Layering garden landscaping

The principle of layering your garden landscape is a very straightforward one that can be summarised in one short phrase - "taller plants towards the back".

It sounds trivial, and perhaps is, but it is important to remember when you are planting. It is of course eventual size rather than current size that is important, which is the complication - it seems a shame to plant that 15 centimetre high bush behind that clump of flowers where no-one can see it, even if you do know that in five years it will two metres tall. And more complicated still if you plan to stay in the property for only a couple of years, or if a plant is very slow-growing and might take 20 years to reach 'eventual size'!

There is more to it of course than simply deciding what hieght of plant goes in which section - you want variety and interest in your garden, not carefully arranged rows of plants grown exactly to height. So the key point to remember is simply not to put a plant in a place where it will be forever hidden from view by other plants.

Think of the garden as being divided into three strips. The rear, for the tall plants, any trees, and also climbing plants that will cover the border behind. Then the middle strip for the 'medium' height plants, and the front strip typically for the low growing plants, annual flowers and ground-cover plants.

Then try and visualise the strips not as being straight strips of an exact width, but more like contours on a map - they can bend and weave, as long as taller plants are behind the 'contour' and shorter ones in front.

There isn't a problem in planting a shrub in the front row - go on, be daring! - with lower plants to either side, as long as you haven't planted your tiny snowdrops or similar behind.

The importance of layering your garden design in this way isn't just that it keeps all your plants on view. Just as important is that it allows for a much greater range of contrasts between leaf and flower colours and types, and the taller plants act as an interesting backdrop for the plants in front of them. You need to remember this need for contrast when planning and planting your garden, since it is that that separates the 'nice' garden from the 'exceptional' garden.