We get it: not everyone can have an incredibly manicured garden with hedges and statues and all the accouterments of an English manor. Most of us have a small yard that, if we’re lucky, can play host to a flower bed and a garden room at the same time.
But just because you have a simple garden doesn’t mean you can’t make it beautiful. While well-manicured gardens are a sight to behold, a natural-looking garden can give off wonderful fairy-tale vibes that even an English Lord will be jealous of! Here are some ways to give your garden a natural look:
Diversify Your Flora
Variety is the spice of life, and that is true for gardens as well. Have as many different types of plants in your garden as possible. Try to choose shrubbery that’s perfect for your locale: suitable shrubs in Salt Lake City, for example, will be different from the ones in Flagstaff.
Incorporate as many diverse florae into your garden as possible, but make sure that they are symbiotic of each other, which means choosing plants that play well with other plants and won’t leech off each other.
Keep the Flowers Wild but the Surroundings Tame
Wildflowers are beautiful and perfect for a more natural-looking, fairytale-like vibe for any garden, but they can grow, well, wild. Tame the beast by keeping the edges of your garden as neat as possible and have clear delineations between your flower beds and your grass.
Try to choose flowers that are native to your area. Not only does it make it look more seamless with the natural landscape, but it also helps you save on maintenance. Don’t plant sunflowers if you don’t get much sun, for example.
Subtle Ways to Divide Your Lawn
Speaking of delineating your lawn, try to use natural features to divvy up your garden into different “sectors.” Use stones to line the edges of your flower beds, or use grass strips to separate your lawn from your garden and driveway. The potential for this idea is endless, but make sure that you use natural features that blend with the overall vibe of your garden.
Flagstones Are Your Path to Beauty
Dirt paths to and from your garden are okay, but spruce them up by adding flagstones on the way. Not only does this idea give your garden more character, but it also gives you a safer and more secure pathway for when it rains.
Try to choose stones that blend well with your grass. That means selecting stark-colored stones for vibrant gardens and subtler shades of black and gray for more toned-down ones.
Flow Like Water
Water features don’t have to be expensive waterfalls or fountains. If you’re going for a more natural look to your garden, having a simple pond or stream is much more appropriate. That might take some digging, especially if you want flowing water into your property, but the payoff is priceless. It adds a lot of character and can even increase your property value in the future. Just make sure it’s not still water that can attract insects.
With these suggestions in mind, you can increase the aesthetics of your garden without sacrificing its natural state. It may become that area that can become comparable to other, more expensive-looking yards.
