How to make an English garden: English garden design

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​English gardens are celebrated worldwide for their exceptional charm, beauty and adaptability. These gardens elements and influences are as diverse as the host country itself.

With multiple historical and social influences as well a favourable climate with abundant water, English gardens are lush, vibrant and complex. However, the very essence of an English gardens beauty is both simplistic and charming.

​I have often thought the major appeal of English gardens is their contradiction between formality and informality. There is a distinct blurring between the lines between these two fundamentals which provides an exciting juxtaposition!
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​A layering of historical values, social ideals, global influences and horticultural expertise has formed a garden style like no other.

In this article, I will explore the origins of English gardens investigating their historical influences and aesthetic components. I will break down their fundamental parts so you can create your very own English garden.

​Discover everything you need to know to create your very own English garden whether it is in either a contemporary or traditional style.

​The history of the English garden design style

​​Pre 16 century many English gardens and landscapes were more functional than aesthetic. Fortified towns and rural villages utilised surrounding gardens for the production of food and medicinal herbs.

After the first century AD the Roman Empire brought many influences over from the European continent. The Romans had their own horticultural traditions and architectural styles which influenced the islands landscapes.

This more classical style had a focus upon geometric forms, axial pathways as well as ornamental fountains and statues.

After the fall of the Roman Empire the spread of Christianity and Monasticism further influenced the arrangement of English gardens.

​Monasteries become places of horticultural experimentation and innovation. This led to many agricultural advances in crop growing and associated delicacies such as wine production.  
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​The heavy fortifications of the middle ages resulted in gardens and crops being strategically closer to buildings.  This was essential in times of conflict and in the event of sieges.

This helped to evolve what is now recognised as the traditional ‘walled English garden’.  Monasteries would organise their gardens into compartmentalised growing spaces for various crops. Some sections would be used to grow vegetables while others, fruits, teas and herbal remedies.

The English climate also had a heavy influence upon gardens during these historical times. Being susceptible to high winds and late frosts there was always a need for extra shelter. Walled gardens helped to create calmer growing conditions for tender food crops to thrive.

​A combination of masonry walls and gravel surfaces also helped to absorb and reflect sunlight boosting warm microclimates. This led to an extended growing season and abundant crop harvests. 
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​The 16th and 17 centuries saw England enter into the era of sea travel and empire expansion. This led to a period of sea faring exploration where specimen plants were brought from distant lands. English estates employed teams of gardeners and horticulturists who experimented with various planting types and colour designs.

In such cases classical landscape design met large generous borders exploding with new colourful exotics!  These luxurious plantings where set within well structured gardens with symmetrical beds and geometric pathways.

Such gardens were lined with tightly clipped hedges and regimented topiary. Grand English estates would require sizable budgets for such intensive horticultural regimes.

Inevitably the rise and fall of family wealth would result in fluctuating levels of upkeep. This would result in some estates becoming less well managed and overgrown. Consequently, an overgrown look has evolved alongside the more traditional and classical English garden style.

Groundcovers would spill out onto pathways while climbers would cover old walls and structures. Therefore it is often common to see combinations of both formal and more naturalistic elements within English gardens. 
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​During the 18th Century many English garden designers started to move away from the classical style. Landscape architects such as William Kent and Capability Brown adopted more of a naturalistic style.

More emphasis was put upon mirroring the natural beauty of landscapes than geometric shapes and straight lines. Such gardens would captivate more of the romanticism of nature with sweeping grasslands, woodlands, and lakes.

Many of these gardens would incorporate meandering pathways which would take you on a journey of discovery through nature! Such journeys would travel through places of enclosure followed by stunning views and interesting focal points.

Such dramatic English landscape design can be seen within gardens such as Stourhead in Wiltshire.  The Victorian era then saw an ever increasing interest in gardens and horticulture. This period of English history came at the aftermath of the industrial revolution.

​Many of the population now lived within towns and cities which were often overcrowded with poor air quality. 
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Stourhead in Wiltshire, England

​Many government initiatives were brought forward to help green towns and cities to improve health. This led to the development of many new parks and public gardens within urban centres.

Many urban town houses would combine layers of the old English style with both formal and informal elements. Front gardens often featured geometric shapes, clipped hedges and decorative but functional pathways.

Borders were often adorned with mass plantings of extravagant flowers typical of rustic cottage gardens. This combination of formal, naturalistic, rustic, historical and exotic is what makes English gardens so exciting!

