FOCAL POINT SEAT
Creating a vista that points directly to a chair as your focal point is an invitation to take a seat and admire the view. Set the chair in front of a dark green hedge at the end of an elegant formal walkway with matching borders and planters on either side of the path.
Expert tip: If neighbouring houses overlook the property and spoil the view, compromising your privacy, introduce tall planting or screens along the vista to prevent your eyes straying away from the focal point.
How much? Chairs from £18.99 – call 0845 345 0728.
For garden chairs and hammocks, see the Readers Offers page.
CENTREPIECE
Designing an area of the garden on a line of sight from the house works well with a geometric layout. Use square and rectangular mixed flower borders framed by low clipped box hedges, crisscrossed by paths. Then add a fountain, giant urn or potted tree in the centre. Check that the layout works when viewed from an upstairs window.
Expert tip: A circular lawn, patio or gravel bed with wrap-around flower beds provides a hot spot for a focal feature and is perfect for a small garden.
How much? Potted trees from £34 – call 01433 621357.
ORNAMENTS
As your eyes sweep across the garden they should be rewarded by something special to ponder over. An ornament is guaranteed to catch your attention but it must complement your garden style and make sure it’s on the same scale as its surroundings.
Expert tip: Consider giving a statue or urn on a pedestal the prime spot against a backdrop of greenery at the end of a vista. It will entice you to walk the full length of the path to examine its intricate detail up close. If there’s space, scatter several around the garden and even try hiding one so that it can be discovered as you move through the garden.
How much? Classic garden statues from £19.95 – call 0845 269 2968.
For garden ornaments, see Readers Offers.
BORDERS
Each flower bed should have its own focal point, which can be a tall plant or a bright flower. If you need to add height to your planting scheme, consider using a wigwam or obelisk frame festooned with a star plant, such as clematis or scented sweet peas.
Expert tip: Placing several identical obelisks thoughtfully throughout the garden, which visually tie the different areas together, help turn an ordinary garden into a memorable one.
How much? Obelisks from £25.50 – call 0845 260 4450.
SUMMERHOUSE
A summerhouse makes a great feature but to be enjoyed to the max it should make a striking statement too. You can use a combination of paint and plants to achieve this when viewed down a path, from a window of the house or leading through a gate or opening in a hedge. It will also provide you with a picture postcard view of the garden when you’re in it.
Expert tip: Design the surrounding area by marking where the sun and shadows lie. Take a few photos at different times of day so you can identify the best spot with the most vantage points.
How much? Summerhouses from £299.98, BQ – call 0845 609 6688
For garden storage ideas, see Reader Offers.
MIRRORS
These can trick the viewer into thinking that there is a way through to another garden and so give the impression of a larger space. They will also reflect more light into your garden and capture a focal feature, cleverly doubling the effect.
Expert tip: If you are worried that birds might fly into your mirror, position it on the side walls and camouflage the edges with plants. Maybe add a silhouette of an owl or a shiny CD to distract them.
How much? Garden mirror panels from £18 – call 0870 432 0668.
ARCHITECTURAL PLANTS
It’s worth investing in an unusual specimen, such as the vibrant canna tropicana with orange flowers, or tree ferns.
Expert tip: Resist the temptation to centre your focal point – just off centre is more effective and plant a cluster of low mounding, spiky, ground huggers beneath with different textures and colours, too.
How much? Ferns from £29.99 – call 01603 744997.
Gardening QA
I have a diseased honeysuckle growing on a sunny wall. Do you have any tips for a cure?
Mel Cottrell, St Austell, Cornwall
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Adrienne says – Honeysuckles do not do well against hot dry walls as the soil is often dry and limey from old mortar washing into the ground, so plants are invariably weak and vulnerable to attack by aphids and fall victim to diseases. Honeysuckles are naturally woodlanders.
A plant will thrive best in fertile soil at the base of a deciduous tree where it can receive plenty of winter rain while staying cool and moist under the shady canopy during summer.
Or let it scramble over a trellis at the back of a border where it’s shaded at the base by other plants.
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When do I collect lavender flower heads for drying?
Paula White, Basingstoke, Hants
Adrienne says – The best time to harvest them is when the buds are swelling and when just one or two of the flowers have opened on the flower head.
Picking the flower heads at this time preserves their dark colour and ensures the flowers will stay attached to the stalk once dried. Choose a time following a few days of dry weather, during late morning after any dew has evaporated.
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What’s causing the leaves at the bottom of my houseplant to turn a sickly yellow?
Jennifer Gower, Kendal, Cumbria
Adrienne says – If the remaining foliage is light green then it’s likely to be nitrogen deficiency especially if the stems are becoming pale and spindly. Feed the plant with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser that’s for foliage houseplants.
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Check the garden pages of the Reader Offers site for great deals on gardening gear.
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