How To Add Height To Garden For Elevated Design
A well-designed garden isn’t just about what you plant, but how you plant it. The presentation of garden decor, which includes everything from plants, flowers and lighting, can make or break your outdoor space and is essential if you want to create a garden you can be proud of.
At Creative Gardens & Driveways, we have been helping customers across Cheshire and the surrounding areas make the most of their gardens for over two decades. We are a leading name in landscapes and are using our expertise to help you elevate garden design with height.
In this post, we are sharing our best tips to add height to gardens so you can evelvate your farden design and experience a better layout.
Add Height To Gardens: Our Best Tips
Incorporating height into your garden design is one of the most effective ways to create a dynamic and visually appealing space.
These are some of the best ways you can add height to garden areas to elevate your garden design, and incorporating vertical elements:
1) Raised Flower Beds
Raised flower beds and planting areas will elevate garden design by adding height and interest, while also being a practical solution for those who want to experiment with planting.
Raised beds are an ideal tool for flower beds or even vegetable plots, allowing you to add some greenery to the space based on your interests and skills. As the plants are in a container, you do not have to sacrifice valuable floor space, making this a great design feature for landscapes of all sizes.
Having containers and raised beds also allows you to maintain a neat, organised garden that still incorporates colour, scent and texture. Plants can be layered inside the raised beds to elevate garden design further, and the structure can be made using materials to match your existing property.
For more inspiration on planting and what can successfully be incorporated into your garden design, see our Seasonal Gardening Calendar for Homeowners: What To Plant, Prune And Prepare Throughout The Year.
2) Trees And Tall Shrubs
Strategically placed trees and shrubs can be an excellent way to elevate garden design and add height to the area, no matter the size of your garden. This particular tip requires careful planning to ensure that the trees and shrubs will complement your landscape even when they reach full height.
Trees and shrubs are a wonderful addition to outdoor spaces, as they look great and offer seasonal interest – providing shade in summer and rich hues in autumn. Planting tall species around the boundaries of your property not only contributes to your garden design but can also enhance privacy in your garden, as we explore in our post Top Tips For Creating A Secluded Garden
Many options for trees and shrubs can be used to add height to the garden and elevate garden design, including:
- Japanese Maple: With its graceful structure and beautiful foliage, this is one of the best trees to add height to gardens, as it provides year-round appeal
- Bay Trees: These trees are perfect for pots, adding some greenery near entrances or around patios, even in the smallest outdoor spaces.
- Holly or Boxwood Hedges: A staple for traditional garden design, these evergreen shrubs offer year-round greenery and can double as natural screens or windbreaks to protect your outdoor space.
- Silver Birch: This elegant tree is certain to elevate garden design with its slender trunk and unique colours.
3) Rockeries
Rockeries are perhaps one of the most overlooked ways to add height to gardens because they are so simple. Despite, or perhaps because of this simplicity, rockeries can be highly effective in adding height to gardens and are a uniquely beautiful way to enhance flower beds or water features, such as small ponds.
Simply stack different sizes of rocks, making sure they are compacted well with soil. Flowers and succulents can also be incorporated into the rockery to add more visual interest to the area.
For more ideas regarding landscape gardening and simple upgrades, see our post Landscape Gardening Ideas.
4) Vertical Features
Vertical features are an obvious but highly effective way to add height to gardens and elevate garden design. These vertical features will incorporate depth into the garden.
Whether functional or purely decorative, there are many vertical features you can consider adding to your outdoor space based on the size, layout and style, such as:
- Arches and Pergolas: These structures can be training climbing plants to go around and over them, such as climbing roses, clematis, or wisteria, and will become a focal point within your garden design. These are staples for outdoor living spaces in all weather conditions, as we explore in our post How to Create a Cosy Outdoor Space This Winter, as they add shade, shelter and comfort as well as height to gardens.
- Trellises: Added to your fence or existing structures such as pergolas or garden sheds, you can elevate garden design by incorporating climbing plants like sweet peas, ivy, or honeysuckle into trellises.
- Garden Screens: Garden screens made of wood, metal, or latticework not only create an elegant backdrop to your planting but can also increase privacy when dealing with overlooking neighbours.
- Water Features: A tall fountain or cascading wall-mounted water feature can elevate your garden design with luxury, elegance and a calming ambience. These not only add height to garden, but are also a wonderful focal point in your garden design, as we explore in our post The Art of Focal Points: How To Make Your Garden Stand Out.
5) Garden Lighting
While outdoor lighting is a great functional tool, it can also be highly decorative. Ideal for ambience, comfort, and accessibility, lighting can also add height to gardens by playing with light and shade.
You can create a dramatic scene in your garden when the sun goes down with strategically placed lights, such as uplights against trees or garden structures. These will cast long shadows when the sun goes down, making your garden seem taller.
Fairy and twinkle lights are another popular option for landscape design and can also help elevate your outdoor space. Draping fairy lights over pergolas, arches, or fences creates a whimsical landscape while also offering height in the dark.
For more inspiration regarding garden lighting, see our post How to Illuminate Your Cheshire Garden: Outdoor Lighting Tips.
The Perks Of Elevated Garden Design: Why You Should Add Height To Gardens
Height can play a crucial role in garden design and is a wonderful tool to make your outdoor space truly magnificent. By incorporating the features we have recommended, such as tall shrubs and garden lighting, you can add height to gardens and elevate garden design for an outdoor space that truly wows.
Vertical elements draw the eyes upwards, adding dimension and structure to the garden, which may otherwise appear flat and basic. Vertical elements also allow you to experiment more with the outdoor decor, no matter the size of your garden, as you do not need much ground space to incorporate tall features like this.
Using a mixture of varying heights can create balance and ensure you have a cohesive garden design. This allows you to enjoy a harmonious landscape and ensures there is always something to enjoy, no matter the weather.
Conclusion
Adding height to your garden is one of the most effective ways to create visual interest, structure, and a sense of depth. Whether you use raised beds, tall shrubs, trees, pergolas, or carefully designed vertical features, thoughtful planning ensures your garden feels layered, dynamic, and inviting.
By combining different heights and textures while considering balance and sightlines, you can transform even a small or flat space into a vibrant, multi-dimensional garden.
As a leading landscaping company, Creative Gardens & Driveways offers professional services in landscaping, garden design, planting, and paving to bring your dream outdoor space to life. We can help you add height to gardens, create secluded outdoor havens, or design something truly bespoke to align with your home, lifestyle, and budget.
Contact Us Today
If you are looking to transform your garden, whether this is starting from scratch or smaller renovations, Creative Gardens & Driveways is here to help. We offer a range of services, and our expertise can help to elevate garden design, no matter your requirements.
Contact the team today to learn more or to get started.
FAQs
What are the easiest ways to add height to a small garden?
For smaller gardens, raised planters, trellises with climbing plants, and container-grown trees or shrubs are the most practical ways to add height without taking up too much space. Vertical features help create the illusion of depth while keeping the garden functional and open.
Which plants are best for adding height in a garden?
Tall shrubs, ornamental grasses, columnar trees, and climbing plants such as clematis or wisteria are all excellent choices. Consider the garden’s light, soil type, and your climate to select plants that will thrive and maintain interest year-round.
Can garden structures like pergolas or arches really make a difference?
Absolutely. Pergolas, arches, and trellises not only add vertical dimension but also create focal points, support climbing plants, and provide areas of shade or seating. These structures help define the space and make the garden feel more layered and inviting.
