Elevate your garden with simple design ideas

Andrew Mangwarara

A GARDEN, unlike a house, is an open space with fresh air.

However, it needs to be a beautiful space that invites you to spend time in it.

To create such a space, follow a few guidelines outlined here.

Always add flowering plants or flowers to your garden.

A variety of colours will break up the green and give your garden focal points.

There are a number of plants that can add colour but are not necessarily annuals.

Plants such as chives, thyme, basil, pineapple sage and lavender all provide perennial colour, unlike short-season annuals.

Flowers remove monotony from a landscape. Another trick for transforming a landscape is to group plants together.

Those with the same flower or foliage colour add a new effect when grouped together.

There is nothing wrong with rearranging a garden, just like we move furniture around.

These colour experiments will eventually bring out something new and vibrant.

Control weeds to avoid competition with your plants.

Do not waste resources by allowing weeds to grow.

A mulch will also do the trick, giving an instant new look, depending on the material used.

Some, like pebbles, really make an impression.

To truly beautify a garden, always add a piece of art such as a stone sculpture, metal sculpture, log or pot.

Ornaments add charm to a garden.

Incorporate edible flowers and herbs.

A garden should be a place to pluck off fruits and other goodies while enjoying the scenery.

Use pots to bring in an ancient African feel.

You can mix pots, big and small, to create contrast.

Establish diversity by repeating colours and adding unusual plants to the garden.

Every garden needs a big feature like a statue or an unusual plant to make it the focal point.

You can even use furniture as focal points by choosing fancy pieces.

Variegated foliage can also bring interest to the landscape.

This includes plants like dracaena, cordylines and sansevieria.

Finally, avoid cluttering your garden.

Too many features or items can spoil the garden.

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