Garden Design Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The biggest garden design mistakes are usually simple ones: paths too narrow, borders too thin, no focal point and nothing green in winter. The good news is that each has a straightforward fix. You don’t need a designer or a big budget, just a tape measure and a plan.

This guide works through the faults that make UK gardens feel awkward, and how to put each one right. If you’re starting from scratch, read the guide to garden design principles alongside it.

Paths too narrow to walk side by side

Narrow paths make a garden feel cramped and awkward. They happen because paths are often drawn last, in whatever space is left over.

As a rough guide:

• Main path that people walk together: about 1.2m wide.
• Secondary path for one person: about 90cm.
• Service route to a shed or bins: can be a little narrower, but must fit a wheelbarrow.

A quick test: push a loaded wheelbarrow along it. If it scrapes the plants, the path is too narrow. Remember that plants spill over edges as they grow, so allow extra. The guide to garden path ideas covers materials and edging.

The narrow path on the left forces single file. The wider gravel route on the right is easy to walk and still leaves room for plants.

Borders too thin to layer plants

Many gardens have a thin strip of planting along the fence, with the lawn taking everything else. A narrow strip holds one row of plants and looks thin.

For layered planting, aim for borders about 1.2-1.5m deep. That gives you room for three tiers:

• Low ground cover at the front.
• Mid-height perennials in the middle.
• Tall shrubs or climbers at the back.

You don’t have to widen every border. Curving one outwards at its deepest point, opposite the patio or kitchen window, gives instant depth where you look most.

Gardener’s tip: Make the deepest part of a border face where you sit most. You read depth from your usual viewpoint, not the far corner.

No focal point to draw the eye

A garden with no focal point feels restless. The eye skips about with nowhere to settle.

A focal point gives the layout a destination. It might be a small tree, a bench, a large pot, a sculpture or a water feature. Place it at the end of a path or main view, often slightly off-centre.

Use one focal point per view. Two or three competing features cancel each other out. A multi-stemmed tree such as a birch works well, as it looks good all year. The guide to garden focal point ideas has plenty more.

Lawn that takes over the whole plot

New-build gardens often come as turf and a fence. Many people keep it that way because changing it feels like a big job.

There’s no right amount of lawn. Ask whether the grass earns its space. If children play on it or a dog runs about, keep it. If it’s just something to mow, shrinking it to make deeper borders or a seating area often transforms the garden.

Give the lawn a clear, simple shape, such as a rectangle, circle or gentle curve. A crisp edge makes even a small lawn look deliberate. If you’d like less mowing, the guide to lawn alternatives covers low-growing options.

Deep borders either side shrink the lawn and give a small garden real depth. The grass becomes a path through the planting.

Nothing to look at in winter

Many people plant for summer. They buy what looks good at the garden centre in June, which is mostly perennials and bedding. By December, the garden is bare soil and fence.

Evergreens, coloured stems and seedheads keep a garden looking planned in January. Put them where you see them from the house.

Add evergreens so the garden keeps its shape from November to March. Good choices include yew, pittosporum, holly, sarcococca, euonymus, hebe and evergreen grasses. Plants with winter bark, berries or seedheads help too.

Put them where you see them from the house in winter, such as near the kitchen window or along the main path. The guide to evergreen shrubs for year-round interest lists options for sun and shade.

Planting singles, pairs and straight rows

Single plants dotted about look like a jumble, with no rhythm. Plants set in pairs and straight lines look stiff in an informal garden.

For a natural look, plant in groups of 3, 5 or 7. Repeat the same plants along a border to tie it together. Pairs and rows still have their place in formal designs, such as matching pots by a door.

Allow room for each plant’s full-grown size. Plants look sparse for a season or two. Fill gaps with annuals while they grow, rather than cramming in more.

Single plants dotted about look busy. Grouping and repeating a few plants, as on the right, looks calm and planned.

Paving at the wrong scale

Paving that is too small for the space can make a patio look fussy. Lots of tiny setts across a big terrace is a common example.

Choose paving for the size of the area, not from a sample in your hand:

• Larger patios usually look calmer in bigger slabs, such as 600mm x 600mm or 600mm x 900mm.
• Small courtyards can take smaller units, which feel more in scale.
• Narrow gardens look wider if rectangular slabs run across the space, not along it.

Good paving needs a good base. A properly compacted sub-base stops slabs rocking and sinking. The guide to laying a patio covers this step by step.

Large slabs on the left look calm and spacious. Small setts on the right make the same area feel busier.

Too many different materials

Five paving types, three fence colours and mixed edging make a garden feel chaotic. It often builds up slowly, as bits are changed over the years.

Keep to two or three hard materials, such as one paving and one gravel, and repeat them through the garden. Choose one colour for fences, trellis and sheds. Repetition is what makes a garden feel calm and planned.

Buying plants before you have a plan

Impulse buying is an easy way to waste money. A car boot of garden centre plants with no plan often means half of them get moved or die.

Ten minutes with a sketch and a tape measure saves money at the garden centre. Plan the shape first, then the plants.

Before you buy, sketch the garden and note:

• Where the sun falls in the morning and evening.
• Where you’ll sit, where the bins and washing go, and where children or pets play.
• What your soil is like, such as clay, sandy or chalky.

Then buy the big plants first: trees, shrubs and evergreens. Fill in with perennials once the structure is in. The guide to writing a planting plan makes this easy.

Skipping soil preparation

Planting into poor, compacted soil means plants survive but never thrive. People often blame the plant when it’s really the ground.

Before planting a new border, clear perennial weeds and dig in plenty of well-rotted compost or manure. Choosing plants that suit your soil saves a lot of trouble.

Quick fixes at a glance

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common garden design mistake?

Paths that are too narrow are one of the most common faults. A main path should be about 1.2m wide so two people can walk side by side. Paths for one person can be about 90cm.

How deep should a garden border be?

Ideally 1.2-1.5m deep if you want layers of planting. That gives room for low plants at the front, medium in the middle and tall at the back. A narrow strip along a fence only holds one row.

How much of a garden should be lawn?

There is no fixed rule, so let the lawn earn its space. If you rarely use the grass, shrinking it to make deeper borders or a seating area often improves the whole garden. Keep a lawn where children play or dogs run.

Why does my garden look unfinished?

Usually because it has no focal point and no winter structure. The eye needs somewhere to rest, such as a tree, bench or pot. Without evergreens, the garden also looks empty from November to March.

Should you plant in odd or even numbers?

Odd numbers such as 3, 5 and 7 look more natural in informal borders. Pairs and rows suit formal designs, such as matching pots by a door. Space each plant for its full-grown size so the group knits together.

What should I do before buying plants for a new garden?

Make a simple plan first. Note where the sun falls, how you’ll use the space and what soil you have. Then buy plants to fit the plan, starting with trees, shrubs and evergreens.

Now you know what to avoid, read the small garden design ideas guide for ways to make the most of your space, or browse more in the garden design section.