Too much shade. The commonest problem, especially in gardens overshadowed by buildings. Paint surfaces white, or pale colours, and without compromising your privacy, remove any unnecessary screening or fencing. Prune or thin out any overhanging tree branches and site flower borders in the best lit position. Select shade-tolerant plants, including ferns, and use foliage rather than flower to create your special effects in dense shade.
Too narrow and thin. Take advantage of this by developing a long, enticing vista but try also to divide the plot up into discrete rooms, each with a different theme. You can have great fun arranging small seating areas so they face across the garden, each with a different viewpoint.
Eyesores. Unsightly objects such as ventilator outlets, electric poles and fuel tanks may need to be concealed. You may also want to blot out an ugly horizon. Take care to site shrubs, screens or trees to disguise the view, but avoid the mistake of making your masking plants or screens so obvious that they draw attention to the object they are supposed to conceal.
Awkward shape. L shapes, or gardens that disappear round corners, pose tricky design questions. The secret is to take advantage of any special quirks, and to design round them, rather than trying to go against them. Use narrow corners to create arbours, for example, or plant up thin necks of land with conspicuous or interesting varieties so that they become a pleasure to walk through.
Previous
