Top Garden Trends for 2015

A new year often prompts us to think about the changes we’d like to make in our life and our gardens. Here we give you the top garden trends for 2015 that we think will have an impact on our green spaces.

Up-cycling and recycling

We’ve been into this for years and we don’t see the trend stopping.  It’s all about sourcing old materials and using them in unique ways to add focal points and functional pieces to your garden. In 2015, rather than waiting for materials to be processed into a new form in the traditional meaning of re-cycling, more of a focus will be on immediate re-cycling.  This means the use of existing structures in new ways, such as old sinks as planters and old machinery turned into water features.

A great way to prevent old tyres ending up in landfill

A great way to prevent old tyres ending up in landfill

Shrubs

Shrubs are having a renaissance. Planting them alongside small trees or grasses gives interest year round rather than just a shot of colour when perennials are in season. Variable winters over recent years have meant that trends imported from overseas have not fulfilled their promise. Phormiums and cordylines often don’t flourish as hoped. In 2015 heathland planting incorporating shrubs such as the common gorse will be more popular. Indeed golden yellows are a colour trend in garden in 2015 with sunflowers also seeing their popularity increase.  Dusty reds are another main colour trend for the coming year.

Outside rooms

With many of us choosing to extend our homes rather than move (including us at Vialii Towers!), an outside office or garden room becomes a real option. Vialii clients have embraced this trend for a couple of years – we always like to have our finger on the pulse!Budgets can vary enormously from custom built to designer ready made so there is sure to be one to suit you, your budget and your garden.

Garden rooms, a top garden trend for 2015

Be it a space to relax or work in, garden rooms can be an effective additional to any home

Intricate pathways

Functional driveways and paths are being giving a more intricate edge by a revival of older techniques, such as Portuguese pavement. This technique uses smaller blocks to create mosaic-like patterns or grids. It has the bonus of being great for drainage too. For more on intricate paving click here.

Intricate paving

Small square paving blocks and gravel contrast well in these curving paths

Grow your own

Being able to produce your own fruit and veg will always be popular.  However the bad weather in recent years has also affected that. This year easier to grow, low maintenance crops such as rhubarb and hardier patio suitable tomatoes (we recommend Losetto) will be popular. Another trend we see becoming more popular is straw bale planting which is ideal if you have a bad back and can’t bend easily, plus you don’t have to dig over the earth.  The plants are incorporated into bales that you pre-treat with water and fertiliser.  We’re hoping to be having a go…

Growing your own flowers for cutting is also on the increase. We were lucky enough to inherit a lovely iris bed within our garden and watching The Big Allotment Challenge has inspired us to grow other cut flowers too. It’s not only much better for the environment than buying imported flowers but a whole lot more satisfying too.

Getting younger generations involved

At Vialii we have no trouble doing that as our toddler Lulu has her very own blog on the subject. Trends such as electric daisies (Acmella oleracea) that can actually be eaten (their petals have a citrus taste combined with a mild jolt of electricity!) help to intrigue children and adults (try them in a cocktail!) Follow Lulu’s blog for regular posts on how to inspire children to get involved in gardening and lots of great projects to try.

Lulu loves gardening

Getting children involved in growing their own is a great way for them to learn where food comes from

What do you think or wish will be top garden trends for 2015?

If you want to commission us to bring any of these trends into your garden then please get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

All at Vialii

Get To The (Focal) Point – Part 2

In our recent blog on garden focal points we told you why they are such an important feature in the gardens we design. Here are a few more examples of some of the focal points we have used in our gardens…

Oil Lantern

This oil lantern is made from corten steel which is designed to give this beautiful rusted finish. It is wonderful focal point in this garden, guiding you round the path up to the seating area in the top corner.

An oil lantern made from rusted metal is softened by planting and is perfect garden focal points

An oil lantern made from rusted metal is softened by planting

Classical statue

This garden has a formal layout of raised beds and lends itself to having a focal point down the central aisle. A classical white statue looks great against the clipped hedge.

A formal layout is complemented with this classical statue focal point

A formal layout is complemented with this classical statue focal point

Dry-stone seat

This wonderful seat is a lovely feature in this city centre garden. Hand crafted from stone without the need for any mortar it is a true work of art and a lovely focal point in the garden.

