Chris Young. Garden Design
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Choosing lighting and heating
With such a wealth of creative garden lighting now
available it can be difficult to decide what’s right for
you: this section looks at the relative merits of each
option. Heating allows you to make more use of your
LIGHT SHOW
A combination of colored fluorescent tubes, grazing
(see p.69 ), and spotlighting creates a cool, watery
effect similar to that of a giant indoor aquarium.
HOW TO DESIGN
70
TYPES OF LIGHTING
Garden lighting has been revolutionized by the
introduction of efficient LEDs, and the increased
availability of relatively safe, low-voltage lighting and
more reliable solar-powered units. Even “designer”
effects are now available for domestic gardens. While
home improvement stores carry an increasingly wide
range, the largest choice can be found online and via
specialist companies.
With the exception of solar-powered lighting, candles,
and oil lamps, all other illumination devices need to be
connected to an electricity supply. Lights either receive
power directly from a wall socket or through a
transformer that provides a low-voltage current—ideal
for a garden, as water and electrical current are a lethal
mix. Always employ a qualified electrician to install
lighting and make connections to an electricity supply.
HEATING IN THE GARDEN
Introducing some kind of environmentally-friendly
heat source into the garden extends the use of the plot
into the cool of the evening or in spring and fall.
Wherever possible, burn logs and prunings cut from
your own garden. Never use treated or tanalized timber,
garden in the evenings and during cooler weather,
and is becoming increasingly popular. However, some
heaters and fires are not energy-efficient, so choose
carefully and use them in moderation.
and make sure you read the instructions on appliances
to check the type of fuel you can burn. Safety gloves are
a must as fire grates get very hot, and make sure you
allow chimeneas to cool before covering them. Keep a
fire extinguisher handy, and use fireguards.
This table shows the
pros and cons of the
main forms of lighting,
but for most types it
is also best to discuss
your requirements
with an electrician or
lighting engineer.
WHERE TO SITE
TYPE OF LIGHT
EXTENT OF
ILLUMINATION
EXPENSE
INSTALLATION
MAINTENANCE
TYPE OF HEATING
PROS CONS
FIRE PIT
FIREPLACE
CHIMENEA
GAS/ELECTRIC
DIY build possible. Some designs portable.
Focal point, with potential for 360° seating.
Heats and cooks. Burns garden prunings.
Many different models including cast-iron
stoves. Stone and brick styles can form a
major garden feature. Burns logs.
Fits into a small space. Clay designs often
very decorative. Easy to cover and protect
from weathering.
Convenient and no cleaning up afterwards.
Instant heat and/or cooking with flexibility:
easily controllable.
Needs space and safety screen. Ash may
stain light surrounds. Poses a danger to
children and pets—do not leave unattended.
Larger models, including those made from
stone, take up space and are permanent
fixtures. Cast iron rusts.
Both clay and metal types can crack. Clay
may start to crumble after absorbing a lot
of moisture. Tricky to clean out ashes.
Burns fossil fuels. Highly inefficient
considering amount of energy used and heat
produced. Heavy cylinders for gas heaters.
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FIRE PIT
An updated version of the campfire,
fire pits are a draw at social gatherings
and may also be used for cooking.
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CHIMENEA
The chimenea, originally a Mexican device for heating
and cooking, comes in several different designs. Ensure
that the fire is just below the opening to prevent smoking.
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FIREPLACE
This grand fireplace dominates the garden, creating
a dramatic outdoor dining area. Simpler, smaller models
for average-sized gardens are widely available.
CHOOSING LIGHTING AND HEATING
71
LED
LIVE FLAME
ELECTRIC
FIBER OPTIC
SOLAR-POWERED
Almost anywhere in the
garden. Can be used as pool
lighting, recessed lighting,
twinkle lights, or spots.
Candles, oil lamps, and
lanterns may be placed on the
ground, in wall niches, on
tables, and hung or floated.
Use fluorescents for wall
lamps, post lights, etc, and
halogen flood lights for
security and colored effects.
In paving and decking for a
starlight effect, and in water
features. Transparent tubing
outlines hard landscaping.
Edge of pathways/patios; in
ponds (floating/rock lights); on
walls; by plants. Some types
suitable as spotlights.
Very bright for the size of unit.
Casings can enhance and
focus light output, and
diffusers soften it.
Low-level, atmospheric
lighting. Candelabras and
lanterns are suitable for
outdoor dining.
Varies according to fixture—
halogens can illuminate entire
garden. Colored fluorescents
are for bright, modern effects.
