Garden Design Made Easy – Start with the Bones

Have you ever visited a garden that looked just as stunning in the dead of winter as it did in full summer bloom? Or wondered why some gardens maintain their appeal year-round while others seem to disappear once the flowers fade? The secret lies in what garden designers call the “bones” of a garden – those essential structural elements that create a framework that stands strong through every season.

Learn Garden Design from the Pros

As gardeners, many of us have experienced the spring fever shopping spree – walking into a garden center and loading our carts with gorgeous flowers before we even have a plan. I’ve been there too!

But through studying historic garden design books and famous gardens, I’ve discovered that professional gardeners don’t start with flowers – they begin with structure.

As Russell Page famously wrote in “The Education of a Gardener,” “a garden lives only as long as it has good bones.” This fundamental truth has transformed how I approach garden design, and it can do the same for you.

Hardscaping is the Foundation of Garden Design

The first crucial element in creating good garden bones is hardscaping – all those non-plant features that form the backbone of your outdoor space. This includes:

• Paths and walkways: More than just directing foot traffic, paths add visual interest and texture. A winding path creates intrigue and invites exploration, while a straight path lends a more formal, structured feel.
• Walls and fences: These define boundaries, create privacy, and serve as backdrops for plantings. Even simple low stone walls can create a sense of enclosure and help define transitional spaces.
• Patios and decks: These extensions of your home offer spots for dining, lounging, and enjoying your garden from a different perspective.

I never truly appreciated the impact hardscaping could have until I added simple patio block paths in my own garden. This small change completely transformed my space – and it was so easy!

As garden designer Rosemary Verey noted, “Straight paths wide enough to walk abreast lead you more forcefully to a focal point. Winding paths can be narrow, which tend to slow you down so that you can see as well as look.”

Trees & Shrubs Are Living Architecture

The second vital element for strong garden bones is the strategic use of trees and shrubs. These woody plants act as anchors that give your garden personality year-round – think of them as living architecture for your outdoor rooms.

In my own garden, I rely heavily on evergreens to maintain structure through winter. When visiting historic gardens, nothing impresses me more than mature trees that give spaces an incredible sense of permanence and awe.

Trees and shrubs play multiple important roles:

• Creating vertical interest
• Defining garden “rooms”
• Providing year-round structure
• Adding visual weight and balance
• Creating transitional spaces between different garden areas

Along my side yard, standard-form Rose of Sharon trees create a sense of seclusion and mystery as visitors move from front to back garden. In my back garden, five Forest Pansy redbud trees form a canopy over a path, creating a cozy, intimate space.

Structure Before Flowers

When I reflect honestly about my garden’s development, it was the hardscaping and woody plants that truly made the difference – not the flowers. The flowers are like icing on a cake, beautiful but not foundational.

As a new gardener, I was always drawn to colorful blooms at the garden center. Now I focus more on adding elements that create permanent structure. I’ve finally realized that it’s the bones of the garden that make the design successful.

Building from the Ground Up

Think of garden design like building a house – you don’t start by picking out throw pillows! You need something much more fundamental first. The same principle applies to gardens: start with structure, then add the decorative elements.

So before you load up your cart with this season’s prettiest blooms, take some time to consider your garden’s bones. How can you strengthen its structure with thoughtful hardscaping and strategic placement of trees and shrubs? With good bones in place, your garden will maintain its beauty through every season – and those gorgeous blooms will have the perfect framework to shine against.

Remember Russell Page’s wisdom: a garden lives only as long as it has good bones. Focus on building those bones first, and you’ll create a garden with year-round appeal and lasting beauty.