Trees and hedges - where should they be planted?

When garden designers are creating planting plans, it is not just a random selection of plants that will enjoy the conditions, there are myriad factors to consider. At a basic level, garden designers will be thinking about soil pH, soil moisture levels, light and shade levels and exposure to the elements. However, from a cosmetic point of view, one of the most intruguing theories is the prospect-refuge concept originally propounded by Jay Appleton in 1975. If you are searching for garden designers in Glasgow, you will hopefully find a knowledgeable designer who is able to really think through your planting - especially your trees and hedges.

So often, plants are a final fleeting consideration in a garden design or for a landscape gardener, but it really is worth investing in a proper planting plan by a qualified garden designer.

The prospect-refuge theory is all about what is going on in our primal brain. The hunter-gatherer inside all of us wants to look out upon landscapes that offer safety and places where we can hide from threats (this is the refuge part), and similarly to look out upon and survey a landscape for potential food sources and potential threats. Modern man still looks out upon landscapes and finds them 'beautiful' or 'soothing' because it is fulfilling these exact requirements.

In garden design, we use this theory to create gardens that make the viewer feel comfortable and happy when looking out upon them. We do not want to look out upon a big open expanse of garden that offers no security (to our hunter-gatherer primal brain). Likewise, a garden design does not want to include lots of oppressive tree and hedge planting that, to the primal brain, could represent a threatening place from which danger could lurk. Trees and hedges are a great example of planting that needs to be in just the right place.

Garden designers and landscape gardeners in Glasgow and beyond will use the right plants in the right places for all the environemental considerations, but also for all these reasons mentioned above, to create sometimes counter-intuitively pleasing gardens and landscapes. It's worth investing in this expertise. Trees and hedges may be used for perimeters but equally they may be planted within a garden to break up views and spaces.

Tom Angel is a fully-qualified garden designer, Chartered Horticulturist and landscape gardener based in the west end of Glasgow. Tom offers garden design and planting plans all over Glasgow, alongide services including tree and hedge planting in Glasgow and garden consultancy services.