Where to Start When Choosing Garden Materials
At the Ivy & Whyte Studio, one of our favourite stages of the design process is selecting the garden materials for your outdoor space. Choosing the right materials helps give a garden character and creates a space that feels balanced and considered. As many of our gardens celebrate the coast, every material is carefully chosen to complement both the architecture of the home and the surrounding landscape
From natural stone, porcelain, reclaimed wood and gravel, there is an incredible range of materials to choose from. Taking the time to plan your material palette will help create a garden that feels timeless and cohesive, while allowing you to also bring your own personality into the garden.
In Part 1 of this guide, we’ll share our top tips on what to consider before choosing landscape materials and how to bring them together into a cohesive garden design.
TIP 1- Try and Keep to No More Than 3 Garden Materials
It’s easy to get carried away with inspiration on social media, but the best gardens aren’t designed around trends. Instead, choose materials that complement your home’s architecture and the surrounding landscape. As a general rule, try to limit your palette to three main materials. Too many different finishes can make a garden feel busy and disjointed, whereas a restrained selection looks carefully designed and more effective. After all, we want the planting to shine through and become the real focal point..
TIP 2- Consider the Colour and Tone of your Garden Materials
Where possible, always order samples before making a final decision and view them side by side. Looking at materials together is the best way to judge whether their colours and tones complement each other and create a cohesive palette. If you’re choosing natural stone, don’t forget to wet the sample under a tap. Stone can look completely different when it’s wet, so this is a great way to see how it will appear after rain and in different weather conditions.
TIP 3- Consider the Architecture and Exterior Finish of Your Home
Just as you would when designing an interior, take inspiration from the architecture of your home. Consider the age of the property and its existing exterior materials. Is it brick, rendered, timber clad or something else?
Using your home’s architecture as a starting point will help you choose landscape materials that feel connected to the house itself. For example, a brick exterior house would look brilliant partnered with warm-toned materials like clay pavers, golden gravel and oak.
TIP 4 – Think Practicality!
It’s easy to be drawn to lots of different beautiful materials, but don’t forget to think about how they’ll perform in your space, throughout the year. A gravel path will look wonderful, but beneath deciduous trees it is difficult to keep clear once the leaves begin to fall. Porcelain paving is a great low-maintenance option, but if you’re using it in a shaded or damp area, make sure you choose a slip-resistant finish to keep it safe all year round. By thinking about how you’ll use your garden day to day, you can choose materials that are not only beautiful but practical too.
TIP 5- Consider How the Materials will Age and Any Required Maintenance
Some materials will require more maintenance than others, so it’s worth thinking about how they will look over time. Natural timber fencing and decking may need regular oiling or painting to maintain their original colour, whereas composite decking requires very little maintenance but comes with a higher upfront cost. Corten steel develops a beautiful weathered patina, natural stone softens over time, and untreated timber gradually weathers to a beautiful silvery grey but it all comes down to the look that you are trying to achieve. Before making your final decision, consider how much upkeep you’re happy to commit to and whether you’ll enjoy the material’s natural ageing process.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will divulge our favourite materials for luxury garden designs and show how we have used them.
