When it comes to designing a large country garden, the possibilities are almost endless. With space on your side, you can create a truly unique outdoor environment that blends functionality, beauty, and a sense of place. Whether you’re envisioning sweeping lawns, structured borders, or woodland walks, working with a large garden design company can help transform your land into a space that not only looks spectacular but also works in harmony with your lifestyle.

In this guide, we’ll explore ideas, practical considerations, and resources to help you shape your large country garden into something extraordinary.

1. Understanding the Landscape

Before diving into planting schemes and features, take time to assess the natural character of your land:

Topography: Is your site flat, sloping, or a mix of both? Slopes can create natural opportunities for terracing, water features, or elevated views.
Soil quality: Large gardens often include areas with varying soil types — clay, chalk, or sandy soils — which may need improving before planting. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) offers an excellent soil improvement guide.
Existing features: Mature trees, old walls, or natural watercourses are assets to work with rather than obstacles. Designing around them often yields the most harmonious results.

A professional large garden design company will usually carry out a site survey to map out opportunities and constraints, ensuring every decision respects the land’s character.

2. Structuring a Large Garden

One of the biggest challenges in large garden design is creating a sense of intimacy while making the most of scale. Here are some structural strategies:

Zoning: Divide the garden into distinct areas — such as a formal lawn, kitchen garden, wildflower meadow, or woodland walk — so the space feels purposeful.
Pathways: Long, sweeping paths create drama and guide the visitor’s journey. Gravel, stone, or mown grass paths are practical options available from suppliers like Travis Perkins and Wickes.
Hedges and screens: Use yew, hornbeam, or pleached trees to create natural “rooms.” For instant impact, companies such as Practicality Brown supply mature hedging and trees.

This layering of spaces adds intrigue and prevents the garden from feeling overwhelming.

3. Planting for Impact

Large gardens offer the chance to be bold with planting:

Borders and beds: Wide herbaceous borders filled with perennials, shrubs, and grasses can soften the scale of lawns and create long-season interest. For inspiration, consider suppliers such as Crocus and Sarah Raven for perennials and bulbs.
Trees and woodland: Planting groups of trees adds structure, attracts wildlife, and frames views. Native species such as oak, beech, and silver birch work beautifully in country settings. The Woodland Trust provides guidance on choosing and planting native trees.
Meadows: Wildflower meadows bring colour and biodiversity. Companies like Emorsgate Seeds specialise in meadow seed mixes for UK soils.

When working with a large garden design company, planting is carefully staged so that borders, lawns, and trees complement one another across the seasons.

4. Adding Water Features

Few elements bring atmosphere to a large garden as effectively as water. Options include:

Lakes or ponds: Perfect for attracting wildlife. Lined ponds can be supplied with pre-formed shells or flexible liners from Bradshaws Direct.
Fountains and rills: A formal fountain at the centre of a lawn or a rill cutting through a terrace adds elegance and sound.
Natural swimming pools: Growing in popularity, these combine ecological planting with a swimming area.

A well-placed water feature becomes a focal point and provides a sense of calm and movement within large garden spaces.

5. Hard Landscaping and Outdoor Living

Large gardens can support substantial hard landscaping, offering areas for entertainment and relaxation:

Patios and terraces: Stone suppliers like London Stone provide a range of natural paving options to create outdoor dining or lounging areas.
Decking: Timber or composite decks work well for raised terraces with views over the garden. Check Arbordeck for materials.
Lighting: Garden lighting brings large spaces to life after dark. Options range from path lights and deck spots to uplighters for trees, widely available at Lights4fun.

Adding pergolas, fire pits, or outdoor kitchens can transform these spaces into year-round entertaining areas.

6. Sustainability in Large Gardens

With scale comes responsibility. Sustainable design should be at the heart of every large garden:

Rainwater harvesting for irrigation
Composting areas to recycle garden waste
Habitat creation through ponds, log piles, and wild areas
Low-maintenance planting schemes to reduce inputs

The RHS Sustainability Hub offers practical tips on eco-friendly gardening.

7. Why Work With a Large Garden Design Company?

While small gardens often lend themselves to DIY approaches, larger landscapes benefit enormously from professional input. A large garden design company can:

Produce detailed masterplans
Manage drainage and irrigation needs
Source mature trees and large quantities of planting
Oversee landscaping contractors and maintenance

This expertise ensures your garden evolves as a coherent, long-term vision rather than piecemeal projects.

Final Thoughts

Designing a large country garden is an exciting opportunity to blend creativity, horticulture, and lifestyle. With careful planning, bold planting, and the right professional support, your garden can become a legacy landscape that enriches your home for generations.

If you’re looking to transform your outdoor space, consider working with a large garden design company to turn your ideas into reality. With the right approach, your country garden can become both a sanctuary and a showpiece.

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