Planting Styles explained
Cottage garden
This is a very popular style and incorporates lots of pastel colours. Similar in many ways to a wildlife garden (see further down the page)
REQUIREMENTS:
Quite sunny conditions
SUITABILITY/LIMITATIONS:
Good year-round colour. Good soil. Not suitable for ball game areas. Some plants will die back at certain times of the year, before they reappear the following year.
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Extremely high
Italianate formal
A good solution for low maintenance
REQUIREMENTS:
Sun
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Mainly Evergreen, adult garden, limited play areas
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Low maintenance
Italianate less formal
A good solution for low maintenance, but with a bit more seasonal interest
REQUIREMENTS:
Sun
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Mainly Evergreen, good soil, adult garden, limited play areas
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Low-medium maintenance
Japanese
A bold choice for those really committed
REQUIREMENTS:
Water, shelter and dapple sun/shady areas
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Good soil, adult garden, limited play areas. Quite a lot of leaf fall
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Very high maintenance
Kitchen garden
A very specific choice. Usually within a walled garden
REQUIREMENTS:
Good amount of sun. Space
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Good soil.
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Very high maintenance
Mediterranean / Dry garden
Hard to achieve in the UK without the right conditions.
Beth Chatto-style dry garden planting will achieve similar result
REQUIREMENTS:
Lots of sun. Well-draining soil.
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Quite evergreen, with year-round interest. Adds elegance to a semi formal space. Clean gravel pathways.
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Medium maintenance
New perennial planting
The height of contemporary planting, inspired by planting designers such as Noel Kingsbury and Piet Oudolf, featuring lots of grasses and herbaceous perennials
REQUIREMENTS:
Lots of sun. Well-draining soil. Lots of space
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Provides stunning winter structure interest. Be prepared for plants to die back or be cut back at certain times of year before they reappear the following year.
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
High maintenance
Tropical planting for the UK
To get a tropical look that will work in the UK, hardy and semi-hardy plants are chosen
REQUIREMENTS:
Rich soil. A certain amount of sun
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Looks stunning against contemporary hard landscaping. Be prepared to make garage or greenhouse space for more tender plants that will need over-wintering indoors
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Medium maintenance
Wildlife garden
Similar to a cottage garden but with fewer high-maintenance plants. Felicity Garden Design always incorporates a certain amount of insect-friendly plants into our schemes wherever possible
REQUIREMENTS:
Rich soil. Mixture of sun and shade. Water area
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Great for attracting wildlife. Good colour in spring and summer. Be prepared for many plants to die down one winter. Meadow planting, for example will be cut back in the autumn and not start to regrow till the following spring.
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Medium maintenance
Woodland garden
This style of planting can be worked into shady areas of a garden.
REQUIREMENTS:
Rich soil. Shade and trees.
SUITABLITIES/LIMITATIONS:
Great for attracting wildlife. Lots of greens. Be aware that while Hostas are delightful, they are usually a target for slugs and snails
MAINTENANCE LEVEL:
Medium maintenance
