On Garden Design

Garden lighting finesses a good design; adding safety, security and ambience. But it's so often poorly done.In this episode we share tips from the experts to enhance your night garden experience, how to use lighting responsibly and what to avoid.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Gardens are dynamic; we can plan and anticipate but we can't predict how they will evolve. So what do you expect from a garden designer? Are you buying a product with an end-state or are you buying a journey?In this episode we weigh up what you are investing in and consider where it could take you.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Have you ever wondered who are the real people behind these voices? If you've enjoyed listening to us over the last 16 months, this episode will take you ‘behind the scenes' chatting about our friendship, career journeys, hobbies and inspiration that have made us who we are. We also give you a sense of the future of the podcast and invite you to help us take the next step.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Designing your garden around food production is great for your physical and mental health. This episode discusses how good design can improve your gardening experience, productivity, efficiency and access. We give ideas and inspiration for optimising the layout and choosing suitable materials, accessories and plants. However, it's not a style for everyone and does require considerable capacity and dedication.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

An outdoor space dedicated to reflection, relationship and connection can be deeply restorative. Perhaps you would like to create a memory garden to honour a loss or a celebration of a person, pet, event or cultural link? In this episode, we chat about what makes a memory garden meaningful and offer practical ideas to personalise your special space.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Back yards come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and each brings its own set of design challenges. In this episode, we chat about manipulating space to make a garden more interesting and inviting, and we offer design solutions for different garden shapes. So, whether you have a shallow-wide, narrow-long, square or irregular shaped garden, tune in to hear ideas and tricks for creating a beautiful and functional backyard design.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Not all gardens are created equal. In fact, most have challenges that can feel overwhelming. This episode will tackle some of those tricky spaces, such as slope, balconies, vertical spaces, privacy and pokey corners. Listen in for practical ideas and inspiration to re-frame your thinking about how to best transform these tough areas.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Do you need a forgiving and low maintenance garden? We give you plenty of reasons to consider why a Mediterranean garden may suit you. To help create this tough, water hardy and sustainable garden style, we offer ideas and inspiration for choosing the layout, colours, materials, accessories and plants. We also highlight style fails and how to adapt this style to your non-Mediterranean climate and soil.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Sense of Place is about taking cues from your broader landscape to create a garden that belongs to that place. Honouring your surrounding landforms or soils, endemic plants or cultural references may become the central idea for your garden's design. In this episode we chat about what sense of place means and how it can be interpreted to inform your design choices. If your garden feels like it belongs to its context – bush, seaside or inner city – then it's probably a good environmentally sustainable choice too.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Do you crave order and control? Are neat hedges and edges your thing? If so, the discipline and calm of a formal garden may be perfect for you. In this episode we chat about the design elements of a formal garden. We give you plenty of ideas and inspiration for choosing the layout, plants, structures and materials that are true to creating these gardens. It may sound simple, but this is one style that demands restraint and application of the principles to really nail it.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

How about designing a garden based on a central idea? If you crave interactive experience, stimulation and response from your garden, try framing your design thinking around all things sensory. In this episode we chat about how choosing sensory as your central design idea guides your choice of layout, plants, materials and accessories. Whether you want to soothe or excite your senses, listen in for plenty of tips and ideas in creating a sensory garden that's just right for you.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

In this episode we chat about the design elements of a contemporary garden. To create this stylish, crisp and asymmetric garden style, we give you plenty of ideas and inspiration for choosing the layout, structures, materials, accessories and plants. It's a great style to choose if you want an entertainer's garden with low maintenance overheads. However, it's not as simple as it sounds: it takes restraint and discipline to really pull this one off.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

Do you mostly use your outdoor spaces at night? An entertainer, moth watcher, star gazer or sun avoider? Then why not design a space that is entirely centred on the idea of engaging your garden at night? In this episode we chat about how to make a garden particularly evocative and interesting at night. We consider how to maximise your layout, plants, lighting, materials and accessories to deliver a night garden experience that's just right for you. And when the sun comes up, it's still got to look good too.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

This informative chat steps you through the process for designing your own garden. If you're up for the challenge, we give you plenty of tips and ideas for assessing, arranging and styling your garden. While we are keen to encourage you to have a go at design, we also highlight the tricky areas where it's best to call in the experts.⁠Photos for this episode⁠⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠⁠OnGardenDesign⁠⁠ ☕☕☕⁠⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠⁠ if you loved this episode

If you feel like a giant in your garden or your outdoor areas feel overwhelming or insignificant, you're probably experiencing a problem with proportion. In this episode we chat about practical ways to identify and achieve proportion. We discuss how to take cues from your garden's broader context and the effect of scale, shapes, colour and foliage on achieving proportion. This episode is the third in a series on garden design principles aimed at helping you assess your garden and create a beautiful space that works for you.Photos for this episode⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠OnGardenDesign⁠ ☕☕☕⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠ if you loved this episode

