Gardens come in all shapes and sizes. From balcony gardens to backyard estates and everything in between, we’ve got a few garden design ideas for you in how you can setup your garden or change the layout of your existing garden. Keep in mind, these are just a few examples and broad characteristics. Each garden can and should have its own unique quirks and characteristics based on its site, location, climate, and soil.
1. Raised Beds
Raised beds can fit in a variety of spaces and can be as big or as small as you want/need. In general, keep the maximum width of the bed at 4′ or less. Most people can comfortably reach into the garden 2′ so at 4′ in width, you’ll be able to reach in comfortably to the entire bed from both sides. See some of our raised beds here.
2. Rows
Larger gardens and rural farms tend to garden in rows, sometimes several hundred feet in length. This allows for the use of larger machines which make planting, tilling, and harvesting easier when done on a more mechanized scale. Small gardens can still benefit from row gardening, as individual rows can be allocated for individual varieties, making record keeping a bit easier.
Flickr: Amy
3. Medicine Wheel
Native Americans used medicine wheels gardens as a sacred space to connect with the energies of nature. Various herbs are planted in different sections with each section and plant symbolizing part of Native culture and history.
Flickr: Alex Gaylon
4. English Garden
Formal English gardens can be traced back to Roman times and feature symmetrical design, geometric shapes, and an idealized form of nature and classical elements from Greek and Roman history. Water features are often juxtaposed with natural elements and rolling lawns are offset by clumps of trees, flower beds, or other plants. Roses are the most iconic flower of many English gardens, and vegetables and herbs are also often incorporated into designated sections.
Flickr: F.D. Richards
5. Cottage Garden
Cottage gardens are characterized by informal design, dense plantings, and variety of plants including trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, perennials, herbs, berries, vegetables, and more. They are often planted with heirloom or old-fashioned varieties, and include soft pastel colours, natural colours, curved pathways, and a white picket fence.
Flickr: pattynwalker
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