When considering a new garden landscape, it can be hard to know where to begin. However, with advice from Manoj Malde, it’s hard to go wrong.
The designer may be best-known as a royal garden expert (following his recent series Secrets of the Royal Gardens); however, his expertise doesn’t end there. Manoj has made a name for himself in landscapes beyond the palace walls, and now he’s here to elevate your garden too.
But what do you need to know before you get started? Sharing his landscaping ideas with Gardeningetc, Manoj Malde revealed the biggest mistake you can make – and how to avoid it in your design. Here’s what you need to know.
The one thing you should never overlook when landscaping
Manoj Malde revealed that the biggest mistake you can make when landscaping is failing to plan properly. He says that you should never overlook this early stage as it will ultimately lead to a broken space that doesn’t flow as you might have intended.
So what should you do instead? Manoj Malde recommends planning the garden as a ‘whole space.’
‘Working on different areas of the garden in isolation creates a disjointed feel in the garden lacking cohesion,’ he says. ‘It’s far better to have designed the whole space as one and then work on the garden in phases. This way, you have something to aim for, and the result will be harmonious.’
The expert adds that if you pre-plan your garden design ideas, you can create the sense of a ‘journey’ throughout your exterior space. ‘This is done through a combination of design solutions,’ Manoj explains.
When wondering how to plan your garden design to promote the sense of a ‘journey,’ Manoj recommends moving your outdoor seating area to a separate part of the space.
This encourages you to use the whole garden and elevates your outdoor seating ideas in the process. ‘Creating a seating area other than the patio near the house gives you a destination to go to,’ he says.
UK-based readers can pick up more design tips with Manoj Malde via Secrets of the Royal Gardens (More4, Wednesdays at 9pm GMT).
