Engleski A - 2020. ljeto, reading 3.

Garden design is like getting dressed. You assemble a style, one that you hope suits you, that flatters and is practical enough for you to live in. It works when it is well edited. You don’t get dressed by putting on every piece of clothing you like. (19)

. Too many gardens and borders are made up of every plant that looks nice in the garden centre. This is rarely successful, particularly if you chose one of everything.

So decide on your style – cottage, modernist, jungle, Italianate, Japanese or whatever. (20)

. I’m not saying that bananas in a cottage garden won’t work, but grouping plants that naturally grow together is a quick way to effortless style.

Above all else, be practical. You cannot swim successfully in a ball gown any more than a sun-loving plant can thrive in shade, or acid-lovers grow in chalk. (21)

. One way to do this is to choose a structural plant that repeats through the garden. Box shrubs, formally pruned or not, repeat-flowering roses or perennials, giant cannas and bananas, tall grasses, even biennials such as angelicas can work. The trick is to choose something that has presence for a large part of the year.
Between these structural elements, weave a palette of colours. Dusky colours suit cottage gardens. Primary colours, on the other hand, suit more tropical schemes. You can even decide to use different plants of the same colour. In very small spaces, this can be dramatic.

Gardens are not merely extensions of the interior. (22)

. Seasons change them and every single season brings its own colours. So you can start spring with acid greens, brilliant yellows and purples.

Then spend midsummer with softer hues, and by late summer, when the light slants and stronger colours are needed, these can fade into burnt oranges, sunset yellows and brilliant reds. (23)

. Sometimes a red starts to bloom a little too early, so there’s often a clash. But try not to bother about these discrepancies because no one takes much notice anyway.

Often the best bits in a garden have little to do with the gardener because they’ve been relaxed enough to let nature take centre stage. Self-seeders are a wonderful example. Poppies, forget-me-nots, tiny violas, wild strawberries, fleabanes and marigolds are just a few that will take themselves where they please and look all the better for it.
Of course, rules are to be broken. (24)

. But do so unapologetically and with flare. After all, your garden is your own canvas. You can be as creative as you like in order to create an atmosphere in which you can relax. The best gardens are those that make people happy and comfortable. Sure, great gardens look good, but they have to feel good, too.