How to design or redesign your garden
Designing a garden from scratch can be a challenge - and it's often difficult to know where to start. Even redesigning an existing garden, a part of the garden or just one flower bed can prove tricky.
That's why we have enlisted the skills of RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden designer Mary Newstead to give you a helping hand. Mary lives in SW London and gardens and designs in London and North Cornwall. Find out more and visit Mary's website
In her first series, a simple guide to garden planning, Mary looks at creating a garden from scratch or re-designing an existing plot.
Her second series, plants and planting schemes, looks more closely at designing with plants and using planting schemes.
Her new series looks in detail at an area that is usually thought to be even more challenging - what to do in a small garden.
A simple guide to garden planning
- Part 1: Introduction
- Part 2: Choosing a style
- Part 3: Doing the design
- Part 4: Materials
- Part 5: The little extras
- Part 6: Plant combinations
Plants and planting schemes
- Part 1: Introduction
- Part 2: Colour
- Part 3: Planting principles
- Part 4: Bark, stems and leaves
- Part 5: Flowers, fruits & leaves again
- Part 6: Grand designs
Garden design for small spaces
- Part 1: Nice things come in small packages
- Part 2: The room outside concept
- Part 3: Getting in the mood
- Part 4: Employing a garden designer
- Part 5: Case studies
RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design
This new book is a must for those who want to learn the basics of garden design or use the principles in their own garden.
View some of the pages of the book, which will help you in your garden design
More garden design information
We have more information on specific aspects of garden design, construction & plant selection - including choosing plants for specific areas or purposes.
View our garden design help & advice profiles
Mary Newstead
Mary is a garden designer from SW London and her courtyard garden Green is a Colour was awarded a Silver Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show.