Garden Styles: An Introduction

Different garden styles abound and there is no hard and fast definition for any one style and every style is open to interpretation by gardeners everywhere. Even the same style can be identified differently between continents. A cottage garden style here in the UK can be very different from the cottage garden or 'dacha style' in Russia.

Similarly in any one country there are different styles according to the natural environment in which they are built or wish to depict. In the UK we speak of a 'seaside garden' and a 'woodland garden' for example, and there's no reason why you can't have a seaside garden style on your city centre roof terrace! . While in the USA, Americans speak of East Coast, West Coast, Southern and Prairie styles. Continuing the theme, in Africa they have the tropical garden style or their individualistic desert style which is derived from the beaten red earth, native pots and tough desert plants.

Whatever the chosen garden style it's 'feel' is closely linked to what's available in any particular locality. Tall buildings around a garden give an enclosed impression and different gardeners may tackle the same situation differently. Some might look to try to create a more 'open' outlook, while others may choose to intensify their outlook by creating a garden style that amplifies their situation to create a protective 'cocoon effect'.

It's also easy to forget the influence that natural sunlight can have upon your preferred chosen garden style. Colours that can look fantastic under strong sunlight when seen in some bright exotic location don't have quite the same result under a heavily clouded sky.

Cottage Garden Style

Dry or Arid Garden Style

Fern Garden Style

Herb Garden Style

Japanese Garden Style