Today’s video is a look at 5 tips to help you add more impact, structure, style and excitement to your garden – from design to plant ideas and another reason to go the garden centre this spring! I’ve used these to help build my UK jungle style and exotic mediterranean garden project so far plus these are some of the secrets behind the most inspirational and beautiful gardens I’ve been lucky enough to visit and film my YouTube garden tour visits around. Whilst there’s plenty more ways to add drama and beauty to your garden transformation (lighting, water features etc.) for me, a garden is mainly about the design and plants – get those right and everything will come together, giving you an outdoor space that you actually want to enjoy and appreciate looking at all the way through the seasons, not just in summer.
The Secret Garden of Louth Spring Tour – START HERE! : https://youtu.be/0_cOa-MWayQ
Mark’s UK Tropical Style / Tiki Garden Summer Tour: https://youtu.be/30vq5UNtdSg
Stunning Exotics and Beautiful Planting at Pan Global Plants with Nick Macer: https://youtu.be/NrPo6Cdedqg
Georgina’s Jungle Garden – A relaxing space with beautiful and hardy plant ideas: https://youtu.be/uku41EdnIvE
Shane Bilson’s Jungle Stream Garden: https://youtu.be/yrO1xeTbxWE
Fifty Shades of Green Urban Forest Water Garden: https://youtu.be/WctsQMlYQR4
Dr Simon Olpin’s Sheffield Jungle Garden: https://youtu.be/yMVf3FwPMyc
0:00 Intro
0:46 Level up your garden with different heights – sunken patio, raised beds & my fire pit project
4:40 Prioritise exciting evergreen plants – don’t forget these if you’re planting a new garden this spring / summer!
9:09 Go BIG on a garden theme or style, create an exciting garden with impact through simplicity, design & colour
12:37 Use focal points – specimen plants, decorative pots, statues or maybe an arch to draw your eye through your garden
15:19 Add seasonal interest – visit your local garden centre throughout the year for a more exciting garden in every season!
16:54 Summary – design, plant and build a more exciting garden with these tips this year!
18:01 Bonus tip – start a garden project this spring and get out there – a DIY wildlife pond, summer pot display, patio, a new raised bed?!
If you’ve got something from my videos and would like to say thanks for the price of a coffee then please head over to my Ko-fi. Any kind donations would be appreciated (even £3 is amazing!) and put towards equipment to help me produce more videos around exciting gardens and interesting plants: https://ko-fi.com/georgesjunglegarden
Thanks,
George
20 Comments
Hi George, another great video! Loved that front garden with all the purples. My plan this year is to hold a couple of garden parties at the end of May for my 50th. It's a tiny courtyard and while having planting 'islands' and walkways makes the space feel bigger and more exciting to navigate. I think I am going need to create a central space and have the plants envelop it. Something I am not used to as I don't like plants or furniture around 4 walls so it will for me be about making sure there are those focal points that you spoke of, where I can get them and the use of specimen plants – possibly in specimen pots as features. Great food for thought though! – Rich
George, I haven’t watched your channel for quite a few months now, what struct me watching this video is that your presentation is so very natural now, well done!!!!!!!!
How do you contain your bamboo?
Is there a poly liner within the concrete? I’m trying to wrap my head around how I will plant some of mine as they are runners and some the timber varieties. I’ve done the research but I’m digging deeper for more options. Thanks! Love your garden!
That big olive must have needed a remortgage.
key projects this year are plentyful!: A groundwater well with lines for improved and auto watering, install the stone water element sculpture i got from a friend (focal point!), add border next to raised seating, clean up both ponds, overhaul both shade area plantings and ….herbs & peppers in the greenhouse.
I can’t remember the finish you’re going for on the fire pit are you going to tile finish the walls like they have in a lot of holiday destinations or paint 🎨 them or are you going for the weathered look?
What did you do to combat flooding in the fire pit area I have watched all your videos but was awhile ago & also can’t remember whether you packed with gravel or did something else! It’s starting to look mint anyway!
Is that Geum’s 2:19 orange flowers to the left ?
7:23 do you know what the pinky reddish flowers are to the top left ? Are they a type of Lily ?
Me again 😬 what are the purple flowers here do you know ? 11:46 And great video keep em coming!🫡👌👌👌👌
Great video. Need this inspiration in the Pennines on a grey morning. We really do need evergreens in the UK for backdrops, screening or just something to look at between October and April!
Thanks George for another great video. I haven't seen your channel for a while, but this was just what I needed to really start planning what I want to do this year. I have had some thoughts, but your enthusiasm really makes me feel I should put pen to paper. You have been a real inspiration for my own jungle style garden which I started in 2023. Keep doing what you're doing, and thanks for sharing your great tips. All the best x
Hey George. Well you've done it again!! Another fabulous film. Full of great ideas and so inspiring for new and seasoned gardeners. We will be watching avidly as you progress through your garden ideas and plans. It will look stunning that's for sure. Thank you for the mention too. 😉 It's so important to try your best and just be in the garden in the winter isn't it? Even if it's just for a few minutes to take in what is happening, plant wise and nature wise too. We take great pleasure in admiring the form and structure especially the trees. Keep up the good work. 👏👏
Geaore, thank you for this great video. It was nice to see highlights of the gardens you visited last summer. We will be going back to view those gardens again.
Heya George, Wow, now that was a really interesting video, and extremely helpful… I really have to hand it to you, you are so knowledgeable, thanks to all of your experience in gardening.. This has helped me tremendously… esp for this year, as am taking a HUGE leap, not just a small step, into the world of hardy tropical gardening… I have developed a new appreciation for those arid climate plants, because I am from southern California, and so many of those plants were the ones we saw so commonly, that I never really appreciated them til just recently.. Our climate here in France is definitely different from San Diego, I have to say.. But, my dream of having a tropical garden, living here in a wooded area, is a dream come true! Rambling on again.. Thanks for all your great tips all the useful videos.. Cheers….
great video! all great tips , i Certainly know what you mean about projects haha, ive got too many on the go, still working on my natural swimming pond and other raised beds haha. always good to get back to basics with the tips though! im a huge fan of evergreen plants and planting a few of various eventual heights to keep a full border, still got loads more planting to do lol
Tanqyu George, 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Used to be a massive fan. Was really inspired by you in years past but my garden is ruined by marestail. Now i don't watch your videos because it depresses me. Glad you got the pit sorted
I love watching your channel. It has really given me ideas for my garden and my own gardening youtube channel Thank you 😊
I'm excited right now as I can see my Snowdrops coming through, I have a few projects I want to accomplish but my budget isn't friendly this year, so I am going to try and prepare for the bigger picture