Garden Designer, Louisa Gilhooly, an expert on the Perennial Speaker Panel, believes that beautiful, natural outdoor surroundings are a priority for healthy living. She is the founder of Supernature a Garden Design company based in Cambridge. There was a full hall at our meeting in November to hear her talk.
Louisa explained that garden design is less about gardening but more about the manipulation and organisation of three-dimensional space. A good design shouldn’t just look good, it should function well too. Step by step she took us through the design process starting with making a list of practical things you want the garden to achieve – such as who is going to use the garden- children/ pets, spaces to sit and eat or grow vegetables, lighting, water features, places for storage. Also important is how you want the garden to feel, and she gave examples of “wild and romantic” or “neat and formal”.
Establishing the boundaries, surveying and measuring the plot are essential so that accurate drawing can be produced, as is the orientation of the garden in relation to the sun. Analysis of the soil type and quality of drainage will guide the eventual choice of suitable plants, trees and shrubs.
Through a delightful selection of concept mood boards, drawings and before and after photos Louisa explained how a designer aims to achieve balance and harmony, scale and proportion, similarity and contrast, whilst always keeping in mind the views from every angle. The architecture of the house should be considered as the garden can be linked by using similar colours and materials. Paths ought to create an interesting journey, and every garden should have a focal point to be viewed from a main window in the house.
Everyone enjoyed the talk and most went home with some ideas and useful tips. One or two were thinking about a garden redesign. Next month’s talk is about photographing the natural world – different, but it will be inspiring – so why don’t you come along.
Rosemary Jones
