courtyard garden design

Landscape Design Inspiration from England

February 28, 2014

Creating a landscape that expresses your point of view doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel. Look no further than the historical treasures of the English countryside for inspiration when planning your green space. You’ll find that these lush remnants of yesteryear hearken back to a time when life was wonderfully slower. Incorporating these timeless classics into your landscape design lends a whimsical element to your own unique perspective. Get your creative juices flowing through this virtual journey to three of England’s most breathtaking gardens, located at Barnsley House, Buscot Park and Iford Manor.

Barnsley House
The gardens at Barnsley House of Gloucestershire were designed with approachability, rather than overstated opulence, in mind. Award-winning gardener Rosemary Verey completely transformed the garden into the beauty it is today in the 1950s and went on to mentor future generations of gardeners. Trademarks of the garden include an ornamental fruit and vegetable garden, Laburnum Walk, intimate winding paths and statues by Simon Verity. The love and expertise Rosemary invested into bringing the very best out of this natural space has been appreciated by many over the decades, including the Prince of Wales. Rosemary’s use of visual illusion and color combination is a must-see in this landscape.

Buscot Park
In the heart of Oxfordshire is Buscot Park and the gardens that introduce us to this 18th-century estate. Where Barnsley House soothes, Buscot Park excites. Between the beautifully-preserved frescoes, inviting walkways and one-of-a-kind gardens, the genius of this masterpiece is evident in every cardinal direction. The eastern property features the Peto Water Garden, one of the most-admired water gardens in the United Kingdom, with its formal Italianate style and attractive stair and canal structures. To the west is the Four Seasons garden in full bloom with lilies, bulbs and flowering trees, according to the time of year. The south end is intact with mature woodlands that help border the estate, and the north boasts views of Little Lake and the Thames plain. Sir Harold Peto, the artistic mind behind the grounds, provided excellent examples of retaining walls and created seamless divisions of gardens within gardens.

historic sources of landscape design inspiration — A garden room at Buscot Park.
Photo from Timeless Landscape Design

Iford Manor
Sir Harold Peto, Master Gardener of Buscot Park, also expressed his artistry surrounding Iford Manor Estate, his own home in Wiltshire. The grounds are literally set on a pedestal, poetically situated atop a hillside overlooking the Frome River. The pastoral setting, sculptures and terrace design give the gardens an ambiance of sweeping romance. Peto was a lover of historical landscape elements himself, made clear by his use of Roman columns and Italianate and French design. Notice especially the skill with which he incorporated plants into stone to create the look of steps that have always existed — one of the many gardening feats for which he is famous.

landscape design inspiration from England — Iford Manor
Photo from Timeless Landscape Design

Ready to add some historical context to your modern landscape? Contact us at Dargan Landscape Architects so we can help you incorporate timeless elements into your design. Who wouldn’t want another reason to stop and smell the roses?

Timeless Cottage Gardens

February 26, 2014

Cottage style gardens can create picturesque landscapes that have their own unique personality and charm. These gardens are brimming with beauty as they showcase delicate pastels and vibrant pops of color, while whisking you away with features like winding pathways, fences, trellises, arbors and benches. Imagine an elegant English garden with a slightly more rustic and wild appeal.

Lush and colorful cottage gardens are achieved through an informal, free-flowering layout. This relaxed design approach ensures that variation and asymmetry are embraced to become an integral part of the garden’s character and charm. Flowers are allowed to cascade over planters and pathways are allowed to wind and meander. Plants are arranged in scattered clumps rather than straight lines and pathways are made from pebbles and stepping stones, instead of neat pavers and perfectly-aligned bricks.

Atlanta landscape architects — Source: Maria Hickey & Associates Landscapes via Houzz

The second-most distinguishing factor of a cottage style garden is the abundance of color and generous placement of greenery. Whimsical, bright color combinations and unexpected accents are created with a mix of flowers, while vibrant vines cover fences and climb arbors.

Cashiers landscape architects — Source: The Romantic Garden via Pinterest

The key to achieving a gorgeous cottage style garden is through a subtle organization and underlining deliberateness. Choosing a theme to coordinate colors and textures, for example, can help achieve this feeling of “artful chaos” or “happy clutter,” as experts have put it. Enclosing areas in fencing and gravel hardscaping can also help create definition and boundaries.

Traditional cottage gardens are overflowing with flowers and old-fashioned favorites you remember from your grandmother’s garden. These include snapdragon, cosmos and foxglove with the finishing touch almost always being a white picket fence. However, you can achieve your own unique cottage garden that expresses your personality and lifestyle using native plants, your favorite hardy perennials and an iron rod fence. As Sunset magazine’s editors put it, “cottage gardening is an attitude.”

landscape architects in atlanta — Dargan Landscape Architects

Dargan Landscape Architects can help transform your property into a dreamy cottage garden, while healing the earth and letting nature speak through a healthy and beautiful landscape design. Browse our portfolio, and then contact Mary Palmer and Hugh Dargan at 404-231-3889 to begin discussing a potential project.

Historic Sources of Landscape Design Inspiration

February 4, 2014

Part of creating a timeless landscape is looking to historical sources for design inspiration. Some of our sources for inspiration are the gardens of England, Scotland and Wales, as we’ve mentioned before in our post on Hidcote Manor & Garden. In this post, we will discuss the allure of several other properties and what aspects you might incorporate into your own landscape. These include The Laskett in Herefordshire, England; Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Sissinghurst, Kent; and Stourhead near Warminster, Wiltshire.