The evolution of English gardens within history and their many influences is what gives them so many multiple layers. It is these diverse layers which makes it easy for English gardens to blend into any garden style.  
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This means into the future, English gardens will continue to change and involve while still maintaining their timeless beauty!​

​Design elements of an English garden

​When planning an English garden, there are some typical elements which can add authenticity to your design. These elements have evolved through history and featured within many famous English gardens.

​Such elements can enhance your gardens character and charm adding interest and drama. Below I list and summarise some of the typical English garden design elements.  

Informality

​English gardens are well known for their ability to blend into the surrounding landscape. Like Japanese gardens they can call upon the power of borrowed landscape to enhance their context.

Many English gardens will have a naturalistic feel in the form or rambling climbers, flowering meadows and dense flower borders. This helps to encourage biodiversity and celebrate nature.

It is very rare for English gardens to not be adorned with the chorus of bird song for this reason. Traditional English gardens where a labour of love for local tradesmen and horticulturists.

​These gardens often feature rustic stone walls, decorative pathways, and naturalistic flower borders.  
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​Planting

English garden planting is often utilised in a number of ways with a combination of both formal and informal. Very often, the main structure of the garden will be lined with low formal hedges and vertical clipped specimens.

These greatly contrast more naturalistic meadows and perennial flowering borders. In English gardens there is a great celebration and appreciation of seasonal change. During spring lawns are adorned with flowering bulbs and plants with long flowering seasons are favourable.

​It is typical for seasonal foliage, fruits and berries to be integrated in such designs. English gardens also have an emphasis on attracting plenty of wildlife so native and ecological planting is beneficial. 
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​Focal points

The idea of hierarchy and structure is something which is well ingrained within English culture. With a distinct social class system and an emphasis on tradition and ceremony English gardens are adorned with focal points.

Some of these ideals are remnants of classical design periods. However, focal points also provide many opportunities to cause suspense, surprise and splendour. Many English gardens incorporate quirky ornamental features such as wells and even grottos.

​Water features, sculptures and ornaments are also a great way to adorn your English garden design. Perhaps your focal point will have some personal or cultural significance. 
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​Pathways & walkways

​Pathways and walkways are an important design element within English gardens serving both aesthetic and functional purposes. Pathways have always helped to create structure within gardens which had a square layout.

Walled gardens would be dissected by horizontal and vertical pathways which ran passed growing areas. More importantly, pathways are often used to create journeys and guide circulation through the landscape.

​Many famous English gardens use a combination of curvy, informal paths which cross more formal, structural areas. This can be an effective way to steer and focus the walker’s attention and build suspense. 
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​Traditional materials

Traditional materials have always been a feature of both English architecture and landscape design. Every region of Britain has its own contextual materials and local workmanship.

In the West Country there is an ample amount of natural stone which is used extensively in traditional buildings. TheCotswold region has its own distinctive yellow stone which adorns traditional cottages and villages.

The South of England has the perfect clay for brick production of varying colours and styles. Consequently, English gardens should be a celebration of what is local and well crafted.

​It is this unique combination of contextual quality which adds so much value to English gardens. 

​Lawns

​Lawns within English gardens have long provided expansive spaces for relaxation and recreation. Go to any English village on a sunny day and you will local families congregating upon the village green.

You may even see a game of cricket played on expansive public lawns. Lawns are heavily integrated into both the English landscape and tradition. They can provide opportunities for sport as well as more relaxing activities.

English gardens typically use lawns to form expansive walkways between borders. This helps to celebrate their large and well designed planting displays. Lawns can also be used to increase spatial hierarchy and biodiversity.

​Rougher areas of grass and meadow around trees and shrubs can be cut less often allowing bulbs and wildflowers to bloom. 
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​How to create your own English garden

​Site analysis 

​When designing your very own English garden you will first need to conduct a site analysis. This entails assessing the current conditions of your site by identifying positives and negatives.

​For example, where does the majority of your sunlight fall? Are there any good views? Or bad views you wish to hide? Such an analysis will aid decision making during the design process. 
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​An effective way of conducting a site analysis is by undertaking a SWOT analysis. This stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Write these four headings with equal spacing’s upon a blank piece of paper. Then list your sites strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the site and how it could affect your design.

​At the end of this process you should have quite a comprehensive site analysis. 

​Inspiration 

One of the best ways to oil the cogs of the design process is inspiration! One of the best ways to do this is by visiting some English gardens in real life.

If you do not have the ability to access these looking for inspiration online is a very convenient method. A web image search or a social media image based platform like Pinterest is also a great option. 
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​Try to find precedent images of English gardens you like and specific features within them.

