Rules Were Made To Be Broken

Our gardening guru Conrad McCormick shares his advice for growing a garden that’s packed with personality.

Garden design advice is everywhere now. We’re told to plant in threes, stick to one colour palette and choose only what suits your soil and site. That’s all sound advice. It can save you money, time, and some expensive mistakes. But guidance isn’t gospel. Plants haven’t read the rule books, so they don’t always know when they’re planted somewhere that may be deemed unsuitable. I think some of the best gardens work precisely because the gardener read the rules, but tried something different, trusting their own eye and gut. Perhaps planting something that was supposedly too big and bold, a gloriously oversized thing in a tight space where it became the star of the show. Rules are useful when you are learning; they help you avoid stumbling into every pitfall. But follow them too rigidly and a garden can end up looking and feeling safe rather than stylish. Gardens are living spaces, deeply personal ones, and should say something about their owners. So, here’s my case for breaking the rules now and then, with confidence.

Read more in the June issue…