The Laskett
Known as the largest private formal gardens created in England since 1945, The Laskett Gardens were designed by Sir Roy Strong, a historian, and his wife, Dr. Julia Trevelyan Oman, a set designer. The couple transformed the property, which boasts some 30 garden rooms, over nearly 40 years. What makes it special is how personalized the landscape is, featuring inscriptions of meaningful phrases and handmade garden ornaments, for example. It also undeniably beautiful, showcasing the artistic principles of balance, repetition, rhythm, focalization and light and shadow. In the end, the gardens make a strong statement about who the owners are.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Another couple, Vita Sackville-West, a poet and writer, and Harold Nicolson, a diplomat and author, cultivated the Sissinghurst Castle Garden, which features a collection of enclosures laid out around the surviving parts of an Elizabethan mansion. Each room has a theme with specific plants and colors supporting the theme. Besides being a study in color and plant selection, the garden also shows how layering can create seasonal interest.

Stourhead
Also built around a historical home are the better known Stourhead gardens, created in the 18th century. The centerpiece of the grounds is a man-made lake, which serves as the backdrop for well-placed features such as classical temples, a fabulous grotto and majestically mature trees. This property reminds us of the power of a circular walk and the use of architectural elements as focal points in the landscape.

Feeling inspired to get to work on your own landscape? For more ideas and help transforming or planning your property, contact Dargan Landscape Architects.

Infuse Your Landscape with Radiant Orchid – Pantone’s Color of the Year

January 24, 2014

Color, as we’ve mentioned before, is one of the four visual tools for interesting and beautiful landscape designs. So why not infuse magical warmth into your landscape this year by incorporating Radiant Orchid, Pantone’s 2014 Color of the Year. “An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm” (Pantone). These incredible qualities are exactly why we think this color should not be limited to the runway and home interiors. Here are four plants that can be used to incorporate this stunning shade of purple into your garden or landscape. Ornamental Onion: This gorgeous and whimsical plant is easy to grow and adds stunning spherical shapes. It’s hard to believe this plant is in the onion family because the only thing that will bring tears to your eyes is it’s beauty!

Hazel Spanish Lavender: This plant not only provides the color and fragrance of lavender that you love but is tougher and more durable than other varieties of lavender. Their silhouettes add fabulous dimension to gardens and landscapes.

Chinese Astilbe: Great for a focal point or in a large quantities for extra drama, these plants add height and unique vertical interest to garden beds. They can brighten up landscapes for up to two months with their rich purple hues.

Atlanta landscape architecture — Source: Leslie Rohrer via Houzz

Cheddar Pink Dianthus: With a nice clove-like scent, this wide-spreading ground cover is great for edging and lining beds with delicate blossoms that add bright color.

Cashiers landscape architecture — Source: Bruce Clodfelter and Associates via Houzz

What colors are you thinking about adding to your gardens this year? Share with us in a comment below!

When you are ready to add splashes of radiant orchid or other vibrant colors and plants to your landscape, contact Dargan Landscape Architects, and we’ll help you tune-up your property or create a master plan for a whole new landscape design.

P.S. – If you are in the Atlanta area and in need of some more inspiration for adding orchids to your landscape, you can visit the Orchid Daze event at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

The Four-Part Master Plan of Timeless Landscape Design

January 21, 2014

Timeless gardens and landscapes have the ability to make an impact on individuals and speak to us for years on end. As Mary Palmer says in her book, “Timeless Landscape Design,” gardens that were created centuries ago “still speak to use as places of unmistakable beauty as relevant today as ever before.” Your home environments hold the same potential.

To design a timeless landscape that will “Let Nature SPEAK” as we like to say, you should focus on four main components, which we call the Four-Part Master Plan: the approach and arrival sequence; the hub; the perimeter; and passages to destinations. In this post, we will define and discuss these four topics in general and delve into them more deeply in future posts.

The approach and arrival sequence
Approach and arrival are all about anticipation and setting the scene. The approach and arrival area of the property is between the street and the front door, and it is the first impression of your home as told by your landscape. This is where curb appeal comes into play and where you can begin to express your personality and style.

The hub
The hub is the central focus of your property, where all the activity originates from. Once you identify your home’s hub you can use your landscape to accentuate it. You will want to envision both inward- and outward-looking views of the hub to guide your landscaping choices. The landscape in this area should help the home blend into its natural surroundings.

The perimeter
The perimeter refers to the outdoor spaces that surround your home and can be accessed from the interior of your home. Perimeter areas can be used for a variety of functions such as dining, reading, entertaining and more and allow you to still be connected to what is going on inside.

Charleston SC landscape architects — Dargan Landscape Architects

Passages to destinations
Passages to destinations not only are functional but also are elements of landscape design. These paths around your landscape help connect outdoor areas such as gardens and pools as well as define the look of your space.

atlanta landscape architecture and design — Dargan Landscape Architects

By including these four components in your landscape design plan, you are laying the foundation for a beautiful and memorable space that is timeless. Defining these areas also helps divide the large task of designing an entire landscape into smaller, more manageable pieces.

For more details on this topic, order a copy of “Timeless Landscape Design” by Mary Palmer Dargan, and contact Dargan Landscape Architects for professional landscape design services. Our team is ready to discuss your needs, be it a master plan or a tune-up!

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