Landscaping and gardening is the art of laying out grounds so as to produce the effect of a picturesque landscape. It is a rather grand term, meaning that people have had a hand in designing, shaping and planting a piece of land.  Such an act might be on a large scale, or merely domestic, as in the average suburban garden.  It implies a certain professionalism, although the term “gardening” suggests something much more familiar and friendly – real gardeners have few pretensions!

But why do we spend time trying to organize our outside surroundings?

We use landscaping and gardening to create a beautiful environment in which to live and work. We create privacy and pleasing combinations of color and shade, and to be used as a form of recreation.  Whether the objective is to create a wild garden, cottage garden, plant collector’s garden, or simply a garden designed to complement the house, the result is a combination of enthusiasm, care and creativity.  Gardening is a symptom of man’s affinity to nature and shows a fundamental, instinctive and symbiotic bond with plants and garden décor.  Desert pots will help you have the perfect garden you’ve always wanted.

In many South African communities, landscaping was previously considered an unnecessary expense, or an afterthought.  Fortunately this mindset is changing as people increasingly realize the positive practical and social benefits to their environment that trees, plants and gardens can bring.  Shade, shelter and healthier air are just some of the more obvious advantages, whilst tranquility and optimism are less tangible by-products of living in pleasant  “green“ surroundings.

As the pace of living increases and public spaces become more crowded, people are recognizing the value of being able to relax in the peace of their own gardens.  In fact, gardens are increasingly being seen as extensions of the home: places to live in for much of the year, places in which to relax, play, work, dine and entertain.

Determining the character of the garden.

The age of the owners plays a role in what the garden will be used for. For example, an elderly couple’s requirements will clearly be quite different from those of a young family.   The former tend to use their garden for gentle relaxation, while the gardens of young families must often withstand lively activities.

Some owners lack the time or inclination to look after a garden, and they will need plants requiring minimal maintenance.  Money is also a factor, if it is too expensive to landscape a whole garden, it may be advisable to plan the project in stages.  In this case it is vital to adhere to a plan.

Once the uses of a garden have been decided, it is important to look at the limitations of the site itself.  It might, for example, be too steep for children to play ball games, or face a direction making it unsuitable for sunbathing. Only when the limitations presented by the site itself have been analyzed can the layout, character and style of the garden be successfully designed. Desert pots is the perfect pot to decorate your garden.

GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR YOUR GARDEN

Rigid rules and regulations should not limit landscape design.  It’s a free and creative art form, with certain principles to guide one to a successfully designed garden.

STYLE.

Design to complement the style of the house.  This will help you decide whether the garden should be strictly formal or informal, or a combination of both. Whatever the style or theme, remember to keep the middle open for a sense of space.

PROPORTION AND SCALE.

This refers to the successful relationship between the three dimensions – height, length and width.  Use plants, pots and water features in scale with the size of your house and its surrounding space.

BALANCE.

This means carefully placing pots throughout the garden to maintain a feeling of balance, but without necessarily placing them on each side of the central axis.

FOCAL PIONT.

Every garden needs a point of interest, a point to which the eye is immediately drawn on entering the garden.  In small gardens the focal point is usually the house.  In larger gardens the focal point should in some way relate to the house. For example, acknowledge the center of a window or an outside door.  It can be a pool, a gazebo, a statue, garden furniture or a group of plants.  In large gardens more than one focal point might be needed, usually at a distance from the house, in different garden areas.