10 Garden Landscaping Design Ideas for a First-Time Garden in Sydney

Is it your first time to landscaping a garden? Or are you rehabilitating the outdoor space of a house you just bought?

Regardless of your situation, a beautiful garden can improve your life. It can improve the quality of air the air you breathe and invite you to rest under a shade or to enjoy sunlight.

A garden can also shelter you from rain and wind. It can also soothe you with relaxing tones of brown earth and green plants.

garden landscaping ideas

But where will you start when designing your landscape for the first time?

We’ve gathered some suggestions from leading landscape designers and architects, including ideas from our experience. Borrow from these 10 ideas for a breathtaking garden.

  1. Know the role played by your garden

Traditionally, all gardens were designed to either create a living space, be visually attractive, or to generate food.

When designing a garden, you need to ask yourself what you want it to accomplish. Once you have the right answers in mind, start designing the garden space.

For instance, you can design a garden that offers a dual purpose, such as mixing edibles and ornaments in one planting bed.

  1. Know how Western and Eastern design traditions differ

A typical garden comes with two basic styles, including the axial traditions of Western Asia and Europe, and the nature symbolism that comes with Eastern Asia traditions.

Thus, ask yourself whether you want your garden to have a western tradition layout with symmetry, rectangles, and straight lines, or you want it to have an eastern tradition comprising curves, shapes, and materials like gravel, rocks, and water to symbolize nature.

You can also break the rules behind these traditions and mix design elements from the two traditions.

  1. Know the characteristics of your landscape

Different landscapes have their unique features such as shade, sunny areas, elevation changes, mature shrubs, existing trees, soil conditions, and windy spots. Some of these features may not be similar to those of your neighbor.

Know the topography and microclimates of your landscape before getting ahead with the garden design process. You can have the soil tested to determine whether it’s acidic.

You can also study the type and composition of the soil to determine whether it’s clayish and heavy or loose and sandy.

You’ll stand a better chance of taking advantage of the best traits of your landscape by knowing its personality.

  1. Define your garden’s boundaries

You can have something to look at from a distance by defining your garden’s boundaries. You can add a fence or hedge to define boundaries and create order.

  1. Consider plantings that will anchor your house

You can tie your house or other buildings to the landform by planting some shrubs along the foundation. Train vines and other creepers to climb the walls.

Such a design will allow both the garden and the house to benefit by looking as if they are an item.

  1. Use borrowed views

You shouldn’t shy away from taking advantage of the beauty that may be surrounding your landscape.

For instance, if your neighbor’s garden has a tree that becomes red during autumn, you can borrow its beauty and attractiveness into your landscape.

Doing so will make your outdoor space look more expensive. In this case, avoid blocking the view when fencing.

  1. Go for plants that’ll flourish in your microclimate

Before planting, know the plants that’ll easily flourish in your microclimate. Native plants would be a great choice. Also, consider plants that are thriving in neighboring homes.

Also, remember your garden has unique microclimates of shade and sun. Thus, choose the sites for growing specific plants accordingly.

  1. Know the best dimensions for paths or walkways

You can make a thin path if the available space is tight. However, a wider path will make the garden feel more spacious. A wide path will offer enough space for two or more individuals to walk alongside each other.

You can also make a walkway that widens and narrows along the course or one that has some curves for more visual interest.

  1. Plant for the future of a tree

If you’re planting trees, factor the shape and size they’ll have upon maturity. The last thing you’d want is hacking tree branches because they’re too large for the location.

Allow trees to have enough space for growing as wide and high as they want.

  1. Choose the patio location depending on how you’ll use it

Are you planning to create a patio for outdoor dining? If that’s the case, ensure it is conveniently located near the kitchen.

If you want the patio to be a private space for reading a book or any other secluded function, then ensure the patio is set at a private edge of your garden. You can add an edge around the patio to make it more private.