Even the most awkwardly shaped garden can be transformed into a well-designed space that you will come to appreciate and enjoy. Here are some tips to tackle a plot of any size or shape!
Identify what the main problems are
Some gardens are steeply sloped, making mowing and digging difficult. Some may be narrow but very long, making it hard to add interesting features. It may simply be too big or too small for your liking, or the current shape or layout is odd. Maybe it is overshadowed by a high wall or hedges, and nothing seems to grow.
The garden may have been fully paved over at some point, leaving you limited planting options. On the other hand, small lawns can receive a lot of wear and tear, leaving them patchy and unappealing.
Once you have nailed down what it is that you don’t like, look for the aspects of the garden that you are happy with (there’s bound to be one!). Is there a part that gets the morning or afternoon sun, for example, and would make a great spot for a bench or a patio? Maybe some of the mature plants are worth preserving, especially shrubs or trees.
The next stage is to work to maximise the advantages and minimise the disadvantages!
What to do about a steeply sloping garden
Integrating steps or tiers into a steeply sloping garden can help to make it more manageable. To work out how high each step should be, you need to work out the overall height difference between the top and bottom of the garden. You can do this by measuring with a long stick with string attached to it.
Peg the stick to the bottom of the garden and tie the string around it, loosely enough to move up the stick. Peg the string to the highest point at the top, and make sure it’s level by using a spirit level. Next, measure the distance from the top of the string to the ground. This will give you the height differential.
Divide the height differential by the number of steps you want, to work out how high they need to be. Bear in mind that a set of straight steps down the middle of the garden will lack visual interest. You may want to create zig-zag steps, or have smaller steps up to different tiers of the garden.
What to do for an awkward shaped garden
An oddly shaped garden can be unpleasing, especially if it as also small with a poor quality lawn. One of the best solutions is to dig around the lawn so it forms a regular shape, and the awkward corners can be disguised by planting up the borders. If this is not possible, you could try to create a focal point with a patio or decking area.
If your garden is spoilt by a patchy or weed infested lawn, you could consider laying artificial turf in Lancashire.