Soft, low-level lighting set
into decking. Can brighten
water sculptures with metal
halide source.
Low. Units fitted with modern
LEDs are brighter. Strength
depends on battery type and
age. Gentle lighting for paths.
More expensive to buy,
but cost effective when
efficiency and longevity
are taken into account.
Candles, gel and oil lamps
are inexpensive compared to
electric fittings, but do not
offer comparable lighting.
Inexpensive to buy but running
costs add up: use low-energy
bulbs and fluorescent strips/
halogen lights where possible.
DIY kits are fairly reasonably
priced, but specialist
installation will be more
expensive.
Expensive initially compared to
standard units, but consider
convenience and zero running
costs, plus longevity.
The same as conventional
bulbs—running off wall socket
or transformer. Useful for
hard-to-reach areas.
Take care to site safely on a
non-flammable, level surface
in shelter. Do not leave a live
flame unattended.
Lighting can run off a wall
socket or transformer. Consult
a qualified electrician for
installation (see opposite).
May need specialist
installation. Transformer
and light source will need
waterproof siting.
Safe and easy DIY lighting.
Needs sunny spot to operate
well. May not stay on as long
in winter.
LED bulbs last many times
longer than a standard light
bulb or even a compact
fluorescent bulb.
Trim wick to keep candle flame
low and efficient. Extinguish
with a snuffer. Do not move
candles when wax is liquid.
Replace bulbs when they
burn out. Keep wall lamps
and infrared sensors clean.
Very low heat and UV output.
Low maintenance: clean deck
and paving fiber optics with
gentle cleansers.
Photovoltaic cells need regular
cleaning. Good quality
nickel-cadmium batteries could
last up to 20 years.
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73
PLANTS PERFORM AT THEIR BEST when
provided with the correct combination of
growing conditions, and learning about their
needs and the kind of soil they prefer will help
you devise the right planting plan for your plot.
Including examples from a range of plant
groups should ensure interest year-round. Trees
and shrubs give height, depth, and shade, as
well as the essential framework. Evergreens
retain their leaves, so are useful for all-year
interest, and the shimmer of frost-covered
deciduous plants is one of the pleasures of
a winter morning garden. Scented climbers,
grasses, perennials, and annuals all have their
part to play, while spring bulbs and biennials
bring a seasonal burst of color, just when fresh
novelties are most needed in the garden.
Plants are very versatile.
A structural plant can be
a single specimen, such as
a stunning cardoon taking
center stage in a border, or
a group of plants, perhaps
a box hedge clipped to
enclose a parterre. Focal
plants attract and guide the
eye. They don’t have to be
long-lasting: a lovely
individual specimen
with vivid flowers
or leaf tints works as
well as an evergreen
spiky Phormium or
sculptural tree.
Midrange plants include shrubs, grasses, and
herbaceous perennials, and they can help define
the style of your garden. Mix strong leaf shapes
and flowers and foliage with different colours
and textures for a dynamic display. Ground
cover is another potential element; choices
range from a neat, evergreen carpet to a blowsy
show of flowers or scented drift of herbs.
From the heart-lifting first bulbs of spring,
through to summer blooms, and on to fall
foliage and scented winter-
flowering shrubs like
Mahonia, seasonal planting is
a constantly evolving delight.
You can stick to your chosen
style, or throw in the odd
surprise for fun. Designing
with plants is the exciting—
and never-ending—pleasure
of gardening.
Designing with plants
Select plants like dahlias for
shape as well as color.
Use layers of plants to create stunning effects.
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Understanding plants
Garden plants come from a great number of different habitats
around the world and vary in their needs. Providing them with
the same conditions in which they grow in the wild is the best
way to ensure that they will thrive in your yard. A plant’s
HOW TO DESIGN
74
appearance—the leaves, in particular—can give you a basic
understanding of its requirements, but it is best to read the
plant label carefully, too. Remember that plants which share
a natural habitat will also look good together in the garden.
SUN-TOLERANT PLANTS
Full sun and dry soil make a testing environment for a
plant. Heat- and drought-tolerant plants may have silver,
heat-reflective leaves (Artemisia), or narrow gray ones
(lavender), which minimize the exposed surface area.
SHADE-TOLERANT PLANTS
Moist and shady, sheltered conditions allow large-leaved
plants, such as Rheum, Darmera, and Rodgersia, to thrive.
Most shade lovers tolerate some full sun during the day,
but leaves may scorch with too much exposure.
