Gardeners Tips

This council maintained flower bed claims a wooden sculpture which looks to me like 4 poles stuck in the ground at angles. It meets the specification of a sculpture in that it acts as a focal point, creates a new dimension with the extra height and becomes a topic of discussion.

Found materials can be any surplus matierial discovered in the wider garden or on your travels. If you have an artistic eye they can arranged in the garden to create a special feature. Old roots can be used to form a stumpery and old sea washed tree trunks can become a seat or decorative piece. I like natural wood as it harmonises in the garden without effort. Other wooden features include bird houses and tables, so much more pleasing than the rusty metal efforts.

Tips for Choosing Garden Sculpture

• Select items that are in proportion to the space and surroundings. Too small and the sculpture will be lost. Too large and it may dominate a natural setting to the exclusion of the natural garden environment.
• Plan why you want a sculpture and how it will integrate into your garden and the chosen site. Do not leave these items to chance or serendipity. Consider maintenance from the outset some items will tire rapidly.
• Unless you have a particular reason do not copy similar sculptures in neighboring gardens. If everyone bought the same stone sculpture from the same garden centre there would be no frisson of interest. Why not try to find a unique item that achiever the same end.
• Repeat a theme or stick to standard. It can be untidy having a glass,stone and wood sculpture in close proximity. Aim for harmony in the items you choose.
• Even well selected rocks can be sculptural features and I have many rocks in the garden that I have collected as small sculptures.

Water features offer one of the most effective ways to create a new dynamic in a garden. They add movement and dynamism and subconsciously help create a feeling of relaxation and lushness.
For the photographer or garden enthusiast, a water feature can provide a key focal point, which enables the plants to be effectively displayed. This particular water fountain (in Oxford Botanic Gardens) has been planted with tulips around the edge.

The tulips provide an interesting contrast. Here the tulips are neat, ordered and erect. – A perfect foil to the cascading nature of the waterfall.

When designing gardens, don’t forget the power of architecture to frame inspiring shots. These two brick columns create the impression of a ‘window into the garden’. Windows such as this lead the eye to a certain aspect of the garden creating an additional sense of drama and interest in the garden.

One thing about his photo is that you want to instinctively go through the archway in order to see the whole garden.

It is a powerful technique to break up a garden into different rooms – keep creating different sections and layers of interest.

The other interesting thing about this photo is the contrast between light and darkness. The top of the archway is very dark and this serves as a contrast to the beautiful pink light of the apple blossome

This is an easy to grow biennial. Plant seeds now, either where they are to flower, or under cover for planting out 9 inches apart later. Germination can be erratic but they also dislike being transplanted so you are caught between a rockery and hard-landscaping.

The reason I say they are easy, is because they self sow all over my garden and despite the delicate petals I think of them as weeds. So much so that I forgot to photograph any earlier this year.

Other Seeds to sow for next year

• Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’ grey leaves with purple bell flowers
• Eschscholzia – Californian Poppy
• Calendula officinalis – Indian Prince mixed coloured pot marigolds

See also Tips for growing Iceland Poppies