Personal values shape the choices we make and the lifestyle we live. So why shouldn't values play a key role in creating a garden that reflects your principles, priorities and personality? Join our conversation with Lachlan Richardson, a values-based garden designer, as we explore how an appreciation for awe, inclusivity and a social conscience can deliver affordable and sustainable garden design. On his journey of self-reflection and intentional design practices, Lachlan's approach encourages others to design gardens that contribute to a future that is worth being excited about.Photos for this episode⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠OnGardenDesign⁠ ☕☕☕⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠ if you loved this episode

Is there something overpowering or dominating in your garden? It's probably upsetting your garden's balance and compromising its harmony, comfort and stability. In this episode we chat about practical ways to achieve balance in your garden. We discuss how to achieve weighting without symmetry, applying mass and void and how to incorporate a pleasing composition of flow, shapes, texture and colour. This episode is the second in a series on garden design principles aimed at helping you assess your garden and create a beautiful space that works for you.Photos for this episode⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠OnGardenDesign⁠ ☕☕☕⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠ if you loved this episode

We intuitively know that gardens have a positive impact on mental health. When this is backed by science, it becomes even more compelling. Join us in this gentle chat with Sue Stuart-Smith, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of The Well Gardened Mind as she takes us on a journey to better understand why and how gardens can be healing and restorative for mental health conditions. Peppered with practical examples, Sue shares her research and observation of therapeutic design techniques and explains why people feel held, safe and hopeful in a garden.Photos for this episode⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠OnGardenDesign⁠ ☕☕☕⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠ if you loved this episode

Why is it that some gardens just feel right? And others feel chaotic, disjointed and jarring? It's probably all about unity. In this episode we chat about practical ways to achieve unity in your garden. We discuss how repetition brings coherence, how taking the lead from a style, theme or genre provides a unifying language and why sense of place is an important consideration. This podcast is the first of a series on garden design principles aimed at helping you assess your garden and create a beautiful space that works for you.Photos for this episode⁠ are on Instagram at ⁠OnGardenDesign⁠ ☕☕☕⁠ BUY US A COFFEE⁠ if you loved this episode

Would you like to rewild your garden AND design it to look good? Join us chatting with Charlie Harpur about bringing back natural process to the landscape. As Head Gardener at Knepp in southern England, Charlie shares his knowledge and experience in restoring biodiversity through a mosaic of habitats. As the keystone species in your garden, apply these practical tips and techniques to nurture your plot. Not only will you achieve an ecologically rich garden but also one with fabulous aesthetic value.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign. ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Dividing your garden into a series of smaller spaces is a landscape design method to make an outdoor area feel larger, more inviting and purposeful. In this episode we chat about how to design outdoor rooms. We'll give you guidelines on ideal room proportions and what makes up the floors, walls and ceilings. We also consider how to create effective transitions and flow between the rooms. And can dividing a garden into rooms be done badly? Sure can! This podcast will help you assess your garden and apply these theoretical and practical tips for designing fabulous outdoor rooms in your own garden.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign. ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

70% of households have a pet and these little companions probably spend most of their life in the garden. So it's only fair that any good garden design considers the pets' behaviours, needs, safety and comfort. In this episode we chat about what to include, avoid and consider when designing a pet friendly garden. But one pet ain't like the next, so how do you balance your pet's personality with your gardening tolerance and style? We'll talk through plenty of tips, tricks and inspiration to give you the confidence to have that lovely garden AND that cheeky companion.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign. ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Garden design is a dynamic discipline; constantly evolving through new design thinking, relationships, experimental horticultural practices and contemporary materials and technology. In this episode we chat with Fleur Flanery, owner of @outlandishventures whose remit is to identify and share innovative voices that influence global landscape design trends. This episode is packed with great conversation on emerging trends such as re-wilding, response to site, Australian design identity and sustainability. This is a down-to-earth chat full of inspiration and encouragement for both home gardeners and landscape design professionals. Join us at her Canberra and Sydney Land Escapism events in late February 2024 to hear from some of the world's leading design thinkers.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign. ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

A beautiful garden with little effort? Is there such a thing? In this episode we chat about how to design a low effort garden and which styles, materials, accessories and plants are well suited to achieving this approach. We challenge some of the romantic notions of low effort gardens and give you the practical run down of where to put your investment and what to avoid. If you love minimalist, contemporary and static gardens and have little time for fiddling, this episode will inspire you.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Japanese gardens are a timeless and increasingly popular garden style. They can be equally pleasing in large gardens as they are in small courtyards. So where do you start if you want your own Japanese-inspired garden?In this episode we chat about the symbology and essential elements that make up a Japanese-inspired garden. We discuss how to arrange the components, and which materials and accessories typify the style. We also describe the effect of the plants so you can choose suitable plants that work in your climate zone.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

