10 Expert Design Tips to Get the Most From Your Lawn
Follow these principles, straight from a garden designer, to enhance and enjoy your outdoor space
Lawns have a long history in gardening, dating back to medieval times. Before the lawnmower was invented in 1830, these grassy areas, or ‘flowery meades’ as they were referred to, would have been maintained by grazing animals or labourers with scythes. Without modern herbicides, they would also have been much more diverse and colourful than our modern-day equivalent.
Lawns today are considered an almost essential part of any garden in a temperate climate. Beautiful to look at, this fine green carpet adds to a sense of space in the garden and acts as a foil to planting of all kinds. Apart from its aesthetic qualities, a lawn offers space to play, sit or just lie down and enjoy the sun. Here’s how to get the best out of yours.
Lawns today are considered an almost essential part of any garden in a temperate climate. Beautiful to look at, this fine green carpet adds to a sense of space in the garden and acts as a foil to planting of all kinds. Apart from its aesthetic qualities, a lawn offers space to play, sit or just lie down and enjoy the sun. Here’s how to get the best out of yours.
Give it edge
Maintaining a formal lawn can be a lot of work, especially keeping that crisp edge. Simple metal or stone edgings work well, but by running your pathways along the edge of the grass, you’ll kill two birds with one stone, pardon the pun! The border plants can tumble out onto the paths without damaging the grass, and the paths will prevent the grass from creeping into the borders.
Maintaining a formal lawn can be a lot of work, especially keeping that crisp edge. Simple metal or stone edgings work well, but by running your pathways along the edge of the grass, you’ll kill two birds with one stone, pardon the pun! The border plants can tumble out onto the paths without damaging the grass, and the paths will prevent the grass from creeping into the borders.
Lay a path
Negotiating grassed areas can lead to wet feet, so a path may feel like a necessity. A solid path can really visually divide a lawn and look quite formal. Stepping stones, on the other hand, can gently lead you through a space in a relaxed manner.
Just make sure the space between the stones is comfortable for stepping from one to the next. Once laid at the correct level, a lawnmower can just glide over them.
Be inspired by these 11 standout ideas for paving and stone
Negotiating grassed areas can lead to wet feet, so a path may feel like a necessity. A solid path can really visually divide a lawn and look quite formal. Stepping stones, on the other hand, can gently lead you through a space in a relaxed manner.
Just make sure the space between the stones is comfortable for stepping from one to the next. Once laid at the correct level, a lawnmower can just glide over them.
Be inspired by these 11 standout ideas for paving and stone
Try an alternative to grass
How’s this for a different approach to a compact garden space? Create a green carpet with some low-growing perennials and save on the cost and space needed for a lawnmower. An expanse of chamomile or thyme would be a lovely and fragrant alternative where there’s not too much foot traffic, too. Here, Vinca minor (periwinkle) is used as an alternative to grass to soften and connect the upper and lower spaces.
Find 10 more gorgeous ways to go grass free
How’s this for a different approach to a compact garden space? Create a green carpet with some low-growing perennials and save on the cost and space needed for a lawnmower. An expanse of chamomile or thyme would be a lovely and fragrant alternative where there’s not too much foot traffic, too. Here, Vinca minor (periwinkle) is used as an alternative to grass to soften and connect the upper and lower spaces.
Find 10 more gorgeous ways to go grass free
Create dappled shade
We tend to think of the patio as our main seating area, but when the temperature rises and you really want to stay cool, the lawn is the place to be.
With a little dappled shade, there’s nothing more picturesque and evocative of summer days. You can achieve this with a single specimen tree in your lawn, adding another dimension to the space and more interest.
Check out how to use one-off special trees to add wow to your garden
We tend to think of the patio as our main seating area, but when the temperature rises and you really want to stay cool, the lawn is the place to be.
With a little dappled shade, there’s nothing more picturesque and evocative of summer days. You can achieve this with a single specimen tree in your lawn, adding another dimension to the space and more interest.
Check out how to use one-off special trees to add wow to your garden
Allow areas for wildflowers
Not all of your lawn needs to be shorn; leave some areas to grow untamed. Get them started by adding wildflowers for a really natural look that blends in with the surrounding planting. If you live in the countryside, it will create a connection to the landscape beyond the garden.
Not all of your lawn needs to be shorn; leave some areas to grow untamed. Get them started by adding wildflowers for a really natural look that blends in with the surrounding planting. If you live in the countryside, it will create a connection to the landscape beyond the garden.
Have fun with texture
Long and short grasses make a lovely textural contrast and the effect is so easy to create just by varying the regularity with which you mow different areas. With or without edging, you can create interesting patterns and mazes that have the added benefit of keeping children entertained.
Long and short grasses make a lovely textural contrast and the effect is so easy to create just by varying the regularity with which you mow different areas. With or without edging, you can create interesting patterns and mazes that have the added benefit of keeping children entertained.
Plant for the seasons
Autumn plantings of small bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocus or anemone, can create a beautifully simple show of colour in the spring. Once flowering is over, you’ll need to allow a little time for the foliage to die back before you can resume mowing, but who doesn’t love the flurry of fresh colour come March and April each year? And it’s so easy to bring to your own patch.
Autumn plantings of small bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocus or anemone, can create a beautifully simple show of colour in the spring. Once flowering is over, you’ll need to allow a little time for the foliage to die back before you can resume mowing, but who doesn’t love the flurry of fresh colour come March and April each year? And it’s so easy to bring to your own patch.
Play with dimension
As we’ve seen, lawns aren’t all about short grass and neither are they all about being flat. Create some vertical interest with a hillock or mound. Long or short grass lends itself well to this, but if you really want to appreciate the curves, keep the grass short. It makes a great place for children to play – you could even incorporate a slide.
As we’ve seen, lawns aren’t all about short grass and neither are they all about being flat. Create some vertical interest with a hillock or mound. Long or short grass lends itself well to this, but if you really want to appreciate the curves, keep the grass short. It makes a great place for children to play – you could even incorporate a slide.
Loosen things up
The lawn should define the shape of your beds and not the other way around. If you’re going for an informal garden, the planting and the lawn will look more attractive if you use simple curves.
The wider your flower borders are, the more interesting they will be, so don’t allow the lawn to squash everything towards the edges – try to balance the two. Do some sketches of your garden until you feel you have the balance between the beds and grass right.
TELL US…
Are you planning to redesign your garden? Which of these ideas inspires you? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments below.
The lawn should define the shape of your beds and not the other way around. If you’re going for an informal garden, the planting and the lawn will look more attractive if you use simple curves.
The wider your flower borders are, the more interesting they will be, so don’t allow the lawn to squash everything towards the edges – try to balance the two. Do some sketches of your garden until you feel you have the balance between the beds and grass right.
TELL US…
Are you planning to redesign your garden? Which of these ideas inspires you? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments below.
A formal lawn, be it square or rectangular, gives a very calm and serene effect. Try to echo the edge of the lawn with hedges, paths, pleached trees or other formal elements, like this water feature, which adds a little movement to the scene.