Creating a country/rural garden. Even in an urban area, you can give your garden a country/rural feel by carefully choosing your hard landscaping. Think about exactly what you are aiming for when looking at landscaping products. Focus on soft shades and natural earthy looking materials. This is a garden design that calls for beiges, browns, soft dark reds. Use natural materials like wood and stone that will weather and give the impression that they have been around for a long time just like the countryside you admire. If you prefer bricks then make sure that they are muted in shade and not uniform colours.
The countryside look is always about informality. When you look at the countryside there is never uniformity, patches of colour vary in shades. It is this that you need to think about with hard landscaping and design. Avoid anything geometric, symmetric or with hard lines.
Natural stone walling can create very pretty raised beds, especially if you fill them with informal planting including herbs, vegetables and some draping fruit like strawberries.
Stepping stones surrounded by bark creates a leisurely, relaxed pathway. Or use weathered stones and bricks for a winding path. Heavy duty timber may even be suitable for path edging or even some paths – check with your landscaping contractor to see what is available.
Timber is a fantastic natural material fitting beautifully into a rural landscape. Small areas of decking can blend well into a rural, country themed garden especially if the colour of the decking is muted and soft. Think gentle autumn golds and browns rather than deep red brown shades as these will blend much better into the environment.
Vary the sightlines within the garden. Remember that in the countryside, nothing is flat. Bring in some natural height even if it is just a stone rockery or a pergola tucked among the trees or beside a water feature. By breaking up the sightlines you can make your garden feel bigger than it actually is.
Add in some seating areas, even if it is just a wooden garden bench at the end of the garden or on the patio. For the best effect, choose a rustic style incorporating hints of rough hewn logs. Chunky and solid, such benches can be extremely comfortable and fit the country theme perfectly.
Remember to complete the rural look with soft drifts of flowers and shrubs avoiding creating any sharp, geometric edges in any way.
If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch www.eastlondonlandscapes.com or email info@cj-landscapes.co.uk
