How to Create an English-Style Garden

Formal English gardens have been around for centuries and often include signature details such as straight lines, organized flower beds and a place to sit and enjoy it all. Whether big or small, installing an English garden will require a little bit of planning and a little bit of a green thumb to do it right. Learn how to create an English-style garden in this Lowe’s video:

Creating your own English garden is a project tht requires time and effort, but it will pay off with hours of outdoor enjoyment in an inviting garden retreat.

Before starting any project outdoors that requires digging, call 811 to have underground utilities marked so you can plan around them.

Planning and Design

English gardens tend to have a lot of sun-friendly plants, so you’ll want to pick a place that gets a lot of sun exposure. full sun is 6-8 hours per day.

When drawing your plan, use straight lines and symmetry to guide your design. English gardens typically feature boxy manicured hedges; however, you can get the same look with less maintenance with raised garden beds. Installing a picket fence around the perimeter keeps the area defined.

Another signature feature of English gardens is a focal point, either a water feature like a fountain or a sitting area like a garden bench. You can add two ornamental trees to flank the bench or install an arbor and a climbing plant like ivy. English gardens are designed to be a space that you walk through and spend time in, so consider adding a garden path. You can use crushed stone or grass (you’ll need to mow it).

Prep

Once you have your plan, you can measure and prep the area. Mark off the entire area using stakes and string. At the far corners, using batter boards make it easier to square up the layout. Use the 3-4-5 method – measure three feet along one string, four feet along an adjacent string and adjust them until the diagonal equals five feet – then mark the corners with the stake. Use landscape spray paint or stakes and string again to map out your boxes and walkways.

Installing the Paver Base

Now it’s time to dig up some dirt; you may want to call a landscaper if your garden is large. Dig down about 4-5 inches to accommodate the paver base. A landscaper can use some of the removed soil to help level out any low spots. With the dirt removed, it’s a good time to run any utilities such as electrical or plumbing for irrigation. You can always do this later, but you’ll need to remove some paver base to bury the lines. With the utilities installed, tamp the soil to create a firm surface. You can use a hand tamper or a rented plate compactor.

Cover the area with landscape fabric to help block weeds, then cover the entire area with paver base to create a solid foundation about two inches thick. Spread it out, wet it and tamp it down. Try to get the area as level as possible. A rotary level can be a big help; just follow the directions and work it around the area. Leave the base about a foot away from the perimeter if you’ll be installing a fence.

Installing the Raised Beds

After the paver base has been installed, reset any necessary strings to line up the raised beds. In the scenario in this video, a screw was attached to the deck and the 3-4-5 method was used to square up the corners. The width of the walkway was measured out from the deck, and another string was set to keep the bed straight.

Install raised beds using retaining wall blocks. Raised beds are great because you can fill them with soil that’s probably going to be better for the plants than what’s already in the ground. Set the blocks on the paver base, check them for level, and tap down if needed. Once a few blocks are level, adjust the strings to the top of the blocks and check it with a line level. Continue laying the blocks to form the shape of the bed. For the second course, stagger the joints and dry lay the blocks.

If you need to make a cut, mark the block on all sides. Cut part way through on all sides using an angle grinder with a concrete blade and finish the cut using a hammer and chisel. Alternatively, a rutted wet saw can cut through the blocks fast. Mark the top of the block, line up the blade, start the saw and make the cut. It works like a radial arm saw. Use a hammer to distress the cut edges.
When the second course looks good, remove the stones a few at a time to apply concrete adhesive underneath. Continue installing additional courses (in this video, the blocks were four inches high, so four courses were installed). Build the other beds the same way.

Fill the beds using a mixture of top soil and compost. If the top soil you took out of the space earlier is still in good shape, you can re-use it with some compost and potting mix; if not, you can buy it in the bag. You want a ratio of 60% topsoil to 30% compost to 10% potting mix, or whatever the soil instructions recommend. You can alo use a mix specifically designed for raised beds. If you plan on having deep-rooted plants, remove some of the paver base inside the bed. Then just fill up the bed.

Installing a Fence

Installing a fence helps to define the garden area. In this video, a wood picket fence was selected; it comes in 8-ft sections and attached to posts. For the posts, mark the layout, then dig the holes. Insert the posts, anchor with concrete and let set. After a few hours when the posts are secured, fill in the perimeter with paver base.

When attaching the fence panels, they should be a couple of inches above the yard, and they should also be even. Find the high point in the yard, make a mark, and then use a string and a line level to get a straight line aounr the entire perimeter. If you have any low spots, you can just fill them in with soil. Install landscape edging before attaching the fence, then attach the fence using exterior screws. Make sure the bottom is a few inches above the ground and the joints line up over the posts. You might have to remove some of the pickets to cut the posts. Cut close to the top of the fence with a saw.

Finally, add a gate. In this video, some shorter sections of fencing were cut down and a diagonal brace added to create a gate. Secure the hinges, and then secure the gate to the post. Check the swing, then attach the latch.

Walkways

The walkways in this vide are four feet wide, but typically three feet is a good size that will not overtake the space. In most cases, The pathway butts up against the raised beds, but where it doesn’t, add landscape edging.

Use gravel for the walkways.Gravel that’s 1/4 inch in diameter will help with weed control and will be more comfortable to walk on. With the paver base down, place a layer or gravel about 2-3 inches thick. Rake it, lightly wet it, then tamp it down.

Plants

Now it’s time to add colorful plants. Place them where you wnat them to go. Work taller plants toward the center of the beds and work low-lying plants to the front or closest to the walkways. Plan for plant growth as well; every plant you choose should have information for size and spacing listed on the pot or tag. These tags will also tell you how big to make the holes for planting.

Most English garden friendly plants are meant to fill in over time; however, with new plantings, you’ll want to spread mulch over the soil to help lock in moisture and nutrients. Mulch that’s heavily ground will look and perform best. Keep the mulch layer thin too (only about 1-2 inches). After adding the mulch, water and keep watering every day until the plants are established.

You may want to consider setting up drip irrigation hoses to keep your plants moist but not too wet. You don’t want to bury the tips because they can get clogged. On the other hand, you can use a soaker hose just below the surface. For either system, use a timer to make watering even easier.

One of the most signature plants in an English garden is the rose bush. Rose bushes add color and fragrance so you’ll want to include them. You’ll also want to consider other flowers and varying heights. Daisies, lavender, and poppies are popular choices. You can also add herbs like rosemary and basil for color, variety and great aroma. Ornamental shrubs like boxwoods in different varieties add green all year round.

Decor

Add some personal touches like a garden bench and water fountain.