Gardening as Art and Decor

The creation of a garden can be something very special, not only for those who create and tend the garden, but for those who have the pleasure of seeing it also. Garden design and gardening can be one of the most rewarding of hobbies, even for somebody starting out for the first time with a new garden.

Whether you have a small domestic garden, or are an expert landscape designer working on a clients large estate, the best results will come from starting with a vision and followed with a plan. Putting that plan into place then becomes a labor of love; like an artist at work, and the soil your canvas. A big difference with a garden, though, is that it is a living masterpiece, one that can settle in its basic design, but will always change with each passing day..

Each plant goes through its own life cycle, whether a perennial or annual, and it is the gardener's knowledge that allows him, or her, to weave their selection of flowers, plants, grasses, shrubs and trees into a finished work of art. Except that it is never finished. Unlike an artwork on a canvas, the garden will always demand attention, maintenance and renewal.

The artistic gardener will visualize the end result and know exactly how to achieve it, in a way that brings maximum visual pleasure from every angle. The main attention will be given to key points of viewing, such as from the patio where you spend summer evenings, or the window of the main living area of the home itself. The designer will take into account how views will change through the seasons, and how practical living can be affected by seasons and weather. Paths and patios will be positioned for both practical reasons and visual pleasure.

The artistic gardener will know how best to blend colors naturally in the garden, and how to select and integrate any garden decor into the overall picture. Unlike a painter, though, his work of art becomes three dimensional, as seeds sprout, trees and shrubs grow tall; the canvas grows upwards and never remains flat.

A garden can be a living masterpiece for those who have the vision and take the trouble to make it so. As people passing stop to admire, it can bring happiness and joy to others as well as the family living in its charm. All it needs is the desire and the will, and some of your time. In return, it will bring you not only pleasure to the eye, but a restful place in which you can relax and exercise; gardening is also good for your health