ALKALINE SOIL
Soil with a pH value over
7 is considered alkaline—
if it is also fairly fertile,
roses will love it.
ACID SOIL
Azaleas are ericaceous
plants that require acid
soil with a pH value
below 6.5.
SANDY DRY SOIL
If soil is too wet, bulbs,
such as alliums, may rot.
Free-draining sandy soils
suit them best.
CLAY SOIL
Plants such as Berberis
that like fertile, moist
conditions grow well
on heavy clay soil.
It is easier to match your plants to your soil
than to try to change the character of your
land. Heavy clay can be cold and wet, but it is
fertile and productive once plants are
established. Sandy soils can be worked
year-round at almost any time but will dry
SHADE- OR SUN-LOVING?
Imagine the conditions in which a shade-
loving plant grows. Light levels are low, so
it probably has dark green leaves full of
light-catching chlorophyll. Protected from
damaging drying winds and scorching sun,
it can also afford to have large leaves. Now
imagine a plant that has to cope with sizzling
out fast in summer. Soil acidity is important
if you want to grow ericaceous (acid-loving)
plants such as Pieris, Camellia, or Rhododendron.
Be aware that labels don’t always state
whether plants need acid soil conditions.
(For more information on soil types, see p.92.)
midday sun and buffeting winds. Silver or
gray leaves with reflective surfaces and
protective hairs are less likely to dry out.
Leathery or succulent leaves also indicate
good tolerance of heat. Many plants fall
between these two extremes, but, in general
terms, leaves are a useful guide.
PLANTS FOR DIFFERENT SOILS
PLANT GROUPS
ANNUAL
A plant with a life cycle of one year. Usually
very floriferous because of the number of
seeds it needs to yield in order to reproduce.
BIENNIAL
Plants with a two-year life cycle, producing
foliage the first year and flowers the next.
Canterbury bells and wallflowers are biennials.
PERENNIAL
Non-woody plants that can live for years. Most
die down to the ground in winter and come up
again in spring; some are evergreen.
EVERGREEN
A plant that retains its leaves all year round.
DECIDUOUS
A plant that loses its foliage during winter,
then produces new leaves in spring.
GRASSES AND SEDGES
A mix of evergreen or deciduous plants with
grassy leaves. They can be clump-forming or
spreading, and range in height from a few
inches to six to ten feet.
SHRUBS
Evergreen or deciduous plants with a
permanent, multi-stemmed woody framework
from 1–12 ft (30 cm–4 m) tall.
TREES
Large evergreen and deciduous plants, which
usually have a single trunk and are capable of
reaching great heights. Trees need careful
siting due to their longevity and size.
CLIMBERS
Deciduous and evergreen climbing plants
useful for their foliage and flowers. Most need
wires or trellis to cling to walls or fences, and
can grow to a height of several feet.
AQUATICS
Plants that grow in wet ground or in water fall
into three groups: those with leaves held
above the water, those that lie on the surface,
and those that stay submerged (see p.88).
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ALPINE INSPIRATION
A rock garden is designed to emulate the free-draining
dry conditions of an alpine meadow. This image of the
real thing shows the effects you can aim for.
COASTAL SURVIVORS
A plant’s ability to cope with gale-force winds and salty
spray will govern your choice for a seaside garden. Luckily,
there are some beautiful plants that are perfectly adapted.
WOODLAND EFFECTS
You don’t need to be a botanical purist to create a woodland
garden. You can combine plants from different countries,
so long as they all enjoy cool dry shade in summer.
MAT-FORMING
These plants spread
by sending out shoots
which then put down
roots. Mentha requienii
(Corsican mint) will
steadily creep over
gravel and paving.
UPRIGHT
As they often have little
sideways spread, upright
plants like Verbascum
can be planted quite
densely. They also
provide useful vertical
accents in the garden.
FAST-GROWING
Plants such as Lavatera
need space when
planted to allow for rapid
spread. Plant labels give
the size after 10 years,
but check with other
sources for growth rates.
CLUMP-FORMING
Over a few years, plants
such as the noninvasive
grass Pennisetum
alopecuroides form a
good-sized clump
without threatening to
swamp their neighbors.
CLIMBERS
Climbers, including most
clematis, take up little
horizontal space as they
want to grow up rather
than out. Train them
through shrubs and to
clothe vertical structures.
SLOW-GROWING
Many slow-growers will
eventually become big,
but it can take years.
