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Categories: Garden design ideas

Planning a garden ‘in the round’

Using a circle shape in garden design

There’s a pleasing sensation when viewing a circular garden.   A circle transforms a part of your garden into an amazing space if you know a few of the tricks professional garden designers use  Here’s how to put the shape to best use.

 

Herb Circle can be very small and easy to accomplish with 42 pavers

 

Chris Wilson-Wright’s circle garden around a tree

The plants are contained a bit in a circle and it’s fun to find a place to fit a circle into your garden.

How to

All you do is take a short wooden stake and a string. Pound the stake into the center point where you want your Circle.
Then tie a stick or another stake to the loose end.  Pull the string tight and mark on the ground all around the circle.  You may be surprised at the shape!  Fun!

 

Circle motif plan for a veggie garden

Another way is to use a hose to mark out a circle or oval. This one around a tree.  Sections for onions, spinach, leeks and other vegetables are encircled with small crescent-shaped edgers.

 

Circle garden plan to go by…make a wish list of plants

Parterre gardens are wonderful in a circle shape.  Plant low growers that like trimming. Plant both annuals, perennials and low-growing herbs and shrubs, like thyme, germander, boxwood, santolina and colorful flowers like lavender, lamb’s ear and sage.

 

Debbie Fogal’s circle garden set with a center statue

Circle gardens  are well-suited for a centerpiece, a birdbath, statue or brick plant stand.

 

Di-Ellen’s circle garden edged in rock

Edge the circle with natural stone or rock, edger stones, bricks or pavers.

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Garden Gossip’s circle of flowers in a gravel patio

 

Great use of rock edgers around this informal circular flower bed.

Circle-shaped hardscape

Circle motif for a back garden patio

 

Circle of gravel is the base for my sitting area

 

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Toni Visconti created a small circle raised bed for her Black eyed Susans

 

Cindee Wisniewsk’s huge miniature garden

 

More simple circle motifs to use as accents

 

Marilyn Miller edged her circle garden bed with wall block

 

Terry Rarrick ‘Around my garden beds’

 

Thom Ciulla ‎planned a small circle garden near his mixed border, centered with a bird bath

 

Jekka McVicar designed this Modern Apothecary garden

Sue Langley

Sue Langley, a passionate gardener and photographer lives and gardens with her husband and Corgi, Maggie on 7 acres just south of Yosemite, Zone 7 at 3000 feet. She manages the Flea Market Gardening Facebook page and website.

View Comments

  • Marlene Stephenson says:

    Thank you for these beautiful examples of round gardens. I am certainly ready to get outside and start digging in the dirt. I enjoy getting these e-mails as well as Fb.

  • Thanks so much for the post.Really thank you! Great.

  • I am not at all artistic cannot even draw a good stick person. ? But I do have a garden journal. I used a 3 ring binder and plastic page protectors. On a sheet of notebook paper, I tape the tag (and receipt) from the plant. I then write the name at the top and list all the information about the plant, including where it" planted, water, light, & other needs. When to prune and the date. And anything thing else I think I might want to remember. It"s not fancy or even very pretty, but it works well. Oh, I also named my different garden areas to easily identify where I planted things. I have a patio garden, herb garden, pool garden, flower garden, woodland garden and retreat garden.

  • I'm moving my spiral herb garden this spring to a new location and am looking forward to making it
    even better than my 1st attempt. Thanks for the inspiration of how pretty it can be as well as functional.
    I think I'll repeat the circular pattern across the yard in another area as well.

  • Artfido, you are my hero! I keep trying to get that done, but to no avail. That would be a great class you could do, maybe at your local garden group. Great job!

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