March 2003 - Garden Designing

An insight into the world of garden design was the subject of the March meeting of Andover Women in Business Club. Emma Haynes, professional garden designer, spoke to members about the work she does in the locality and gave members many interesting and useful tips on what to do to alter their gardens.

Emma Haynes going through her portfolio with AWIBC members

The meeting, which took place at the Keystone Hall, East Street, Andover, was well attended and members heard how Emma found her way in to the world of garden design. Having left university,

Emma started her working life in accountancy, but soon felt the work was not using the creative side of her nature. A two-year course at Sparsholt College gave her the qualifications she needed to start her own business designing people’s gardens and she has not looked back since.

Many gardens locally are the result of Emma’s imaginative and creative talent. Having only advertised once, commissions come to her regularly by word of mouth.

Emma talked of how easy it is to design your own garden and what simple points have to be taken into consideration before starting. The most important factor in designing a garden is to consider what the space is actually to be used for, whether for eating, sitting or having somewhere for the children to play.

In addition to the functional side of the design, it is important to decide whether the garden is to be formal or informal and whether it is to be cottage, town or perhaps Mediterranean in style.

A simple survey of the area needs to be carried out, measuring boundaries and plotting on graph paper where immovable objects lie. Emma stressed that many other objects can be moved and that it is not unusual to move garden sheds and greenhouses.

Most successful gardens are those with good hard landscaping as this forms the basis for a well presented garden. Many gardens have poorly designed terrace areas that are not sited in good places for reasons of sun or practicality. It is important that terraces are positioned and designed for the use that is to be made of them and that they are big enough for that use.

Building a terrace is a costly part of garden redesign, as is putting in a water feature. Emma stressed the importance of putting a water feature where the water is visible or the advantages are lost. It is also important that ponds are not placed in direct sunlight, where heat from the sun will harm the fish.

Club members were shown many interesting pictures of how gardens are used to create movement and encourage visitors to move quickly or slowly around a given space. Emma gave tips on low maintenance gardens, though stressing that all gardens require work of some sort. She explained how reducing the size of the lawn, or creating a mowing strip around it, can dramatically help reduce the work involved. Irrigation systems help to reduce the work created by having to frequently water plants in high summer.

Finally, Emma stressed the importance of keeping the design simple. She emphasised the value of creating new features with the same or similar materials as the surroundings and how important it is not to skimp on materials, buying the best one can afford. Garden designs should make a statement, but must at the same time be practical so that they can be enjoyed.