Part 1: Garden design techniques

3. Narrowing and opening

If an open space narrows down to a path width, then you will be drawn towards the narrow area:

A path surrounding by brightly coloured shrubs, leading towards a set of 4 steps up to a grassy area.

Cut hedges surrounding a path which continues through a green archway into a distant section of garden.

Sissinghurst Garden, for example, is famous for its garden rooms. The rooms are connected by narrow paths, arches and openings to move from one open area to another through a narrow gap and people love to explore through the different areas, intrigued to look through each opening to see what lies beyond.

An aerial view of the castle gardens which are divided into 'rooms' and accessed through doorways in hedging or walling.

Tom Hisgett via Wikimedia / CC BY 2.0

Activity

Do a Google Images or Pinterest search for ‘Sissinghurst Garden’. See how the layout of individual garden rooms draws you through narrow hedge openings from one area to the next, creating intrigue as you go.