We were incredibly pleased to be featured by The White Company this month in their ‘Summer Editions’ series – a multi-episode collection of tutorials and inspirational films designed to help people make the most of summer. Two of our co-founders, Henry and Alex, prepared our guide to turning any space into a beautiful haven for you and for nature – just in time for summer. You can watch the full episode below and we’ve also collated some of their most helpful, accessible and affordable pieces of advice, (with a few extras thrown in too), to ensure your garden is ready for June, July and August.
We started Dig to make gardening easier and more accessible for everybody – regardless of the size or type of space you have – and so we hope these helpful pointers will get your summer off to a flying start.
Space and place
When you’re planning your garden, it’s important to think about the role the space is going to play. Is it a play area? Will you be using it for entertaining? Is it just for you? Do you need space to move around – or do you want it overflowing with plants? Taking the time to consider what your space’s primary and secondary purpose is will be is an important foundation to deciding where you want to be in the space, and how you want to arrange everything – from seating, to planting, to pathways – around that.
Shape, structure and height
Every garden that we design at Dig, across all of our Themes, comes with an important variety of shape (meaning different types of leaves, different varieties of flower, etc.), structure (meaning plants that reinforce the design and become a focal point around which other plants are added to embellish) and height (meaning a variety of, well, heights of plants – which is important to ensure that there are points of interest at lots of different levels). Thinking about these key elements at the outset is crucial for a rewarding and consistently interesting outdoor space when it comes to plants.
Perfect containers
Containers are a fantastic way to add interest and drama, and, helpfully, work really well in almost any space. One of the great things about containers is that they can be planted more densely too, due to the pot constraining the growth of the plant – so things won’t get out of hand as quickly as they might when planting densely in the ground. This means that, with a densely planted container, you can have an overflowing variety of texture and form.
Some basic rules for stylish container planting:
- Start with a focal point such as a small tree or shrub and then build around it with seasonal plants around the base
- Combine trailing and upright plants: trailing plants work well around the edge of a container and help to break up harsh lines, grasses can help soften a pot, and larger more interesting leaves can make a bold statement
- Plant in groups of odd numbers – this will give you a more balanced, natural feel
- Add seasonal bedding to your longer lasting plants – this allows for flashes of colour that you can freshen up as the seasons change
Finishing touches
Planting is a vital component to any garden. In fact, it’s the most important one in our opinion. We wouldn’t be a very good gardening business if we didn’t think so. However, once the plants are in and thriving, it’s the finishing touches that make all the difference. From ornaments, to lighting, to personal mementos, these are what really make a garden, balcony, or terrace your own.
This really is an opportunity to get creative with your garden, but a starter for ten from us are…
- String lights criss crossed above a seating area can create a magical feel, and really come into their own as you slowly move from afternoon to evening
- Similarly, solar-powered lights hung amongst foliage transform a space, creating interest in different areas of your garden and drawing the eye to key focal points
- A garden mirror can really help open up a space, particularly in a smaller garden, terrace or balcony. We’re particularly fond of mirrors at the end of a space – creating a note of mystery and an impression that the space is much larger than it really is
Apply even some of these simple techniques and you can begin building a garden that is ready for summer and really feels like home.
Watch the full episode at The White Company’s Summer Editions Series here.
