What a lovely challenge! I saw an Alan Titchmarch programme last week in which he designed a garden suitable for a long , narrow garden, might be worth a look.
Mgreen - if you want a shed - and it's always useful - you might want it to look nice (brightly painted and with some lanterns etc) and have a seating area beside or in front of it, almost like a mini summerhouse. If you mark out on the ground (canes or rope) the size the shed would be, stick a seat beside it and take a few pix, it will give you an idea of how much screening you need to give you privacy. It doesn't have to be big and solid - a simple screen of posts and mesh or trellis attached to a shed, and you can have a honeysuckle or similar growing on it to screen where you're sitting. Deciding on the most important uses of the space are the first step.
The plot has to work for you
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I`m not an expert but from watching various gardening programs & reading great quantities of books & remember Monty Don & Joe swift mention that it`s good to have a focal point a leading line to a part that draws the eyes.
Your garden has a lot of potential so think about right at the end
maybe a water feature, a statue something like that.
Also please see the attached image
I took this from Geoff hamiltons Gardeners world practical gardening course
it might give you a little help to plan the layout
I am definitely in favour of a design like Busy Lizzie's.
Long meandering curves are beautiful in a garden - but I think it has to have a certain scale to make it work - 2.5m is very narrow. My personal preference (especially if this is an urban setting) is for very formal straight lines softened with planting. The zig zag design definitely 'widens' the garden in the same way as curves (and creates deep borders) but is more formal.
I also think Katherine has a point - to keep it simple - limited pallet / varieties but planted in large, bold groups will probably work well in a garden like this.
I also like gravel paths - a lot. They are cheap and easy to lay - be sure to use a weed suppressant membrane underneath - and they don't get slippery in the shadier parts of the garden. goose the right honey colour and the gravel will always look warm and offset the plants beautifully.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Also grasses to take away the sharp lines & allow the garden to take on a smooth relaxed feel & definitely a water feature something simple to bring about zen & perfect harmony
most of all the garden needs to be a place to enjoy not constant work.
Posts
What a lovely challenge! I saw an Alan Titchmarch programme last week in which he designed a garden suitable for a long , narrow garden, might be worth a look.
Mgreen - if you want a shed - and it's always useful - you might want it to look nice (brightly painted and with some lanterns etc) and have a seating area beside or in front of it, almost like a mini summerhouse. If you mark out on the ground (canes or rope) the size the shed would be, stick a seat beside it and take a few pix, it will give you an idea of how much screening you need to give you privacy. It doesn't have to be big and solid - a simple screen of posts and mesh or trellis attached to a shed, and you can have a honeysuckle or similar growing on it to screen where you're sitting. Deciding on the most important uses of the space are the first step.
The plot has to work for you
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Before and after pics.
2 years later
Busy-Lizzie! That really is a lovely little haven and just shows what can be achieved in a small space with a little thought and application.
Hello
I`m not an expert but from watching various gardening programs & reading great quantities of books & remember Monty Don & Joe swift mention that it`s good to have a focal point a leading line to a part that draws the eyes.
Your garden has a lot of potential so think about right at the end
maybe a water feature, a statue something like that.
Also please see the attached image
I took this from Geoff hamiltons Gardeners world practical gardening course
it might give you a little help to plan the layout
I am definitely in favour of a design like Busy Lizzie's.
Long meandering curves are beautiful in a garden - but I think it has to have a certain scale to make it work - 2.5m is very narrow. My personal preference (especially if this is an urban setting) is for very formal straight lines softened with planting. The zig zag design definitely 'widens' the garden in the same way as curves (and creates deep borders) but is more formal.
I also think Katherine has a point - to keep it simple - limited pallet / varieties but planted in large, bold groups will probably work well in a garden like this.
I also like gravel paths - a lot. They are cheap and easy to lay - be sure to use a weed suppressant membrane underneath - and they don't get slippery in the shadier parts of the garden. goose the right honey colour and the gravel will always look warm and offset the plants beautifully.
Also grasses to take away the sharp lines & allow the garden to take on a smooth relaxed feel & definitely a water feature something simple to bring about zen & perfect harmony
most of all the garden needs to be a place to enjoy not constant work.