Six Secrets of Green Garden Design

Garden Greenery

Looking out into my backyard, the overwhelming colour I see is green. It is the beginning of Spring here now. We had rain yesterday after some warm days. The garden has come alive. 

 

 

Green garden setting

Lawn

Often the first thing people think of in a garden is a lawn. It can be made of all sorts of grasses, clovers or weeds. You can get slow growing lawns or quick growing. They need regular cutting to keep manageable. The rest of my garden is awash with green, from low growing plants 30cm high to large bushes 2 mtrs high to trees 3-4 mts high. They are all covered in green.

Spiny grey green leaves of Aloe vera

Create Interest in your Garden

To make this greenery interesting, take into account

1. height of plant
2. shape of plant
3. shape of leaves
4. texture of leaves
5. aroma
6. shade of green
7. colour of leaves 

• The height of the plant is important. Plant tall plants at the back of the garden.

• The shape of the plant is important. Look for narrow plants for narrow beds. It is annoying to have to be always trimming back a plant because it is always in the way. 

Turk's Cap, 2 metres tall with large rounded green leaves

• Vary the shape of the leaves on your plants, like round leaves of Nasturtiums, long narrow leaves of a spider plant, large, frilly leaves of rhubarb or star cut edges of a maple tree. 

Spider plants can grow inside or outside.

• Texture of leaves can bring interest to a garden. Lamb's ear's silvery grey leaves are soft and furry and invite you to bend and rub them. Borage leaves have hairs all over them but they are not prickly.

• Bringing perfume or aroma into the garden is a pleasure. Lemon scented geranium leaves have a beautiful perfume when rubbed as do lavender leaves and rosemary.

Bamboo

• The colour of leaves can change, starting out burgundy and ending up green as in some roses. Leaves can be emerald green or variegated in a green/cream mix, or blue/green of many Australian native plants. 

As you can see, green in your garden can be interesting, as interesting as you wish to make it. You can be the artist in your garden.