Though formal gardens may seem like a thing of the past, many prefer the highly manicured lawn and symmetrically designed landscaping that formal gardens offer. Though you may choose a formal look, it does not mean that your garden has to be boring. Rather, there are many options to choose from when designing your formal garden including geometric patterns, framing and bordering, and formal focal points.
Find Your Focus
The most important element of any formal garden is the main focal point. Water features are a popular choice for formal gardens, offering a large and impressive visual point. Other options include statues and sundials. You could even take a page out of Marie Antoinette’s book and add a mock Greek temple to your garden. No matter the focal point, the design of your garden will expand from here.
“Shape” Your Lawn
Highly-manicured lawns are certainly a main feature in formal garden design. However, you can add a bit of interest by incorporating geometric patterns. This can be accomplished in several ways, including the use of winding pebble paths to elongate the garden as well as break up the green space. These paths also add visual interest all year round, even in winter months when most plants are dormant. Tree-lined paths are also a common feature in formal garden design. Flowers and other plants can be arranged in interesting patterns, adding pops of color as well as visually pleasing shapes.
Frame Your Area
Framing is another important feature of formal gardens. Formal gardens tend to be bilaterally symmetrical, meaning that one side mirrors the other. This begins with the garden’s framing. Typically, formal gardens are contained within walls, whether they are stone walls or tree/plant walls. Inside the garden, there are many options for framing including the use of topiary. Topiary boxwood hedges, for example, are a popular choice, framing the garden space and giving it symmetry. Utilizing borders along paths and flower beds also adds visual interest, as well as help define certain spaces. Borders also offer a finished, clean look to pathways and garden beds. These borders can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and finishes, including stone and plants, such as boxwood hedges.
No matter the type of design you wish for your garden, the experienced landscapers at Juniper Landscape Company in San Diego can help. With years of professional experience and reliable service, JCMS landscapers can aid you with your garden from its initial concept and design to its execution and maintenance.