Buxus sempervirens
‘Suffruticosa’ has a slow
growth rate that makes
it ideal for low hedging.
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BIG BONUS
A wide range of plants
will grow successfully in
large containers since
they can accommodate
more roots, water, and
nutrients than small,
narrow pots.
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TIGHT SQUEEZE
The restricted size and
volume of compost in
small pots limits your
plant choices. You must
water and feed plants
regularly when grown
in these conditions.
UNDERSTANDING PLANTS
75
MIRRORING NATURE
If you bring together plants from different
parts of the world but from a similar habitat,
it is possible to create a planting design that is
both botanically and aesthetically pleasing.
Seeing the plants in situ in their natural
environment will inspire you—and give you
a feel for the conditions they require.
GROWTH HABITS
Understanding a plant’s habit helps you to
place it in the garden. It also ensures you get
the planting density right, so you achieve a
balanced border that isn’t overwhelmed by
PLANTS IN CONTAINERS
There is no reason why a container garden
can’t be as well planted as a border. It is an
intimate and very flexible form of gardening
that allows an almost continual mixing and
matching of your plants. However,
growing plants in pots can affect their
growth rates and restrict their size, since
compost, water, and nutrients are limited.
plants of unexpected vigor. Height and
spread are usually marked on the plant
label, but expect some variation due to
different growing conditions.
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HOW TO DESIGN
76
Selecting plants
At this stage of the design process you should be getting a
clearer idea of the look you want to create in your yard, and
thinking about the plants you’ll need. Designers often talk about
using a “palette” of plants, as if they were paints, and, in many
ways, creating a beautiful garden is like painting—except that
you are visualizing three dimensions, and your materials, being
living, growing things, aren’t static. Use the ideas outlined here
to help you draw up an inspired garden design.
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FLOWER IN FOCUS
Close up you can appreciate the folded and crushed petals
of this peony’s double blooms. With other plants, such as
passion flowers, the detail is in the intricate stamens.
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FOLIAGE AND FORM
A closer look at a peony reveals how its flowers and
foliage combine to make it stand out as an individual.
Peonies often provide vibrant fall leaf color too.
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STRUCTURE AND COLOR
The most useful plants here (peonies) work on several
levels, providing structure and color. In spring, their red
shoots are followed by lush green foliage, then flowers.
LAYERS OF INTEREST
When space is limited, try to select plants
that have a long season of interest. As well as
those that flower over a long period, there
are also many shrubs and perennials with
colorful fall foliage, structural winter stems,
and spring buds. Precious few plants will
fulfill all your demands, but look for those
that tick the most boxes.
CHOOSING A PLANTING PALETTE
Focusing your ideas at an early stage in the
design process narrows your choices and
helps to guide you towards choosing the right
plants. It also minimizes expensive mistakes.
Sourcing plants is much easier when you have
a specific theme, perhaps a favorite color, or
style in mind. A cottage garden, for example,
will give you the scope to mix and match a
wide range of plants in an informal setting.
Something more modern, on the other hand,
will demand that you use a limited number
of plants in a more organized way. Designing
a low-maintenance garden filled with
evergreens will, again, focus your choice
(see pp.126–233 for garden styles).
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TROPICAL COLLECTION
A flamboyant display of annuals with
hardy and tender perennials is high-
maintenance, but the results are
exciting and worth the effort.
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EASY-CARE PLAN
The established hardy shrubs and
perennials in this formal planting require
minimal maintenance. Their structure
extends the seasonal appeal right
through late fall and into winter.
SHELTERED SEATING AREA
Hedges do pretty much the same job as a fence or wall,
but they have the edge when it comes to absorbing
sound and wind. They also create a much softer effect.
FUNCTIONAL PLANTING
Certain garden features design themselves by
default. For example, an exposed garden will
need a windbreak, while an overlooked plot
must have screening for privacy. Other
design considerations might include fragrance
by the front door, or a tree by the patio to
provide shade on a hot sunny day. The design
of such plans is guided by their specific use,
and this may limit your choice of suitable
plants. The list below details the different
design functions plants can fulfill, some of
which may be pertinent to your plot.
1 Provide shelter
2 Create a boundary
3 Produce food to eat
4 Offer shade
5 Perfume the garden
6 Screen neighbors
7 Hide an ugly view
8 Provide a wildlife habitat
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PLANT TYPES AND THEIR DESIGN USES
There is, without doubt, a plant for virtually
every situation, be it a tree, shrub, perennial,
bedding plant, or bulb. When you’re working
out a planting plan, consider how best to use
each plant, and ask yourself if it will create the
look you are after, as well as how it will work
next to other plants in the border.
