COLUMNIST: KATIE REYNOLDS
There is something quintessentially British about a country garden and it is a style that is admired across the world. Having a garden in a rural setting however, doesn’t mean it has to necessarily conform to a traditional country style. It could have a wilder cottage garden feel, or something a bit more contemporary, and still work just as well. If you live in the countryside, here are some tips to help design your space to fit in with your surroundings.
A country garden can vary hugely in style and this should be predominantly dictated by the house. If it is a traditional looking home or one with symmetry in the architecture - whether it be an old or new house - then a more formal style will suit the garden. Use the dimensions of the house, including the windows, to inform the layout. Good structure either in the form of topiary, trees, hedges, or evergreen shrubs should be the backbone of the garden.
If it is a cottage, or converted steading, or something contemporary looking then a more relaxed, wilder, and altogether looser feel would work well.
Think also about the wider landscape. If there is a beautiful backdrop of mountains or rolling fields, then borrow this view and celebrate it through the layout, drawing the eye through the garden and opening up what is beyond. This could be done with paths leading you through the space, or using trees or large shrubs to frame the view.
Be sure to include vistas within the garden too, perhaps an oversized pot at the end of a path, a piece of sculpture beyond an archway, or a bench at the far end of a lawn.
Often a country garden is larger than one in the city, so design your layout to be in proportion with the size of your space. Wide paths and generous sized borders will fit well into the surroundings.
Dividing the space into rooms, as you would do in a house, is a good approach to designing the garden, especially if it is large. It brings character and you can make this as formal or relaxed in style as you like. Each of these areas can have its own identity and function (some ideas include an outdoor dining area, vegetable patch, a water feature or pond, a play area, an orchard, or meadow), but there still needs to be cohesion so that one area flows into the other.
Generally speaking, it works best to have a more formal or structured feel next to the house and then the style can become looser as the garden progresses further out.
The planting defines a country garden, which tends to be full of flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colours. Whatever the style, be generous with the amount of planting. Rather than a series of thin or small beds, aim to create fewer but larger, deeper borders which are packed full of interest throughout the year.
The colour palette depends on personal preference, but if it is a large space then paying attention to the effect of advancing and receding colours is worth noting (see Katie’s previous article about colour theory in the garden).
The choice of plants is personal preference. A more contemporary country garden might move away from traditional roses and delphiniums and instead introduce ornamental grasses, a gravel garden, or prairie style planting, so again let the house and setting dictate the style. Whatever plants are selected, a combination of varied form and structure will work well, and repeat planting a larger border in groups of plants is recommended.
I hope this has inspired you to think about your own country garden if you have one. In the next issue, I will be looking at urban gardens so look out for that if you live in a town or city.
Katie Reynolds Design is a garden and interior design studio for residential and commercial clients in Aberdeenshire and across the North East.
Katie works on a range of projects from city flats to country houses, public gardens to coastal properties. Follow Katie on Instagram and Facebook, visit www.katiereynoldsdesign.co.uk to browse some of her recent projects, or pick up more of her top garden design secrets on the Scotland Grows Show.