John Beaudry Landscape Design: Types of Gardens

Introduction

Within the limits of climate, materials, and means, the domestic garden can presume almost any identity. One of the key factors is the size and scale of the plot that is available for use, which decides not only the scope but also the type of display and its functions. There are lots of garden designs and styles, and it is necessary to have a clue on their appearance.

Types of gardens

Flower gardens

Flower gardens are sometimes called floral gardens. They are designed for growing flowers, majorly to beautify the home and environment. In different countries around the world, flower gardens vary in the types of plants that are grown. Still, their basic planning and principles are almost similar—whether formal or informal. Flowering Trees and shrubs are the major elements of a properly-designed flower garden. Because they grow permanently and eventually get enormous, they are always considered first before other herbaceous plants, annuals, and bulbs. 

when planning flower gardens, modern garden designing contractors always try to blend and contrast colors, as well as shapes, to maintain a beautiful and well-organized garden

Often, flower gardens are related to certain kinds of gardens, such as knot gardens or herb gardens—they are mainly for decorative purposes, but some decorative flowers are also edible.

Woodland gardens

The woodland gardens are mostly informal. Such garden designs can give the landscape a more pleasant and natural look, and as a side benefit, several carefree plants that are grown helps to ease maintenance. The paths in this kind of garden are curved rather than straight, and it contains more of mulch and grass than paving.

The easiest way to establish a woodland garden is by taking clues from nature. Look for help in the surroundings by considering the following: 

• The pattern with which natural wooded areas grow
• The kind of native plants that are seen 
• The direction of the sun relative to the intended garden area
• Irrigation

Rock gardens

A rock garden is also referred to as an alpine garden. It is an area designed to feature and emphasize a selection of rocks, stones, and boulders.

A rock garden's typical arrangement consists of a pile of artistically shaped rocks of varying sizes, with narrow gaps in which plants are grown. Plants found in rock gardens are usually small and do not grow longer than 100cm in height.

Sandstone and limestone are the principal rocks from which rock gardens are developed. Sandstone is often less irregular and generally pitted, but some plants do better in limestone—particularly most of the dianthuses. Granite is usually considered too hard and unfit for the rock garden, as it weathers very slowly.

Water gardens

A water garden is well known as an aquatic garden. It may be described as an interior or exterior landscape or architectural feature with the primary aim of housing, displaying or propagating a specific specie or varieties of aquatic plants. It is one of the earliest types of gardening. Egyptians documented some pictures of growing water lilies as far back as 2000 BCE, and the Japanese have also designed water gardens for centuries, according to their patterns and culture

The basic composition of water gardens are plants adapted to pools and ponds, but in some cases, ornamental fishes and some other small aquatic lives may be present

Herb and vegetable gardens

Many of the antiquated middle age gardens and the primeval botanical gardens constituted plants used for medicine or herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary, fennel, and marjoram. Vegetable and herb gardens often require open and sunny spaces combined with well-suited cultivation systems for productive planting. Nowadays, a vegetable garden is also a modern garden design in California.

In conclusion, various kinds of gardens are being designed all over the world, basically to add bloom to landscapes, homes, and surroundings. To create a garden that is suitable for an environment, having a clue before actualizing is necessary.