MIDRANGE PLANTS
These make up the majority
of the plants in a garden
and include perennials and
small shrubs. The substance
of most plantings, they fill
the gaps between bigger,
more structural elements.
STRUCTURAL PLANTS
Plants can be structural on
two levels. They can define
the limits and framework of
a garden, or the term can
describe the plant itself,
for example, if it has large
paddle-shaped leaves.
FOCAL PLANTS
Like ornaments, these
are visual treats for the
garden. It could be their
distinctive color, leaf
shape, or stature that
makes them stand out from
other plants in the border.
SEASONAL INTEREST
The changing seasons make
gardening a real pleasure.
Choosing plants that
provide an ever-changing
display prolongs a garden’s
interest, changing its
character as time passes.
GROUND COVER
People tend to think of
ground cover plants as
being workmanlike. But
there’s no reason why they
can’t do a great job of
being ornamental while
smothering weeds as well.
SELECTING PLANTS
77
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Using structural plants
Structural plants are the backbone of a garden, forming the
framework and helping to anchor other plants within a defined
space. A beech hedge encircling a garden works in this way, as
does a low box hedge around a border. By their sheer physical
presence, individual structural plants —such as a Gunnera or
Cordyline—can give focus to a planting plan. Identifying key
plants and deciding where to position them is the first step
towards organizing a planting design for any garden.
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HEDGES FOR DEFINITION
Hedging plants, both small and large scale
(in this instance, beech), can be used to
define the internal structure of a garden.
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STRUCTURE IN A BORDER
Here, green and purple maples (Acer)
frame a stone statue, while the sculptural
Gunnera at the back forms a focal point.
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STRUCTURAL ACCENTS
Clumps of bold foliage (here cannas) in a busy
planting design act as a foil for slim-stemmed
flowers and provide structural accents in a border.
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RECONSTRUCTING NATURE
Using plants in broad interlocking swathes prevents
an over-fussy effect and the resulting planting,
although strongly structured, looks natural.
HOW TO DESIGN
78
CREATING A FRAMEWORK
TEMPORARY STRUCTURE
While the main framework of a garden should
be permanent, much of the planting within it
is seasonal, emerging in spring and dying down
in winter. Some perennials provide vital
structure for all but a few weeks in spring,
when, as is the case with many handsome
grasses, their stems are cut to make way for
new growth. Large, shapely foliage plants,
such as Miscanthus, act as an anchor for smaller
species, or contrast with leafy flowering
shrubs like Deutzia. Airy plantings also
benefit from the occasional strong shape as a
visual counterbalance to their wispy forms.
Hedging is ideal for defining the boundaries
of a large- or medium-sized garden. It also
provides shelter and increases privacy. Strike
a balance between evergreen and deciduous
species: evergreens are effective year-round
screens, but because of the low winter sun
they can cast a dense gloomy shade, while
deciduous hedges allow in some light for most
of the year, and can offer seasonal color, too.
Use structural plants within the garden to
frame (or block out) views and to lead your
eye around the design. Shrubs in a border,
perhaps forming a low hedge, provide a
setting for midrange plants, and repeating
planting helps to create visual reference
points. When planting trees, consider their
eventual size and the shade they will cast.
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COLOR AND FORM
If you mix deciduous and
evergreen species, the
garden in winter can be
both structurally interesting
and surprisingly colorful.
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SPRING OFFERING
Trees form an important
element of the spring
landscape, some offering
blossom, others vibrant
green new growth.
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FORMAL TOPIARY
Formal planting is the
ultimate in structural
design. This row of clipped
evergreen trees is
balanced and restful, and
the effect can be enjoyed
during all four seasons.
USING STRUCTURAL PLANTS
79
YEAR-ROUND INTEREST
While evergreens may seem the obvious
choice for year-round interest, visually they
can be leaden and static. Deciduous trees
and shrubs, on the other hand, may perform
for several seasons: new foliage in spring,
followed, perhaps, by flowers, and then
berries in late summer, and vibrant leaf
color in fall. In addition, trees often have a
beautiful winter silhouette. Many species
of Sorbus offer these benefits, and are the
ideal four-season trees for a small garden.
A winter garden may not offer the obvious
charms of summer, but there can still be
sufficient interest to draw your eye into the
garden—perhaps even enticing you to pull
on a coat and venture outside.
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