Bare g

[Thegirlisnotright]

how would you begin to landscape a bare garden surrounded by fields? It only has basic post and rail fencing round it at the moment and other than that is a total blank canvas! Wil be quite windy/exposed

I'd think of shrubs that would deflect the wind and stop weeds encroaching from the field. You could intersperse with small trees. I'd go for a mixture of evergreen and shrubs with all year round interest.

Just realised I should have proof read the title!
Yes, it definitely needs more height as it looks so barren right now! What sort of trees would you think?

I would have a mixed hedge
Hawthorn, sloes, brambles, maybe some beech, all intermingled and cut twice a year.

The rest?
Do you want a bit of a kitchen garden?
Decorative plants?
Low maintenance??

I think you need to decide what you want your garden to do before you can think about plants tbh.

Lawn?
Do you have kids? - Toys? Climbing frame? Play fort? Trampoline?
Do you want to sit in it? - BBQ area? Patio? Consider wind breaks.
Do you want flowers or fruit or both? Cherries and apples are good for both.
Grasses?
Herbaceous border? Gorgeous, but quite labour intensive.

Are you keen on gardening? Wanting to spend regular time looking after it?
Or not?
Are you going to have help to maintain it??

Personally, and it that is an option for you, I'd take some advice from a landscape gardener before you spend lots of money.

Whatever you do, don't plant leighlandii - even the dwarf and slow growing varieties eventually become hard to control

How big is it, OP? Because that would determine what, and how many, trees you plant.

If it was quite a long garden, and it was mine, I'd put three or four apple trees in at the bottom - you get a lovely tree, gorgeous blossom, and apples at the end of it!

Do the fields have animals in - cows, horses etc? If they do, then please stick to native trees and shrubs near the fence, many garden plants can be poisonous to farm animals and horses, as a friend of mine found out to her cost when two of her horses nearly died.

Sounds like you probably have lovely views over the countryside that you'd want to keep. I'd make sure that the trees you plant have a clear stem at the bottom so as not to obstruct the views.

But I agree that you'd need to think what you want the garden to do, how you're going to use it, how much time you'll dedicate to maintenance, your budget etc. If you need any hard landscaping, lights, irrigation etc it's easier to do at the start so I'd think that through as well.

Loads of good ideas- thank you. Definitely no leylandii! No livestock around just now but you never know so I would be careful not to use anything toxic.
Love the idea of a mixed hedge. We have a beech hedge in part of our garden just now but it's very bare looking in winter and I do want year round interest.
Thanks!