Planting Ideas for Your New-Build Garden
February 26th, 2025 | Categories
A new-build garden often starts as a blank canvas, whether it’s just bare soil or plain turf. While the initial state might feel uninspiring, it’s actually a fantastic opportunity to design your outdoor space entirely to your preferences. By considering your garden’s unique conditions and carefully planning your planting, you can create a vibrant and personal oasis that brings colour, character, and life to your new home.
Understanding Your Garden’s Characteristics
Before diving straight into planting, take some time to assess your garden’s conditions. These factors will guide your plant choices and ensure your garden will thrive.
- Soil Type: Determine whether your soil is clay, sandy, or loamy and whether it is acidic or alkaline. A simple soil testing kit can help. Check too that there’s no debris such as bricks and other rubble left over by the builders just under the surface.
- Drainage: Check if your garden is prone to waterlogging or if the soil dries out quickly. Improving drainage with organic matter or raised beds might be necessary. Again, areas prone to waterlogging might mean the ground is very compacted or there’s lots of left over building material and waste in the ground.
- Sunlight and Shade: What direction does the garden face? Observe how sunlight moves across the garden. Identify sunny spots and areas in shade to help you pick plants suited to those conditions.
- Privacy and Boundaries: Think about how plants can enhance privacy, soften fences or walls, or define garden zones.
Choosing Your Planting Style
When planning your planting, decide on the overall effect you’d like to achieve. Some key considerations include:
- Grouping and Layers: Combine plants of different heights, textures, and colours for visual interest. Use taller plants at the back of borders and smaller ones at the front. Plant in clusters of 3 or 5 for a more natural, cohesive look.
- Seasonal Colour: Decide whether you want year-round interest or seasonal bursts of colour.
- Wildlife-Friendly Features: Opt for nectar-rich plants, berries, or shrubs that support bees, butterflies, and birds.
Below, we’ve outlined some ideas for different planting styles to inspire you.
Traditional Elegance for New Gardens
For a classic and timeless look, these plants will add charm, structure, and seasonal interest to your garden:
- Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum Jasminoides): This evergreen climber is perfect for covering fences, walls, or even the side of your house. Its fragrant white flowers bring elegance and a sweet scent to your garden.
- Photinia Carre Rouge: A brilliant evergreen hedge or border choice, Photinia’s bright red shoots in spring and autumn create drama while providing year-round cover.
- English Lavender: Ideal for sunny borders or pots, lavender’s fragrant blooms attract pollinators and add a classic cottage-garden feel.
- Hydrangeas: For partially shady spots, hydrangeas offer lush blooms in a variety of colours throughout summer, with added interest in autumn.
- Camellias: These glossy-leaved evergreens bloom in early spring, bringing vibrant colour in shades of pink, red, or white. They’re perfect for borders or pots.
Modern Architectural Drama for Outside Spaces
For a contemporary garden with a bold, structured feel, consider these standout plants:
- Phormiums: These evergreen plants feature striking, sword-like leaves in vibrant colours, making them ideal for borders or pots.
- Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei): Add a tropical vibe with this low-maintenance palm, which has large, fan-like leaves.
- Salix Flamingo: With marbled green leaves tipped with pink and white, this versatile plant can be grown as a shrub or a striking standard tree.
- Tree Fern (Dicksonia Antarctica): Perfect for shady areas, the lush fronds of this plant create a dramatic focal point. While it needs winter protection, its architectural form is worth the effort.
- Hebes: These colourful evergreens are great for sunny spots, offering foliage interest and vibrant summer blooms in pink, white, or purple.
Planting for Year-Round Colour
To enjoy a garden that looks good in every season, aim for a mix of evergreen structure, seasonal flowers, and plants with year-round appeal:
- Spring: Camellias and Photinia Carre Rouge.
- Summer: Hydrangeas, Lavender, and Hebes.
- Autumn: Ornamental grasses and foliage plants like Phormiums.
- Winter: Evergreen shrubs, such as Star Jasmine and Tree Ferns, paired with winter-flowering varieties like hellebores.
Additional Features to Elevate Your Garden
While plants are the stars of your garden, other features can enhance its beauty and functionality:
- Water Features: A small pond, birdbath, or fountain can add movement, sound, and attract wildlife.
- Outdoor Lighting: Highlight pathways, seating areas, and key plants with subtle lighting for a magical evening atmosphere.
- Seating & Living Spaces: Comfortable furniture and accessories like outdoor rugs or fire pits can turn your garden into an extension of your home.
Getting Started and Make it Your Own
Transforming your new-build garden doesn’t have to happen overnight. Start with a plan, consider your garden’s unique characteristics, and take inspiration from planting ideas that resonate with your style. With each plant you add, you’ll create a space that’s uniquely yours, and over time it will burst with colour, character, and life. Quite a difference from that plain garden when you first moved in!
Don’t forget to speak to a member of the Plant Team in-store for any of your planting questions.
