How to choose the right plants for your garden style

A garden goes beyond mere horticulture as it becomes a space to extend one’s own personal style and ethos to design. Within this private space, there is an art to botanical curation, and it's not for everybody, It's why many are turning to garden designers to help create a cohesive sanctuary with continuity, but we think there's value in trying yourself.

Beginning your garden's design journey starts with pinning down the style. Some are drawn to Contemporary Minimalism, where sculptural forms and clean lines dictate the yard, though it can be tricky not to come across as unnatural. 

In a sun-trap garden, Romantic Provençal of relaxed planting and fragrant herbs might speak to you. It’s also worth considering the time (or money) you want to spend on upkeep, because a formal Italianate garden is defined by its symmetry and finesse, meaning it quickly loses its charm when overgrown. For those who are spiritual, the garden is an ideal place to express this. Serene Japanese spaces and Zen gardens aren’t only calming, but a place to practice your mindfulness, such as raking circles into the white pebbles.

For contemporary gardens, plant selection leans towards specimens that really command your attention with audacious silhouettes and intriguing textures. Controlled drama is when foliage often outshines flowers. 

One example is the architectural elegance of ornamental grasses that have a sense of minimalism, contrasted with bold, large-leaved tropicals. The non-invasive elegance of dense Fargesia bamboo is a great way to get vertical elegance, being useful to create a textural screen or even become a focal point itself.

Gardens don’t quite follow the same fast cycles of interior trends, but there is value in leaning into timeless designs. Evergreen stalwarts can provide year-round definition, with meticulously clipped topiary offering a sense of sculptural punctuation, and can, in fact, replace the need to buy expensive sculptural ornaments.

The Lawson's Cypress is a great use of creating a stately appearance that resembles the lawn of a National Trust manor house. The striking golden-yellow foliage of 'Ivonne', sourced from dedicated growers like Chamaecyparis Heijnen, can be beautifully crafted for impeccable hedges that define outdoor rooms.

The most sublime gardens manage to balance aesthetic ambition with some level of pragmatism - there must always be compromise. Styles can certainly dictate the initial vision, but you’re looking for enduring beauty, and this means selecting plants attuned to your specific microclimate. The considerations here are: sun exposure, soil and regional weather patterns, along with any other species that exist and could dominate. An honest assessment of your own commitment to maintenance will also play a role in what plants you opt for as you’re now a part of the symbiosis.

Your garden is a great place for experimentation and expression. It can be difficult to visualise, in part because plants may not grow at the pace you anticipated. But, with a consistency in style, you can give your outdoor space some character and cohesion, making it a place you’re drawn to.