GARDENING: DESIGN IT - How to cover all the angles

Sunday Mirror, Aug 29, 2004 by ADRIENNE WILD

NOT all gardens are a simple rectangle. They come in all shapes and sizes and often it's the most awkward shapes that have the most potential.

The key to an interesting garden lies in the way that the design allows you to move through the space and see different elements. For example, a square plot is usually improved by bold circular patterns for flowerbeds, lawn and patio. Another trick is to design on diagonal lines, which provides the greatest distance across the space. To give the impression a garden is double its real size, pay attention to boundaries and use bushy wall shrubs and climbing plants to soften and screen the fences.

With wide plots, use focal points to draw the eye away from the near boundary at the bottom of the garden. Set the features in leafy surroundings and use colour and different textured paving to gently lead the eye around the entire garden. White and pastel shades give the impression of distance whilst red and hot colours appear closer.

With the right treatment, gardens that disappear around a corner can have real distinction. Use sweeping paths and make a scented corridor such as a rose-covered pergola to encourage movement from one area to another, and design the area beyond with a very different feel to add a hint of mystery.

Alternatively, cut out a circular border so one quarter is taken up by a corner of the house and the rest is a bed of bare soil for shrubs and perennials. Use lush, bold-leafed plants to add height and a bit of drama.

Slopes allow for split- level designs and terracing. Earth moving can be costly and walls expensive to build, as they must retain the heavy soil of the bank in place.

Unless you know what you're doing it's best to employ a professional to cut and fill the site to make creating beds, patios and lawns easier. Alternatively, plant evergreen ground-hugging plants that will prevent erosion, suppress weed growth and provide year-round colour.

Decking is a fairly straightforward way to create a sitting area on a sloping site. Built on stilts and with timber steps, it doesn't rely on the soil being shaped and flattened ready for construction.

Employ a professional company such as Archadeck, who specialise in American- style decks with custom-made built-in seats, planters and even kitchens.

Visit www.archadeck.co.uk or call 0800 783 2909 for a free brochure.