Garden design tips – scale and focal points 

SCALE  

Scale, in garden design terms, means the overall relationship between the plot and the house, and the relationship of the internal features with one another. In other words, a large house with a tiny garden would seem out of scale as would a vast expanse of paving surrounding a diminutive lawn. Scale is all about proportion, balance and a feeling of 'rightness' that is essential to any good composition. 

In practical terms this means that you should think about the size of a particular feature and the space it requires in relation to the other parts of the garden. Too many small features produce a restless, busy pattern and this is one reason for thinning down your check list to a realistic level. The principle works the other way as well; I once planned a garden for a golfing fanatic who wanted the maximum area for driving lightweight balls. The end result was bland in the extreme. 

Scale should not only relate to the area within the boundaries but also to what is beyond - a good view or the proximity to dominant buildings. In the case of the latter it can make sense to soften and balance the line of these with well-positioned trees, or break the view with overhead beams run out from the house and defining a sitting area below. If you are lucky enough to have a fine view of rolling countryside then your garden pattern should reflect this by using soft curves, carefully placed planting to frame the vista and, perhaps, earth shaping or contouring to echo the view in the garden. 

FOCAL POINTS 

Focal points are the punctuation marks of a garden; too many of them and the design becomes fussy, too few and the composition lacks interest altogether. Also bear in mind that visual show stoppers like a gigantic rockery, overflowing with colour, can look contrived - any focal point worth its name is better left underplayed and subtle. A well-positioned seat, for example, set in an informal sitting area on the far side of a garden will naturally draw the eye and perhaps open the space up on a diagonal to make the garden feel larger than it really is. A statue or urn can act as a full stop at the end of a pergola or highlight a doorway into the house, while a pool creates a point of interest within a paved patio area. 

In other words, look at your overall plan, see where you wish to create interest and relate these focal points to one another.