7 Step Garden Design Guide – Step 2

This video looks in depth at ‘Unpacking’ an image and defining what you like.

It covers:

• Breaking down an image into components
• How to describe what you like about the components (looking at physical elements and design elements)
• Changing it up!
• Summarise your findings – creating key criteria to follow during the design process

Part One looked at where you can find images. This video walks you through how to us them effectively.

Unpacking

The key to this process is to repeat it with multiple images. Over time, you will build a good flexible list of criteria for any activity or feature you want to include in your design. It may be slow at first, but you will quickly learn how to unpack any inspiration.

Why do we use this method?

Most people design their gardens in the following way:

1. Find an idea or image they like
2. Pick an area of the garden they think it should go
3. Try to copy and paste that image in that space
4. Repeat with another activity/ feature/ idea or image

They end up with a garden full of individual, separate spaces. There is no connection or relationship between each activity or space. In fact, people often do not get that far. They begin building or developing that one space. It is then too difficult or boring. So, they are left with a collection of half-finished ideas or spaces. After a few years they repeat this process again, tackling each space as an individual project.

We want to do the opposite of this.

Using this unpacking technique, you will develop a list of flexible criteria for each activity, feature or other space. These criteria are critical to your overall design. They:

• Are more flexible than copying and pasting from an image
• Allow you to collect ideas from many different sources of inspiration
• Let you know when you have ‘successfully’ designed an area
• Can adapt to changes in your situation – funds, materials, other expert adjustments

You will tweak and change your criteria for activities or features a few times. Every change is a chance to refine what you want in your design and backyard.