What is a garden theme? Themed garden landscaping is based on a specific concept or idea. If you’re a gardener, you’re probably familiar with theme gardens such as:
Types of theme gardens vary widely, and when it comes to themed garden ideas, you’re limited only by your imagination. Read on to learn more.
Designing Themed Gardens
Coming up with themed garden ideas is the most challenging step involved in creating a themed garden. Once you have settled on an idea, everything else will come naturally.
The easiest way to devise a concept is to think about what you enjoy – like a specialty garden. For example, if you love wildflowers, design a wildflower friendly garden filled with native plants such as coneflower, lupine, penstemon, or bluebells. If you’re a night person, you may love the luminous appearance of white flowers and plants with pale leaves that reflect the moonlight.
A themed garden may be centered around your favorite color (or colors), such as a cool blue garden, or a vibrant garden packed with orange and yellow blooms.
A fairy garden, Sesame Street garden, or cowboy garden are great ideas if you have young children.
If you enjoy the classics, consider an Elizabethan garden in honor of the Bard, with carefully placed benches among green hedges, statues, fountains, or maybe a meandering rock wall. A sunny sunflower garden is an obvious choice for a gardener who loves the paintings of Van Gogh.
Consider your climate when designing themed gardens. If you live in the desert of the American Southwest, you’ll have a difficult time with a tropical garden theme, while a high desert garden is very difficult in the Florida Keys.
The style of your home will also influence your garden theme. A formal, Victorian garden is natural if you live in a stately, old home, but the stark simplicity of a rock garden may be completely out of place.
