Garden Design & Inspiration
The articles here on concepts, borders, containers, and seasons are reprinted with permission from The Gardener magazine. Like the garden plans, they are in PDF format.
CONCEPTS | BORDERS | SEASONS | PLANS
| CONCEPTS | |
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Stephen Anderton There's an old saying about pets: A pet is not just for Christmas -- it's for a lifetime. It's rather the same with gardens. |
Stephen Anderton How to create spaces that are intimate and personal without being claustrophobic. |
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Stephen Anderton How to create spaces that are easy on the eye. |
Stephen Anderton Just because a line isn't straight doesn't mean it can't be formal. |
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Anthony Neal It is hard to imagine a beautiful garden without water. The very heartbeat is missing. |
Stephen Anderton The first step in planning a garden is to understand the landscape with which you’re working. |
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Stephen Anderton Why your garden needs it and how to deal with this difficult but essential element. |
Stephen Anderton A clear, coherent frame is essential to creating beautiful pictures. |
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Stephen Anderton When designing or redesigning a garden, there is always one huge decision waiting for you at the outset. |
Stephen Anderton A house is a massive three-dimensional anchor for the space that surrounds it. |
| BORDERS | [back to top] |
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Joe Eck An expert shares his list of simple concepts for making complex gardens. |
Building the Bones of a Border Fergus Garrett The first step to a great garden is creating a framework that is practical. |
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Christopher Lloyd From the flowers of yarrows to the layered branches of dogwoods, these shapes give the border strong contrast and a sense of stability. |
Christopher Lloyd Plants with a cascading element are invaluable in the garden. |
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Christopher Lloyd Globes and domes are among the most natural shapes to see in a garden. |
Anna Pavord Forget the graph paper but remember to start your plan from the center. |
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Fergus Garrett How do you go about building a new garden from scratch? |
Christopher Lloyd The author introduces the broad range of shapes that can be used to create exciting and lasting pictures. |
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Christopher Lloyd A strong, upward thrust is essential in our gardens at every level, and never more so than in a mixed border setting. |
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| SEASONS | [back to top] |
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John Emmanuel In the midst of fall’s beauty, preparations are under way for next year’s displays. |
A Fall Sampler: Salvia, Corydalis, Ceratostigma, Acer, Kirengeshoma Five experts extol their favorite plant for autumn display. |
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Graham Stuart Thomas A master plantsman's picks for late-winter garden interest. |
Christopher Lloyd Skeletons, barks, and berries usher out one season and bring in another. |
| PLANS | [back to top] |
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A Medley of Groundcovers for Shade Ken Rawson Turn a shady corner of your garden into an oasis of lush foliage and calming colors. |
Ken Rawson Thirteen plants in a border to help take the heat out of a long summer day. |
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Shrubs and perennials that provide colorful flowers and foliage in partial shade. |
Plants with a long season of interest and foliage that deer generally avoid. |
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Ken Rawson Just ten different plants, with flowers in shades of purple, blue, and rose can create a lively, three-season show. |
Hostas combine well with Virginia Bluebells, variegated Solomon's Seal, and old-fashioned Bleeding Heart. |
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Sultry Delights Garden for Sun Shrubs and perennials for a long season of bloom in full sun. |
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