Rather like leaving the house with no clothes on, your garden is laid bare for all to see in Winter. It’s the ultimate test of your garden design – without the distraction of flowers and frills, the imaginative creation of forms, viewpoints and backdrops is vital.
Good garden design unashamedly takes control of your eyes, diverting them to what you want them to see, keeping them focused at different times of the year – even different times of the day with the right position and light.
It’s all about creating layers and depth, switching the eye from side to side as it traces the length and width of the garden, combining vertical and horizontal forms to harmonious effect – allowing the stars to shine with a solid supporting cast and crew.
Making a garden for all the seasons is about accepting death and decay. Nowadays clients take a more contemporary approach to perennials – where once they would have been ceremoniously cut to the ground with the first hint of frost, now seedheads are left to attract wildlife and create beautiful frosty effects in the garden.
For more inspiration why not visit some local winter gardens…Savill Garden (Windsor), RHS Wisley (J10, M25) or Painshill Landscape Garden (Cobham)?
If you are looking to design a new garden this year now is the time to make a start – we are already planning lots of new garden spaces for 2018.
Happy winter from Muddy Boots!