​You can search for terms like; 'English garden planting', patios, focal points or paths for specific inspiration. You can then compile these ideas and think about where they could fit into your English garden design. 

​Define your style 

​Once you have plenty of images and ideas you can start to define what your style is. Do you prefer a more formal style with geometric shapes, clipped hedging and topiary?

Or perhaps you like a more naturalistic style with flower meadows and native planting. Maybe you want to want your English garden to be the perfect combination of both!

​What materials do you wish to use and do you have a colour pallet for flowers? All these questions will help you formulate your preferred design style.  

​Create a layout

​To start resolving your English garden design, create a scaled drawing of your existing site. Ideas and sketch proposals can be drawn over the plan using tracing paper.

A good strategy is to create sketch cut-outs of all the elements you want to include. These could be seating areas, pergolas, raised beds and lawns. Experiment by moving them around your design plan thinking about how they work in real life.

As you resolve your design piece by piece you can start to put together a completed design. This will eventually end up a detailed plan or scaled layout drawing.  
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​Plan your circulation

During the process of deciding what elements go where you will need to plan for circulation. Circulation is how people move around a space and is crucial for linking different zones together.

​Think about how you currently move around your site and how you would like this to chance. Do you want people to move through a journey and experience different views and focal points along the way? 
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​When you have decided upon what elements go where think about how you want to connect them. Do you want visitors to follow defined pathways or do you want them to freely move across the site.

​When you have decided on your circulatory strategy implement it into your design plan.  

​Create focal points

​Focal points can come in a wide variety of forms within English gardens. Some common examples include; statues, sculptures, water features, outbuildings or even specimen trees and plants.

​You may choose a focal point personal to you, perhaps with a cultural or family relevance. Many prefer to go for something more traditional such as waterfalls or a classical statue. You may also want to design pathways, planting and hedges to draw the eye towards specific focal points. 

​Choose your materials

​What materials you decide to use within your English garden is completely up to you. However it is often effective to go with a specific theme or style which is consistent throughout your design.

Traditional materials that work well are rustic red bricks, natural stone and light coloured paving and gravels. However, there are many successful, contemporary, interpretations of English gardens which use more modern materials.

​Your precedent images will help guide you on what materials you wish to implement. 
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​Planting design

​When it comes to planting an English garden there are many different things to consider. English garden planting design can be an extensive subject with numerous planting types and extensive borders.

However, reaching a stunning planting design is not out of reach for less experienced gardeners. If you are prepared to research and experiment you can achieve amazing borders which rival professional planting design.

​If you want borders full of English style flower displays the Encyclopaedia of Planting Combinations by Tony Lord is an excellent choice. 
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​Traditional English garden borders layer planting with taller plants at the back and shorter species at the front. This provides plenty of interest for the eye to travel up and over planting beds.

Try to find plants which will grow well within your local climate and soil type. Think about what colour combinations you would like to implement. It is also worth considering what your planting will look like all year round.

​Try to incorporate as much seasonal interest as possible to keep it looking great year round. 

 Typical English garden features

​Fencing

​Most that embark upon making an English garden do not have a rural cottage or large country estate. Therefore it is most likely you will have defined boundaries in the form of fences.

​Standard fencing however can go far to exacerbate an English garden theme. Fencing can be painted or clad with hazel or willow woven panels for a traditional effect. Wires can also help you to cover boundaries with climbing plants including Roses, Boston ivy, Clematis and Jasmine. 
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​Walls 

​Walls within English gardens have always had a historical and cultural role. Walled gardens used to create shelter and boost micro climates in traditional growing areas.

Brick and stone walls in particular are especially in keeping with English garden tradition. Such walls do not only have to form boundaries, they can also form raised beds, steps and retaining features.

​Existing walls within an English garden can also be clad with natural stone walling or cladding to enhance their traditional appeal. 
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​Trellis

Trellises are versatile structures with a number of different uses within English gardens. They are normally utilised as a vertical structure for climbing plants to grow.

They can be fixed to walls, fences and buildings to add foliage and interest to otherwise bare structures. In English gardens they are effective at forming screening and creating partitions.

​This can be perfect for creating journeys and building suspense! Trellis can also be used to funnel the eye towards focal points or block bad views. 
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​Pergolas

​Pergolas have a long tradition as an elegant feature within English gardens. Such structures are typically admired with decorative joisting and clambering climbers such as roses.

