Focal Points
Episode: # 28 08/12/07
Presenter: Dean Boone
Whether your garden’s big or small, there’s an easy way to create year round interest and intrigue. At the Garden Gurus we get loads of questions via email about garden design so this week Dean Boone showed off his favourite (simple and easy) way to make a big statement; by creating a focal point.
When you enter any garden your eye is always drawn immediately to something. As a garden designer Dean always makes sure that special something says alot about the garden’s owners. Focal points can come in all shapes and sizes, colours and textures. It’s the defining statement about the garden and it then becomes the backbone of any design. The trick is to choose wisely.
When we’re talking about plants as focal points, you’ll often see something like topiary, which are frequently used in formal gardens. These plants are really easy to look after and their strong shape and form always attracts your attention. They also look neat all year round, so they’re ideal for the garden perfectionist.
For a more informal look try the fantastic Bromeliad, this species can grow up to a metre across and it almost defies belief. It is a perfect plant for creating the much loved tropical garden look and it can be under planted with trailing groundcovers.
Garden structures can also be used as a focal point and are probably better known to most gardeners. A tiny display garden dominated by large pots and a huge stainless steel water feature can look fantastic and form the backdrop to your garden. It could be the perfect way to draw the eye right in to a centre point in the garden.
Dean believes the smaller the garden the bigger and bolder the focal point can be. This changes your sense of space and really gets you to forget about everything around you. A little flower bed, for example, dominated by a large sculpture works perfectly together.
Focal points come in a variety of forms and in many gardens water (or more precisely, the sound of running water) is used as the focus. Running water can draw your eye into a different direction and take in the garden setting, again distracting you from the wide open spaces around you.
So big or small, short or tall, bold or brassy; adding a focal point to your garden will totally transform the way you look at your home. If your garden lacks that little something then go out and find something that you absolutely love and make it apart of your home today.
Presenter: Dean Boone
Whether your garden’s big or small, there’s an easy way to create year round interest and intrigue. At the Garden Gurus we get loads of questions via email about garden design so this week Dean Boone showed off his favourite (simple and easy) way to make a big statement; by creating a focal point.
When you enter any garden your eye is always drawn immediately to something. As a garden designer Dean always makes sure that special something says alot about the garden’s owners. Focal points can come in all shapes and sizes, colours and textures. It’s the defining statement about the garden and it then becomes the backbone of any design. The trick is to choose wisely.
When we’re talking about plants as focal points, you’ll often see something like topiary, which are frequently used in formal gardens. These plants are really easy to look after and their strong shape and form always attracts your attention. They also look neat all year round, so they’re ideal for the garden perfectionist.
For a more informal look try the fantastic Bromeliad, this species can grow up to a metre across and it almost defies belief. It is a perfect plant for creating the much loved tropical garden look and it can be under planted with trailing groundcovers.
Garden structures can also be used as a focal point and are probably better known to most gardeners. A tiny display garden dominated by large pots and a huge stainless steel water feature can look fantastic and form the backdrop to your garden. It could be the perfect way to draw the eye right in to a centre point in the garden.
Dean believes the smaller the garden the bigger and bolder the focal point can be. This changes your sense of space and really gets you to forget about everything around you. A little flower bed, for example, dominated by a large sculpture works perfectly together.
Focal points come in a variety of forms and in many gardens water (or more precisely, the sound of running water) is used as the focus. Running water can draw your eye into a different direction and take in the garden setting, again distracting you from the wide open spaces around you.
So big or small, short or tall, bold or brassy; adding a focal point to your garden will totally transform the way you look at your home. If your garden lacks that little something then go out and find something that you absolutely love and make it apart of your home today.
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