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Is A Simple Garden The Best Kind Of Garden To Create?

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When owning a garden for the first time, it’s hard not to feel excited. There are many things you can do with this space, which is quite new homeowners tend to feel a little staggered by all the options until they hone in on the parameters most important to them.

We cannot tell you how to curate your own garden, or what would work best for your space. Usually, it’s just about taste. However, it’s worth asking a few questions from time to time. For example, is a simple garden the best kind of garden to create?

Many homeowners often feel as though they haven’t done enough if questions like that come to mind. They think that without diverse flower arrangements, a perfectly organized vegetable growing space and the most expensive furnishings out there, they’re simply not doing enough.

But in this post, we intend to talk through the true benefits of keeping your garden simple, so you don’t feel like choosing this option is a bad idea. With that in mind:


Focus On Lawn Health

It’s quite common for a garden to be somewhat ignored in the rush to add exciting features to a garden. That’s quite understandable to be honest, as grass isn’t exactly the most thrilling topic at garden parties. However, a healthy lawn is really essential, as it creates that perfect foundation that makes everything else work better, and avoids any unsightly dead grass or unkempt areas.

A good example to focus on is that of golf courses – while you might not be cracking balls at your house windows any time soon, the lawn care of the local garden care experts and how they maintain the space is very important to keep in mind. For instance, stores that use the principles known for taking care of golf course grass can be wise, especially when scaled down to be appropriate for a garden. 

You’ll find that nature rarely creates perfectly manicured spaces, and so some of the healthiest lawns are those that blend different grass varieties and even welcome the occasional clover patch, meaning you can balance this with general rewilding techniques that eco-friendly advocates tend to recommend. As you can see, the grass isn’t always that simple to care for.

Consider Boundaries

It’s good to consider the boundaries you might have for the garden space because after all, a space can only be simple if you can rely on it to stay yours. That means fencing, signage and general attentiveness to sight lines can matter, especially for safety purposes. After all, what good is a curated and elaborate garden if it’s not safe to spend time in for your little ones, or yourself for that matter?

This can of course present a good aesthetic opportunity, as there’s something quite lovely about a weathered wooden fence that develops character over time, or a mixed hedge that changes with the seasons. 

It’s worth knowing that some of the nicest gardens use boundaries that blend into the background rather than screaming for attention, and you get to decide how that works upon your own property. After all, the point isn’t to build a fortress and to make your property look inviting, but to create that subtle sense of having your own peaceful space, like with a tree that can prevent neighbors from seeing you playing in your outdoor pool with your kids.

Allow For Comforting Shade & Sun Spots

Gardens need both sunny and shady areas to feel right throughout the day, and as some plants will thrive in shade too, that’s a good thing to opt for as opposed to just constant sun exposure, as some people assume is best. Just like in your house, each spot serves its purpose depending on the time and weather. 

In this case, a simple pergola can help you with beautiful shade patterns if you prefer that, or sometimes a well-placed tree can provide a nice spot for summer reading if you place a comforting seating area around it (make sure the branches are healthy and unlikely to fall anytime soon).. If implemented well, such changing patterns mean your garden looks different throughout the day no matter how simple it might be otherwise.

Implement Simple Furniture

Now, even those who love minimalism need somewhere to sit, so having a garden implemented simply doesn’t mean leaving it barren. That being said, the furniture in your garden shouldn’t feel like you’re trying to recreate your living room outside. Lucky for us, some of the most inviting garden spaces just have a simple bench or a couple of chairs placed exactly where they need to be.

Quality matters most of all here, as good wooden furniture tends to age gracefully, possibly even enjoying a silvery patina that looks right at home among the plants. Metal pieces can work too, but they often end up fighting against the natural elements of the garden and rusting if you don’t care for them. A centerpiece like a chiminea or just a fire pit can be appropriate for some gardens too. If you’re happy sitting there and eating a meal with your family or chilling with your dog and a wine glass after a long day, that’s a good sign you’re moving in the right direction.

Functions Like Pathways Are Important

A nice path you’re proud of and that helps create a safe direction through a garden, especially gardens with multiple elevation levels, can be a fantastic investment. They can create natural movement through the space, which can be important for the safety of those with limited mobility, your elderly relatives, or anyone in more oppressive weather. 

Choose your material based on your preference, for instance, loose gravel has a lovely crunching sound that adds to the garden experience, but sometimes stepping stones can create informal paths that look like they’ve always been there and that developed in the garden over time. 

The nicest garden paths tend to curve gently rather than running straight as an arrow, like the way people naturally walk through spaces, or can wind around a steep garden to make getting up and down much more comfortable and safer for that measure. A garden with all the confident elaborate plant arrangements and perfectly installed water features is hardly that impressive if you don’t know how to move through the space, or if getting from A to B feels like a massive chore.


Consider Tree Care

It’s often quite surprising to people to hear that trees need care, or at least some care in your garden space, because yours were likely here before you arrived and may be here long after you go. Some forests have been around for millions of years, and they didn’t need permission from humans to thrive.

That being said, it’s fair to say that tree maintenance and careful curation is hardly at the highest priority in the jungle or rainforest. For this reason, it’s worth having a tree surgeon look at your home garden. Rot can spread to any other plants you may have, and of course, brittle tree branches can cause harm if they fall. 

Moreover, overgrown roots can sometimes damage your household foundations itself. As such, having this professionally maintained is worthwhile.  Or, in some cases, a tree that might be much too big and unwieldy could require chopping down safely to give you further options. If you can make the most of a beautiful treeline or curate this space appropriately, odds are the simplicity won’t matter, because you’ll have already made good on a fantastic garden strength.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily curate a simple garden, which can often be the best kind of garden to create.

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