Garden design styles

Question 1

What are the features of formal garden design?

Answer 1

• Symmetrical balance
• Strict symmetry, correct proportions
• Central axis
• Straight lines, strong geometric shapes (squares, circles, rectangles…)
• Ordered patterns
• Plant materials often trimmed to form defined shapes e.g. topiary, mown lawns, pleached trees e.g. Tilia (lime)
• Limited plant palette
• Unnatural looking
• Ornate formal fountains, or square/circular ponds with clean edges and few plants
• Clear focal points
• Framed planting and framed vistas
• e.g. parterres and knot gardens with low clipped hedges, fountains
• Often used in public garden spaces

Question 2

What are the features of an informal garden style?

Answer 2

• No symmetry
• No central axis
• Asymmetrical balance
• Lacks structural rigidity
• Flowing lines and freeform shapes
• natural looking
• rustic fences or natural sculptures, gravel
• Diverse plants of different heights, forms and colours
• Shrubs and trees are loose and natural looking, mixed species hedge not tightly clipped
• wildlife pond, wildflower meadows
• hidden focal points and hidden areas of the garden
• e.g. English landscape gardens, cottage gardens

Question 3

Describe the main characteristics of a knot garden

Answer 3

• interlocking or intertwining pattern of low clipped hedges, often buxus sempervirens (box)
• designed to be viewed from above.
• Can be infilled with either gravel (can be coloured) or plants

Question 4

Describe main characteristics of a landscape garden

Answer 4

Extensive views of parkland with use of ha ha walls to enhance unobtrusive views e.g. Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown

• Rolling lawns
• designed blocks of woodland
• distant vistas and borrowed views
• serpentine lakes
• Palladian bridges
• Ha has
• Temples
• Follies
• Grottos
• Hermitages
• Chinese bridges and pagodas

Question 5

Describe main characteristics of a cottage garden

Answer 5

• annuals and ‘easy’ perennials
• vegetables
• plants give wide range of interest including scent and colour
• gravel paths
• brick edging
• picket fences
• informal
• use of natural and local sources of material for walls and paths