Designing the Perfect Garden

Have you ever noticed how often it seems like getting your garden to look right is more of a hit and miss prospect than you would like? The reason for this is that many people do not take the necessary time when trying to design the perfect garden. By following these simple guidelines, and using plenty of imagination, you can quickly have a perfect garden. You will be amazed at how simple it really is.

• Direct the eye, and create a sense of movement. A great method that you can use to help design the perfect garden is to direct the viewers' eye and to help create a sense of movement. This can be done through the use of color, texture, and even borders around the garden itself. Experiment with a few different methods to see which ones work the best for you.
• Accessories can be a huge help. Use garden accessories and similar items to help create nice little "surprises" throughout your garden. Items such as mosaics, sculptures, birdbaths, gazing balls, and so on can help transform a simple so-so garden to something breathtaking. Another way that you can do this is through "recycled" items that are being used for interesting and new purposes. For example, you can use an old wheelbarrow as a planter.
• Make the garden a reflection of you. When designing your garden, it needs to be a reflection of who you are. This means that it should be an extension of your personality, and something that makes you feel comfortable. After all, this is your garden not someone else's.
• Instead of looking in, look out. Often, when designing a garden people will only focus on what it looks like from the street, or the front of the house. While this is important, remember that this is not the only perspective that you will be seeing the garden from. As you are planning your garden, think about what it will look like from the inside of your house as you look out. You won't be outside all the time, now will you?
• No rules! If there is one secret that professionals landscapers don't want to get out, then that has to be that there are no rules. This means that you should not take garden design too seriously, but rather it should be something that is fun. Do what makes sense to you, as opposed to what makes sense to someone else. If you think that it will work, then chances are it will simply because it is your garden. Just remember to be consistent in what you do.