Almost everything around us in our everyday lives has been designed to fulfil a purpose, and your garden should be no exception. Whether it's a brand new plot or an established garden, you have the opportunity to plan your garden as you want it to look, to fulfil your and your family's requirements and to work for you as a valuable outside room.

Whether cheerfully chaotic and informal, or elegant and formal, a well-prepared design is usually the result of careful planning. Planning is the key to creating the garden you want - one with a sense of style and unity, balance and proportion, in harmony with its surroundings and, perhaps most important of all, a place for you to relax.

In this section, we will help you identify the elements that go towards making a successful garden and we will lead you through the logical sequence that will allow you to apply the design techniques to your own.