The Experts Guide to Formal Gardens
Gardens usually reflect their owners in one way or another. An untidy, relaxed mortal will often have an untidy and relaxed garden, whereas as elegant mortal who likes everything to be in its place might well opt for a formal garden. Such a garden is usually a positive feature of the home rather than just an outdoor space.
What is a formal garden? Generally, a formal garden is one that has some formal qualities about it. This usually means that the shapes within the garden are geometric. Thus lines tend to be straight or in precise curves, such as a circle, rather than sinuous and informal. Beds are frequently square, rectangular or circular. Sometimes they might even be triangular, but this is an awkward shape in the garden because the corners are difficult to plant as well as being tricky to mow around.
Another aspect of formality is that there is often regular repetition, in other words certain plants or even whole beds might be repeated at regular intervals. This creates symmetry, which is an important part of such gardens. Calmness and tranquility are the qualities that usually sum up the formal garden.
What is sparseness? Formal gardens can contain as much planting as you like, but many rely on relatively few plants set in key positions. Often a round pond set in a graveled area with just a couple of clumps of marginal plants, irises perhaps, and a few water lilies can look quite stunning in its simplicity. Long vistas down paths also create a feeling of calmness.
So, what can we use as formal plants? Any plants might be used in formal gardens, but there are many that are preferred because they have a formality about them either in their natural overall shape or the calibre of the leaves. Others, mainly shrubs but also some ground cover plants, lend themselves to being trimmed into formal shapes. Clumps of hostas and irises are valuable because of their leaf shapes, while grasses such as mischanthus or plants such as yucca or cordyline all have their fountain of leaves.
Many ferns also produce this graceful fountain shape. Other plants that work very well in formal gardens are the statuesque ones, such as verbascum. Annuals all of the same height, such as salvias, or in rounded clumps, such as busy Lizzies in a massive container, can also contribute to a very formal look.
To learn more about the different types of plant nursery supplies for your garden, make sure to visit http://www.plantnurserysupplies.com. Make sure to get your free catalog on gardening while you are there.