In the summertime pergolas provide much needed shade as well helping to frame and shelter seating areas. They are a great place to grow scented plants and hang lighting making for fantastic dining areas.

​Pergolas also provide and architectural element to English gardens which can compliment or enhance surrounding buildings. 
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​Hedges

Hedges have been associated with the English landscape since the dawn of agriculture. Historically hedges were used to partition agricultural plots, contain livestock and form shelter belts.

In English gardens however hedges are more of a formal affair. Evergreen varieties such as Box and Yew can be planted and clipped to create formal structure. Such formal hedges can be used to line paths or accentuate geometric shapes.

​However hedges can also take a more informal role. Flowering and fruiting shrubs can be planted as a mixed hedge to create food and shelter for wildlife.  
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Enclosure 

​Going back far into English history enclosure has always played an important role for gardens. Since the middle ages, walled gardens formed shelter and microclimate for the production of fruits and vegetables.

In later times, courtyards became a popular way to integrate garden spaces into buildings. English courtyards are much loved for their charm and sophistication making fantastic dining spaces.

​Enclosure within English gardens creates a feeling of seclusion and safety making great places to relax and unwind.  
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​Edging

​Whether an English garden follows a formal or more informal style it is sure edging will play a significant role. Garden edging plays an important part in defining spaces and retaining surfaces.

In English gardens masonry edgings can add visual texture to patios and other surfaces. Retaining edging such as setts and bricks are utilised to retain gravel seating areas and pathways.

​Edgings can also form linear planting beds for formal hedging and create mowing strips for lawns. English gardens also typically feature decorative raised edgings around paths and borders such as rope top edging. 

​Walkways

​Walkways have many functions within English gardens but generally there are two main functions, Structure and guidance. In classical English gardens there is commonly bold, angular or rectangular shapes integrated into the design.

Walkways normally provide structure to these shapes while providing circulatory access. Such walkways travel around the outside of such shapes with focal points or formal lawns in the centre.

​However, in informal English gardens walkways steer the traveller on a journey of discovery. Pathways are often winding, meandering through naturalistic features. 

Why not visit our article on the best pathways for English gardens here. 
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​Planting 

​There is no doubt that one of the most captivating elements of English gardens is planting. Planting is enjoyed and celebrated in so many interesting and diverse ways.

Planting is used to; form structure, flower displays, attract wildlife, effect mood, produce food, create texture and seasonal interest. England has a long history of horticultural excellence ingrained within their history and culture.

​From vast plant collections brought back from the age of empire, to digging for victory during the Second World War. There are so many exciting ways planting can be used and integrated into English gardens. 

For more information on English garden planting design see our resource article here.

​Fruits

​English gardens have always had a long history with fruit production. Historically south facing walls were utilised to train and grow espalier fruits up such as apples and pears.

During Britain’s sea faring explorations more exotic fruits were also collected and grown in this way. Orchards are also a common feature within traditional English gardens.

​Not only do these small trees produce fruit they also have exceptional spring blooms, autumn colour and ornamental value. Exotic varieties such as citrus and cactus fruit can also be enjoyed during summer with winter protection. 

If you like perhaps visit our article on the best fruits for English gardens here.
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​Vegetables 

​There are many functional and aesthetic ways vegetables can be integrated into English gardens. Firstly vegetable growing was one of the first fundamental purposes for defined garden spaces in England.

​The vegetable garden or allotment has always been a traditional component of English garden design. Not only do these plots just produce food they have a unique aesthetic all of their own. 

Why not visit our article on traditional vegetables for English gardens here.​

​The straight rows of leaf crops and root vegetables create vibrant colours and interesting textures. Quirky features such as scare crows and make shift climbing frames add to their charming appeal.

​Vegetables can also adorn decorative features such as squash over arches or radiant rainbow chard in raised beds. 

​The modern English garden style 

​One of the most fascinating things about English gardens is they are always changing and open to interpretation. In recent years many have created contemporary versions of the traditional English style.

This has been accelerated with an increased interest of renovating old agricultural properties such as barns. Many barn conversions now embrace this new contemporary English cottage garden style. 
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​Some typical features of modern English gardens include, clean lines, minimalist design, modern courtyards, block planting, sustainable landscaping, low maintenance landscaping, sculpture, and  biodiversity planting.

​If you already have a contemporary style home or interior perhaps the modern English garden style is for you!

​Thank you for reading our article; How to create an English garden! Below I will link to some of our other articles about English gardens you may find relevant. 

If you require English garden services do not hesitate to contact us here. 

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