For some reason, many homeowners do not consider using grasses within their front or back gardens. Yet as a garden designer, I almost always use one type of grass within a design as they have so many functions.
Carex Nigra is one of my favourite grasses and I use it a lot within design. The green and black seed heads sit above translucent lime green stems, gently waving in the breeze.
On top of that, it is tolerant of poorly drained soil and exposed sites, so is a really hardy plant as well as being visually quite stunning. As well as providing a great visual structure to a garden design, the grasses make beautiful swooshing noises in the breeze, adding to the sensory qualities of the plant.
Haring across to Halifax
These large scale sculptures in Halifax’s Piece Hall by Sophie Ryder were more stunning than I had expected. When you look at each piece up close, there are random objects – small toys, a pair of scissors, a set of key – embedded beneath the bronze – giving a whole new viewpoint.
Within the garden, large pieces of sculpture can be used to highlight areas and guide the eye to a certain point. if you have a large garden to plan out, it’s worth looking into a piece of garden sculpture to provide focus.
What have I been reading?
What a brilliant article here on design website It’s Nice That, regaling the story of a designer who, inspired by her love of house plants, created a series of new fonts based on plants.
My favourite has to be the ‘Saguaro’, its spikiness mimicking the spines of the cactus.
Read the full article here: www.itsnicethat.com/articles/anna-sing-greenhouse-type-graphic-design-040522
