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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

• create a journey around the garden, literally leading you down the garden path!
• draw your eye to a certain part of the garden or up and on to the landscape beyond
• divert your eye from something in the garden or nearby
• add interest to borders or other areas of the garden
• create a mood in the garden (i.e. if you are trying to create a Renaissance garden then introducing some classical sculpture would be appropriate

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

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

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

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]

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

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

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

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