The Garden Of Well-Being
- A Celebrity Garden

Once you learn the rules of garden designing, you can create some interesting effects by bending these rules. For example you can combine what might initially seem like unrelated themes, ideas and even structures… but more about "bending" the rules later…

With some imagination, inspiration and sometimes a little perspiration, you can change your garden into something very special and unique indeed.

One garden that I have designed which has received much media interest is the Uri Geller Garden Of Well-Being.

Designing such a huge project such as this uses various fundamental garden designing principles which can be applied to your own garden's design. It's also worth remembering that you don't have to do everything in one go and you can work in stages as time and costs allow.

When designing your garden it's important that you follow some golden rules that in the long term will save you time and money, while giving you a clear perspective of how your garden's design will progress.

One important first step is to make a list of all the essential things that you have to keep in the design of your garden. Examples might include what might be simple things such as where the washing line will be located, the area for your dustbins, where the shed and storage areas will be and so on. Also make a list of all the things that you want to have in your new garden's design, like a patio for instance, or a new water feature, maybe a herb garden or vegetable beds.

The next important step is to take extensive and accurate measurements of your garden including the existing features which will remain, such as the previously mentioned features. Draw up an outline of your garden along with these features which may include existing trees, pathways and patio areas. It's also worth drawing in the outline of your property with the doors and windows so you can take into account the new view you're going to have of your new garden. By putting your plan onto paper this way, you'll have a clearer vision of what you would like to achieve and at the same time help you avoid costly mistakes.

During your design, also take into account the different aspects of the garden, like where the morning sun starts and where is the sun in the afternoon and evening and also which part of the garden is in deep shade. It's a nice idea to design a seating area in your garden where you can enjoy a morning cup of tea or breakfast during the summer months - a perfect way to start the day in any garden. The same goes for the evening sun aspect, where you can entertain and enjoy your garden during the warm balmy summer evenings.

Once you've drawn up your garden plan to scale, a good idea is to put tracing paper over the top of your garden's plan and then to start sketching over it with your designs and ideas. Remember it's your garden, so give your imagination free rein and try and bend the rules a little. Don't worry if you feel inspired to mix and match themes and ideas. You could find ideas based on different styles of architecture; how about a Mediterranean style, or Roman, Japanese, Egyptian, English Cottage Garden, a Moorish theme?

What about religious influences such as Jewish, Christian, Islamic and others? Perhaps you'd like to integrate other influences such as a child-friendly garden, a safe pet's garden or a garden with accessibility features for people with disabilities?

How about a garden based around astrology or Feng Shui? The possibilities are only limited by your imagination and like I said, don't be afraid to combine ideas to come up with your very own unique design for you garden.

Uri Geller Garden Of Well-Being. - (launched in the media on April 9th and 10th 2003) is one such garden where various influences have been integrated, including Egyptian, Japanese, Chinese. English rose garden… even Stonehenge!

By using various techniques, I was able to integrate these very differing elements by the use of colour, forms, structures, materials, planting, borrowing landscape, scents and even by the use of space itself. Also, if you are a reader of my regular gardening columns, then you'll know that I am interested in how a garden feels, and it is also very important to take this into consideration as well when you are integrating its various differing elements.

The Uri Geller Garden certainly has its own unique feeling and character, as does every garden. This particular garden is said by Feng Shui experts to be situated on an intersection of ley lines and in addition to this it is recorded in the Domesday Book that this garden was once a healing centre.

As with every garden I design, I have to take into account the client's lifestyle. Therefore with the Uri Geller Garden I have had to work with a client who is constantly "on-the-go", can only enjoy his garden when his busy schedule allows, is artistic himself and required something "out of the ordinary" and is often out of the country and therefore doesn't have time to maintain his own garden. At the same time doesn't want other gardeners to maintain it for him - apart from routine tidying. The reason being that the client only trusts me with having the right "connection" with the garden.

The Uri Geller Garden certainly does "bend" (sic) the rules of garden design. Although a town garden may not have as many different themes within it as this one does, believe it or not, an unusual or even eclectic combination such as this can even work in a much smaller town garden. With the right design, planning and appropriate use of techniques, you too can learn how to start designing your garden. So, have fun with learning the basic rules…and then bend them!

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