Landscaping Ideas for Great Garden Design

Use crushed rock to createpaths from one section of the garden to another. Don’t create a ruler-straightgrid. Instead, let paths curve from one section to another. With a large enoughgarden, you can even use your rocks to create designs. If you can’t findcrushed rock you like, terra cotta tiles add a splash of color to yourgreenery, as does mulched wood. Incorporating paths will help cut down on largepatches of grass in your garden, so you’ll have less maintenance to performoverall.

Bring more life and beautifulsounds to your garden by installing a birdbath. Look for something withmultiple levels, where water flows from one tier to the next. You can also hanga rain chain above your birdbath, and you won’t need to fill it as often andyou can look forward to singing birds splashing away after your next rainstorm.

Mix it up. Plants with spikyleaves and plants with soft, rounded leaves create an interesting visual andgive your garden depth when they’re planted together. In the same vein, plantcolors don’t have to match in the same plot. Try mixing dark green leaves withlighter, striped leaves and orange flowers with red or yellow flowers.

A rain chain can also be hungso the water falls directly into planters. If you live in a dry environment,it’ll help plants get water they need. If you live in a wet environment, chooseplants that need a lot of moisture like confederate rose hibiscus. Create ahanging garden of rain chains for a beautiful, tranquil effect whenever itrains. If you don’t have contained planters, just place a copper bowl or otherattractive container under the rain chains. You can use the water to nourishyour plants when the weather dries up again.

Include art in your garden.Whether it’s statues, mosaics or colorful spheres, man-made pieces will makeyour space more interesting. You can change your art as the seasons or yearschange, too. Functional art like metal or intricately carved wooden benches andtables can make your garden more useful for you and your family. Use lights andtorches to brighten your garden at night, so you can relax at the end of theday and still admire the beauty of the plants.

Label your plants --especially herbs -- with small signs that echo the colors of your garden.Chalkboards with handwritten labels are charming in gardens with old-fashionedart and planters. Brass signs with embossed labels look great with in gardenswith lots of warm shades and metal accompaniments.