The garden can be a place for relaxation, or an opportunity to get creative. Whether you are looking to grow vegetables and herbs, or ornamentals that will brighten your yard all year long, different types of gardens require different approaches.
Some people love the challenge of designing their own landscape while others prefer purchasing a ready-made plan from professionals. With so many options available today, there is no limit on what you can do with your outdoor space!
Below, we will look at the different types of gardens you can try at home in the UK.
Flower Garden
In the simplest terms, a flower garden is a space where flowers are grown and displayed. It can be an entire yard or just a small patch of land in the corner of your backyard. Either way, this space is typically cultivated to look lush and beautiful with plants of different colours, shapes, sizes, textures, and fragrances.
There are many different types of flower gardens, but the most common is called a mixed border. This type of flower garden is usually one that is planted at the perimeter or edge of the property and includes a variety of flowers and plants that surround an open centre.
Herb Garden
A herb garden is a diverse collection of plants that are used for cooking, medicinal purposes, and other uses. The word “herb” can refer to either the aromatic leaves or the entire plant.
The herbs in your garden can be used for a variety of purposes. Some favourites are basil, thyme and parsley which have many uses from adding flavour to dishes such as pasta sauce or creating herbal vinegar with lemon juice.
Other popular plants are rosemary (which is great roasted over potatoes); and finally, lavender which has been scientifically proven to help soothe anxiety and aid relaxation.
Vegetable Garden
A vegetable garden is a plot of land where vegetables are grown. Vegetables can be grown in pots, containers, or directly in the ground.
There are many benefits to having a vegetable garden including saving money on groceries; getting hands-on experience with gardening, and feeling satisfied from growing your own food.
There are many different types of vegetables to grow in a vegetable garden. Some popular ones include tomatoes, lettuce and potatoes which can be grown with relative ease; while others like artichokes or asparagus take more time but have the potential for greater payoff when harvested at their peak after they reach maturity.
Fruit and Nut Garden
A fruit and nut garden is a type of permaculture design in which the gardener plants trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers, and perennials that produce edible fruits or nuts. The intent is to create an edible landscape with more plant diversity than what can be found at your local supermarket.
A fruit garden is not dissimilar to a vegetable garden as it is often planted for the same reason – the intention of growing natural food.
A fruit garden may include a variety of grapevines, berry patches as well as fruit trees.
Lawns
Lawns are grassed areas that are grown in an open space. They can be found just about anywhere today, including backyards and public areas like parks or sports fields!
Lawn care varies depending on where the lawn may live but one thing, they all need to stay green – is water. Lawns are typically green but come in a variety of colours today such as bluegrass, red fescue, zoysia, and more!
Lawns have been around for centuries with the first documented ornamental lawn being at Hampton Court Palace which was installed by King Henry VIII back in 1530 – way before we had power tools, so you will never guess how they mowed it… they used sheep shears!!!
Container Garden
A container garden is a type of garden that uses containers or pots to grow plants. Container gardens can be used in any space, from the smallest balcony to the largest backyard. They are an ideal solution for those who live in small apartments and do not have much outdoor space available.
Container gardens are perfect for beginners because they require less time, money, and effort than a traditional garden that uses the ground. You can also easily transfer your container plants to larger pots as needed or simply replace them with new ones.
When you want something different, you will not need any major landscaping work done in order to start over again from scratch!
Container gardening is also an excellent way of getting started with growing vegetables.
Nature Gardens and Ground Covers
A nature garden is a type of garden that replicates an environment found in the wild. These gardens are typically designed to mimic natural landscapes and habitats, such as forests, prairies, wetlands, and deserts.
Ground cover refers to any plant or vegetation that covers the ground surface. Ground covers can be used for aesthetic purposes as well as ecological ones.
What nature gardens and ground covers have in common is that they require less maintenance than other types of gardens.
Nature gardens and ground covers are perfect for those who love natural environments. You can make a garden that replicates the marshlands, or you might simply want to grow plants that will spread, creating an organic look in your yard!
Ground cover is ideal because it provides insulation and helps with soil erosion control as well by acting like carpeting on bare dirt surfaces outside of buildings such as garages.
Raised Garden
A raised garden is a garden that sits on top of an elevated surface. Raised gardens are often created by stacking or placing containers, boxes, barrels, bags of potting soil, straw bales, bricks, and stones to form a level surface. These structures may be designed to grow in any climate – from the dry arid desert to the humid rainforest.
Raised gardens are popular because they can provide plants with better drainage and airflow than traditional ground plots do. In addition to preventing waterlogged soil and mildew conditions, raised beds are also ideal for those with mobility issues.
Raised beds can be constructed in any shape or size and be made from any material, some materials used are wood, metal or plastic.
Raised gardens are an excellent project for those with gardening experience and even beginners can learn to create their own raised bed garden at home!
What Type of Garden is Best?
The type of garden that is best is entirely up to you and your needs. Whatever type of garden you can enjoy and that makes you happy is the best type!
Conclusion
A garden is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy nature. The type of garden you want will depend on your needs but don’t forget that many gardens are designed with more than one purpose in mind.
For example, if you live in an apartment or condo unit, then the balcony may be all the space you have for a garden. In this case, try planting herbs like thyme and chives which can grow in containers without much soil.
On the other hand, those who have larger spaces available might consider adding fruit trees as well as vegetables to their property so they can harvest fresh produce while enjoying some shade during the sun-drenched hours of the summer months.
Garden Doctor Tips
“If you only have a small space, try a little container gardening – you will be pleased with the results!”
“Think about what space you have available and what light the area gets – this will help you choose what to plant!”
“Raised beds are great for root vegetables, they are also nice with flowers too!”
“If you are short on space and want to grow fruit trees, try and grow them espalier!”
About Me
Hi, I’m Trev and I’ve been growing things since I can remember. When I was younger, I grew up on a farm, so I have always been around plants and animals. After studying horticulture at university, I decided to start my own nursery which I have run now for 25 years. In my spare time, I run this website – which is a resource for people who want to learn more about their gardens.
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