Garden design tips – the case for landscaping 

The development of the suburbs from the mid-nineteenth century onwards was to lead to gardens for all. These were invariably split into back gardens, in which vegetables and fruit were grown, and a front garden, which almost always consisted of a grass square or oblong around which flowers were planted. In this way, the garden reflected exactly the philosophy of the house itself - a back room for the family to live in and a front room reserved for visitors. This approach was to remain the norm until well after the Second World War. Today we no longer need to produce the majority of our own fruit and vegetables (although there is a strong case for growing some items, especially those that are difficult to obtain fresh in the shops).  

However, there are now new pressures on the land, especially in those parts of the country where work is situated or where there are special leisure facilities. We find that the majority of houses occupy less than a tenth of an acre where once they would have enjoyed curtilages of twice this size. The smaller gardens that have resulted from modern building policies require more careful landscaping than their predecessors. They demand 'micro-landscaping', where every square metre is made to realize its fullest potential and where the worth of every plant grown should be appreciated to the full. 

It is only when a garden is positively designed that it is possible to derive the maximum benefit from it. With a little foresight the well-designed garden may be achieved without any more effort (and possibly less) than needs to be expended upon the 'accidental' garden, which comes together as the result of unplanned, haphazard plantings. For many years there was only one style of garden thought suitable for the suburbs - a square or rectangular lawn surrounded by a border of haphazardly-placed plants. It was certainly not considered necessary to landscape small plots. This approach to design in the garden is now as archaic as the wallpaper, border, picture-rail style of interior decoration that was in vogue at the same time.  

Un­fortunately, ideas on how subjects should be treated outside the house tend to change much more slowly than those concerned with the inside. Nevertheless, attention is beginning to move away from the house in terms of design -many houses have their own designer-produced kitchens and bedrooms, and the same thought and effort is now being put into developing the area outside the house. The garden is the house's natural extension, its exterior decoration. Just as central heating and double glazing increase the value of a property, a well-landscaped garden greatly adds to its worth.  

Houses which are all built to the same design, and situated in the same street, may have widely differing values because of secondary features such as the state of decoration. It is impossible to quantify these items, since their effect on would-be purchasers is rather subjective, but the state of the garden will often lead to initial interest, and it will usually continue to influence throughout an inspection of the premises. Even if the garden does not directly raise the value of a property, it is extremely unlikely that you will achieve the best possible price unless it is well laid-out and tidy. 

People seldom remain in a house for longer than ten years these days, and financial considerations will therefore be of as much importance as aesthetics to some people. Moreover, virtually all of the work can be done by the average person - no special skills are required (although being physically fit helps!). This means that the potential for increasing the value of the property per pound spent is far greater than with those tasks which have to be performed by paid labor. 

It is possible to have a garden designed and landscaped by a professional, and some are very good, offering an excellent service and value. It can, however, be extremely difficult to distinguish these from the 'cowboys' and crooks, and even the honest jobber may lack the imagination that you yourself can bring to your plot. To him it is just another source of income, while to you it is a home! The profit margins of some professional can be omitted from your plans entirely!