team takes the time to truly understand our clients. During the consultation process, we not only learn more about your landscape, but also your lifestyle and how you want garden design to enhance this.
This allows us to incorporate functional elements from the outset of the garden design process.
Garden design is an intricate process that requires a combination of skills and principles to get right. By understanding the key elements of garden design, from balance and scale to functionality and consistency, it becomes easier to understand the essential work done by garden designers, like our team.
Andy Stedman Design is a leading name in the garden design industry and specialises in designing high-end outdoor spaces. With our experience and skills, we can achieve incredible results for our clients, designing luxury spaces that withstand the test of time.
To learn more about our services or to request a consultation with the team, contact us today.
There are six main principles of garden design, all of which are equally important to achieve outstanding results. These are: balance, proportion, unity, focal points, texture, and functionality.
Cohesive garden design relies on a consistent palette of materials and colours, as well as repeating patterns such as planting and paving. It is also important to connect spaces with paths or visual lines to ensure a consistent flow throughout.
A professional garden designer not only ensures your landscape looks beautiful, but also fits your lifestyle, complements the available space, and adds long-term value to your home.
