The Hospitable Garden

The golden rule for a private garden's design to be successful is to concentrate on the human element. Designing a garden that is not based on peoples' ability to walk through it to admire its beauty is useless; especially when the garden exists near a house, office or is considered part of a public space. Thus, if one wishes to create a hospitable garden it is essential to find the exact composing elements that can be naturally combined in order to stimulate all of the human senses and blend them harmonically with each other.

When outdoor designers undertake a garden project, they begin by concentrating on the look of the garden both from the inside as well as the outside of a house or office premise. Isolating the unwanted areas, while concentrating on the beautiful panoramic views of a garden, constitute two crucial components of a successful garden design. Finding the balance between plants and the build-in hard elements of a garden, like the outdoor walls of a fence or the stairs that lead to the garden, is considered of immense importance for introducing a relaxing and calm atmosphere. Furthermore, a garden's scents have to be carefully selected as the use of different plants and flowers might not be adequately combined. In order to enjoy a garden, scents have to blend naturally and inhaled by a person with ease. Of course, a good garden has to exclude all those annoying sounds coming from the outside and might interrupt a person's ability to relax and rejuvenate. High trees or a brick wall can effectively reduce the noise coming from the street or that noisy neighbor's house. Touch, or the ability of a person to feel through his hands and feet the garden, is also essential in garden design. Grass and plantation that not only looks great but also feels pleasant when touched can advance a garden's design creating a pleasant space for kids and adults to spend time into. Finally, taste has to be addressed. Fruit trees and plants that produce eatable goods, like strawberry bushes, give to a garden a unique, exciting and hospitable feeling.

A successful hospitable garden has to ensure that all of its spaces are designed for human use. Sitting down to enjoy the clear blue sky, relaxing under the sun or stars, play with kids on Sunday morning, enjoy a meal outdoors with friends, exercise, or do some gardening, are all human scenes that a garden's design has to incorporate. As a result, most garden professionals come up with an architectural design that attempts to cover people's needs and looks coherent and complete, apart from it being efficient and effective for daily use.