Theme Garden Design

Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden

After a recent talk I did on gardening, I was told that I had "inspired" many gardeners that day.  There is no greater compliment for an avid gardener than to hear that something they have done or said encouraged others to participate in the great activity of gardening.  At Wiese Acres, some things that seem to capture the attention and the imagination of people who meander through are the various theme gardens.

I like theme gardens.  Not only do they capture the imagination, they provide continuity within the garden.  A landscape designed around a theme has identifiable characteristics, such as specific architectural features, distinguishing construction materials, specific plant types, or a signature form.  They can be formal, with geometric balance and finely manicured, controlled growth; or they can be informal, with a more casual feel. 

The theme is the topic for the garden and should fit the style.  A formal garden is probably not the place to plant self-sowing, casual flowers like echinacea or hollyhocks.  An informal garden design doesn't lend itself well to being surrounded by well-tended, sharply manicured boxwoods.  

The theme can be designed around whatever the gardener wishes it to be.  There are single species theme gardens - rose gardens, lily gardens.  There are theme gardens focused on a feeling - nostalgia gardens, memorial gardens.  There are theme gardens based on animals, birds, or butterflies.  There are fragrance gardens, native gardens, color gardens.  Wherever your imagination goes, so can a theme garden.

A garden theme should provide the inspiration needed to create a pleasing garden sanctuary.  Deciding on a theme can help you make decisions by putting structure and focus to your design.  You can find a theme in any number of ways.  You can copy someone else's design if it suits you (and the gardener whose work you are copying).    You can drive around and look at landscape designs and adapt what you see to your location.  You can browse through catalogues and books or talk to other gardeners whose work inspires you.  You can hire a professional landscape designer to create the garden for you.

Much of garden design should be purely personal - you are, after all, creating this garden primarily for your own enjoyment.  Even if working with a professional landscaper, you should be prepared to answer some questions, such as,  what makes you feel good when you are in your yard?  What do you want your landscape to say about you?  What shapes, forms, colors, textures do you like?  Is there a special “feeling” you want to invoke with your garden? 

Once you've answered those questions, you'll be ready to move on to the finer details of designing your theme garden.  We'll talk more about that tomorrow.