How do we design our gardens for heat and drought? In this episode we chat with expert horticulturist and garden designer, Jackie Warburton, to explore the range of plant choices, design considerations and maintenance for drought hardy gardens. And there's a lot of good news; it's not all about yuccas, cactus and succulents! Jackie takes us on a wonderfully informative journey discussing diverse planting palettes, soil management and water practices that balance aesthetics with practical climate response. This episode is full of tips and information to boost your confidence in establishing your drought hardy garden. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Garden design mistakes are costly, wasteful and discouraging…and really easy to make.  In this episode we chat about how to avoid common design flaws, poor hardscape choices, accessories that don't belong and plants in the wrong places. We discuss examples of why and where things go wrong, and what to do about it. If you need a hard-hitting and honest reality check of why your garden just isn't giving, then this episode is for you. And of course, it's all caveated with a little sprinkling of subjectiveness. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Small outdoor spaces have to work hard and every inch, plant and pot matters. In this episode we chat about the challenges in designing small spaces and how to overcome these by applying the principles of scale, unity and simplicity. We discuss examples and ideas for selecting plants, materials and accessories appropriate to these tricky outdoor areas. If you have a small outdoor area that's just not giving you joy, tune in for inspiration to transform your space to one that is inviting and useful. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Plants are a key component of garden design. But how much thought do we give to their all-season contribution and through-life maintenance? In this episode we welcome a special guest, Attila the Horticulturist, to chat about how to choose and manage plants for your garden. Attila gives us his professional insight to plant criteria, tips on siting plants and hedging, and some maintenance challenges to avoid. He also discusses the relationship between designers and gardeners, and offers practical tips for achieving a long-term planting strategy. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

What are the building blocks for good design? Why do some gardens just feel right? In this episode we chat about how to apply design principles for creating or improving your garden. We talk about the theory behind landscape design elements, principles and even laws, and share practical ways to achieve these. If you love a list, a bit of theory and some formulas for great garden design, then tune in for a light-hearted exploration of our top three design principles. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Are you a sucker for blossoms, flowers and bulbs? Does your garden look amazing in early Spring and then lacklustre for the other 48 weeks of the year? In this episode we chat about how good design delivers colour and effect through every season. We'll give you ideas and some formulas to find that balance of flowers, foliage and hardscaping. We prompt you to think design first and then think plants. We chat about choosing plants that fulfil several functions and plants that achieve impact through their foliage colour, height, form and contrast. So, listen in before being tempted by a Spring nursery binge. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Do you want a beautiful garden but don't have the budget? In this episode we give you thrifty tips and ideas about how you can design and create your garden on a budget.  We chat about where to find knowledge to draw your own design, ideas for sourcing cheaper materials and sculptures, low-cost options for acquiring plants and savings on soil improvement; and give examples of when not to skimp.   We share some personal stories to inspire you to create that beautiful and meaningful garden while keeping control of your budget. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at OnGardenDesign ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

In Episode 5 we chat about the design elements of a cottage garden. To help you create this timeless, informal and sensory garden style, we give you ideas and inspiration for choosing the layout, colours, materials, accessories and plants.  It's a great style if you want to create a garden on a budget; but, it's not all rose-coloured: so, we also highlight maintenance needs and seasonality challenges to keep your cottage garden at its best. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at On Garden Design ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

In Episode 4b we chat about structural challenges in the garden and make suggestions to address these through design solutions. There's plenty of general tips and tricks for improving the aesthetic and functionality of your garden. Our discussion is scenario-based, offering practical ideas to overcome typical garden problem areas; such as unsightly boundary fences, screening utilities, and under-utilised or disconnected built spaces. We chat about options other than concealing issues and how clever design approaches can change the way you view your garden. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at On Garden Design ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

In Episode 4a we chat about environmental challenges in the garden and suggest how to address these through design. There's plenty of tips and tricks for improving the aesthetic and functionality of your garden. Our discussion is scenario-based, offering practical ideas to overcome typical garden problems; such as dry shade and damp areas, managing dog poo, invasive plants sneaking into your garden, slope and difficult soils. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at On Garden Design. ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

What should you expect when you engage a garden or landscape designer? We chat about how you can prepare and get the most from your investment so you can ensure what you get is tailored to your needs and wants. We chat about the consultation, engagement and documents that make up the garden design process. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at On Garden Design ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Knowing who to engage for your garden project will save you time and money, manage your expectations and help achieve your outcomes. We chat about the roles, skills, cost and crossover between horticulturists, landscapers, landscape or garden designers and landscape architects. Our chat is scenario-based and aims to help you understand which landscape professional is right for your project. Photos for this episode are on Instagram at On Garden Design ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode

Tips, tricks and opinions on adding structure to your winter garden. Our chat considers the role of plantings, sculptures and hardscapes.Photos for this episode are on Instagram at On Garden Design ☕☕☕ BUY US A COFFEE if you loved this episode