A dry-stane seat creates a wonderful focal points as well as a place to rest on your journey round the garden

A dry-stane seat creates a wonderful focal points as well as a place to rest on your journey round the garden

Garden pod

There is no missing the main focal point in this garden – the garden “pod”. The bespoke pod was crafted from timber and has a living roof. Great to look at as well as a place to shelter from the Scottish weather!

The garden "pod" is a strong feature of this garden

The garden “pod” is a strong feature of this garden

Feature tree

This wonderful old apple tree was the only thing to be saved from the old garden that we transformed here. It had grown a bit wild but with a careful “hair-cut” it was restored to its true glory and became a wonderful feature in the new patio.

The gnarly old apple tree was sculpted and made the focal point within the new patio in this garden

The gnarly old apple tree was sculpted and made the focal point within the new patio in this garden

Water feature

Water features can be a wonderful addition to the garden, providing a wonderful focal point to look and listen to (and feel if you are a child having lots of fun in the garden!) This lovely water feature sits in a bespoke vintage brick patio.

A beautiful water feature set into a patio creates a wonderful focal point at the end of the curving path

A beautiful water feature set into a patio creates a wonderful focal point at the end of the curving path

Garden Globe & Canal

The “canal” is a lovely feature in this garden, providing a contemporary pond for adults and wildlife to enjoy. It leads on to the metal globe focal point which leads your eye up and to the stunning view beyond.

Here, the water feature and metal globe draw the eye up to the beautiful views beyond

Here, the water feature and metal globe draw the eye up to the beautiful views beyond

If you are would like some focal points introduced into your garden please get in touch to discuss what would work well in your space and to your budget.

Thank you for reading.

All at Vialii

Get To The (Focal) Point – Part 1

One of the many tricks a garden designer has up their sleeve is the use of garden focal points. Focal points can:

A water feature is a great focal point

A water feature is a great focal point

What is a focal point?

So what constitutes a focal point? Well pretty much anything! It’s a feature which draws the eye and could be anything from feature pots to sculptures, water features to arbours, birdbaths to feature trees. Anything goes. Just think about the location, the shape, the size and the journey to get there. Here are a few of the features we have used in some of the gardens we have designed or ones we have introduced into our own:

Feature gate

This Japanese inspired gate was designed especially for our clients and sets the mood for the garden beyond.

A Japanese-style bespoke gate creates a mood and the bespoke sculpture at the end of the path provides a focal point and encourages the journey into the garden

A Japanese-style bespoke gate creates a mood and the bespoke sculpture at the end of the path provides a focal point and encourages the journey into the garden

Feature plants

Choosing plants and locating them carefully can make them focal points in a garden. Here we used standard photinias to create an entrance to the new patio.

Standard photinias frame the entrance to the patio and form a focal point at the end of the path

Standard photinias frame the entrance to the patio and form a focal point at the end of the path

Feature tree and stone

In this garden we used a feature tree to create height and add interest. A stone which was unearthed during excavations was kept in the garden and used as a free focal point!

Here, both the feature tree, Euonymus europaeus, and the unearthed standing stone are focal points in the garden

Here, both the feature tree, Euonymus europaeus, and the unearthed standing stone are focal points in the garden

Arbour

Here we created an arbour and bespoke bench to provide clients with a lovely spot to sit in the shade on a sunny day.

A bespoke arbour can be a lovely central feature of a garden]

A bespoke arbour can be a lovely central feature of a garden]

Themed focal points

In this Japanese garden we used traditional Japanese focal points including a lantern, water feature and koi bridge.

A Japanese lantern, water feature and koi bridge set the mood in this garden

A Japanese lantern, water feature and koi bridge set the mood in this garden

Sculpture

We found this rusty rose made from corten steel in a local shop and we think it makes a wonderful focal point in the border, popping up between the herbaceous perennials.

Herbaceous planting will envelop this rusty rose so that it pops out of the border

Herbaceous planting will envelop this rusty rose so that it pops out of the border

Willow balls

These hand-made willow balls make a wonderful garden focal point. They can have lights installed inside them too to make a wonderful effect in the evening.

A willow ball with lighting set inside creates a wonderful focal point at night time

A willow ball with lighting set inside creates a wonderful focal point at night time

If you would like some advice on focal points in your garden, please get in touch.

To see more focal point ideas click here.

Thank you for reading.

All at Vialii