FAQ…How to design a new build garden?

New build gardens present a challenge to even the keenest of gardeners. You may find the garden is a big square of mud, or you may have been left with a lawn, but nothing else. For some people the idea of planning a new build garden is exciting. All that space to do whatever you want with! But for other people the challenge of a blank canvas can be overwhelming. If you feel daunted, we’ve put together some new build garden ideas here as a starting point.

 Make a plan of new build garden ideas

If you just start digging and planting without a firm plan in mind, your garden will end up looking just that – unplanned. Be nosey – have a look at what your neighbours have done, because this will give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t work. You can also get ideas from sites like Pinterest. However, it helps to have the basics in mind before you get carried away with designs that might ultimately prove to be impractical. Before you put a spade in the soil, there are several things to consider so you can plan a garden that will look wonderful and deliver what you need.

How are you going to use the garden?

When you begin to plan your new build garden, the first thing to consider is what you will be doing out there. Will you be using your garden for entertaining, so a seating area will be a priority, and if so, what material will you use? Do you intend to have a garden shed or summerhouse, and if so, where will it be? Will you be allocating space for a vegetable garden? Do you enjoy spending time maintaining the garden, or would you prefer something that looks after itself? If you have children, your main concern may be to create space for them to play, but that doesn’t mean you have to give the garden entirely over to lawn.

First get to know your garden.

Bear in mind which way your garden faces, because this will make all the difference to where the light falls during the day. The ideal garden is south-facing: these gardens get sunlight for most of the day. These can also be the highest maintenance gardens though, as during summer the higher temperature will mean more watering is needed. North-facing gardens tend to get less sun and are cooler, but the temperature is more consistent across the day. East-facing gardens get the sun first thing in the morning, so are perfect if you like an alfresco breakfast, but can be shady by the afternoon. The opposite is true of a west-facing garden, where you’ll benefit from the sun well into summer evenings.

Understanding your garden’s aspect is important when choosing plants, because not everything grows well in full sunlight or shade. You may also be surprised to discover there are areas the sun rarely reaches. For example, the shadow of the house may block the sunlight for much of the day, so a patio adjacent to the house may not be as practical as one further down the garden that is sunny for longer.

Spend some time observing the light in your garden. On a bright day, note where the sun falls in the morning, at lunchtime, in mid afternoon and in the early evening. This will really help when you come to design your new build garden.

Privacy

New build gardens are usually surrounded by other houses and standard panel fencing, which is practical but can have a ‘closed in’ feeling, especially if the garden is quite small. On the other hand, despite the fencing new builds are often totally overlooked by neighbouring houses, and you may want to create more private areas using screening, trellises or pergolas. You can use climbing plants to create interest along a fence, or plant trees to provide some foliage coverage. Even quite small trees can really enhance a garden and give you some sense of privacy.

New build garden path ideas

Paths are not only practical, they also add interest to a garden as they lead the eye to selected features and can separate a garden into different sectors. Laying the path should be a priority. Not only will it prevent you traipsing soil into the house but it will also give you better access to the garden without damaging your new plants. The type of material you choose for your path will depend on budget, aesthetics and practicalities. A stone path to match the patio is ideal but expensive, gravel is more economical but more difficult to walk on and keep tidy.

New build garden ideas on soil quality

Even if a lawn has been laid in your new build garden, you may discover the soil beneath it is of a very poor quality; it may even be full of rubble left over from the building work. It’s really important to dig over the areas where you will be doing any planting, as compacted or stony soil will hinder the growth of plant roots. You might also want to find out what kind of soil you have – peat, chalk, clay, sand and so on – as this makes a big difference to the type of plants you will be able to grow successfully. Many newly build gardens have terrible drainage and puddle, if that’s the case for you, check our article on soil drainage.

Lawns in a new build – do you really need one?

Finally, a word about lawns. Many people moving into a new build house settle for a rectangular lawn with flower beds around the edges. And that’s fine, if it works for you. But lawns take effort to keep looking good year-round, and there’s lots you can do to create an attractive garden without the traditional square lawn. You might want to create a smaller shaped or curved lawn, which will look wonderful and give you lots of space for additional planting. Or how about doing away with the lawn altogether? Large, shaped flower beds set around patios or gravel spaces provide a more low maintenance option while giving you an attractive garden to be proud of.

If you’re interested in design or garden maintenance services in Oxfordshire then get in touch today.