Gardens are so much more than an outdoor space to enjoy the sun. They’re a hub for bringing families together, for friends to meet, a cooking area and a haven away from the stresses of daily life.
Most people find that nothing beats enjoying a glass of wine in the garden after a hard day at work, which is why your outdoor space should be that place you can go when you want to unwind.
If you know how to landscape, then the opportunities an outdoor space presents are endless, but most will only make it as far as adding a few potted plants to their garden.
In this post, we’ll discuss how to enhance your outdoor space by creating garden passageways.
What is a Garden Passageway?
In simple terms, a garden passageway is a link or bridge from your home to the garden. It adds an air of mystique to your outdoor space and can separate the practicality of your house and the beauty of your garden.
Passageways are beneficial because they lead people into the garden area, and when done right, they can be a vital escape. You can create a garden for everyone, regardless of the ages and preferences of your family.
For example, passageways break up each space, so you can have a relaxation area, dining section and lawn area for children to play. So, let’s look at how to design and create a stunning garden passageway.
Look at Your Available Space
Regardless of your garden size, it’s possible to create an inviting passageway. Inviting is the key phrase here, because ultimately what you want to do is lead people from your home to garden by creating a seamless transitional area.
Look at the rooms surrounding your garden and properties you have within the area, such as a shed. By identifying these areas, you can create a garden design that oozes appeal and makes moving from the home to the outdoor space a natural process.
One of the walls outside your home can feature greenery, which creates a flawless transition from home into the green area.
You can do plenty of things, but it’s essential to use your available space and areas without moving too much around. For example, if your garden has lots of trees, you can use them to enhance your passageways rather than see them as obstacles.
Decide on Your Start and Finish Points
Garden passageways aren’t just helpful in creating a pathway from the house to the garden; they can also separate key areas of your outdoor space. A path with potted plants can lead to a dining area, and you can set passageways that lead to play areas for children.
Paths are excellent ways to define passageways because they lead people to a destination. It’s in our nature to follow a path so that they can remove any ambiguity in the design of your garden.
Bring Your Home to the Garden
In most houses, the back door leads to the garden, and there’s often a landing area. It moves people from the patio to the lawn or the central area of your outdoor space, but most landings can often look plain and boring.
When you think of your house, your upstairs landing leads to each bedroom. It’s a practical feature that makes the structure of any home, but your garden landing should combine functional and aesthetic elements to make it stand out.
You can do so much with your landing, including opting for a minimalist approach or creating a green wall to lead people into the garden. Try to combine construction materials from your home to make the landing aesthetic more welcoming.
Get Help From a Landscaping Company
Planning your passageways can be difficult, but it is possible. Some people find they need help from a specialist landscaping company to define areas that can become passageways. A specialist understands how to make each element of your outdoor area work, and sometimes all you need is a design to build upon.
If you’d like to do your gardening but need some help to identify passageways and highlight them, personalised garden plans give you a step-by-step blueprint that you can put into action.
Use Trees & Shrubs
Trees and shrubs are helpful for any garden because they create a seamless transition. For example, you can use trees or shrubs to create a pathway that leads to other garden areas.
Other ideas include using one tree to highlight the move from an eating area to a relaxation area or using trees and shrubs as a wildlife section of your garden, with bird feeders.
Fences & Arches
Fences and arches make excellent transitional points; you can use them to highlight the fact that someone’s moving to another space. For example, placing an archway onto your patio can lead to the grass area without the need for planting shrubs or buying materials to create a pathway.
You can also use large planters to create colourful areas for relaxation, which sets the tone of your garden. Each section of your garden can have its distinct character, making passageways ideal for families with outdoor space that they can utilise.
The Bottom Line
There’s so much you can do with your garden, and passageways provide ample opportunities to section your space off and make bespoke areas for your family. Small additions such as arches, gravel pathways and shrubbery can make a big difference to your garden and make it a multi-functional space.
If you’d like more tips on designing the perfect garden, don’t forget to follow the Floral & Hardy blog. We provide valuable guidance on landscape design, along with posts that show you how to make the most of plant power.
Our latest post features expert tips on how you can use common plants to make your medicines. From simple dandelions and daisies to yarrow and plantain, you’ll learn how to utilise each plant’s healing benefits, saving money on pharmaceutical medications and promoting a holistic lifestyle.
Check out the post here.
