Any Garden Is Made at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

There are certain plants that instantly provide a garden with a ready-made theme. If you like the idea of a themed garden, perhaps you should try one of these. The advantage is that you don't actually have to plan very hard—once you've made the initial decision, the plants take over and do the rest for you. THE MOST obvious theme garden, perhaps, is the herb garden. This not only looks lovely—so fresh and green—but it also smells fragrant and is always a delight to sit near or walk through. Most important of all, it also has a practical use, particularly if you are a keen cook as well as gardener. Develop your interest in herbs and extend your collection to include some of the more unusual ones. Like your gardening, your cooking will soon know no limits.

The inclusion of an arresting object within a small garden is an excellent way of detracting the eye from adjacent buildings and into the garden itself. The focal point in this garden is an ornate wrought-iron seat, which leads the eye down the garden. The rather austere rectangular lawn is surrounded by a mass of pretty, shrubby little plants, which together help to soften the overall look of the garden.

Arches and complex arbors are among the nost popular garden features you can build. Fhey can be made in a variety of different styles—very sturdy or more delicate —which should be chosen to complement the overall style and scale of your garden. They may be Durely decorative, such as an archway linking ane part of the garden with another, or they may have a more practical purpose, such as Droviding support for climbing plants. MAny garden is made people like to use their garden as an extension of their family space—but autdoors. This is where it is important to site :arefully chosen pieces of furniture, which >vill provide not only seating but also something pleasant and welcoming to look it. You may like to barbecue in your aackyard and use it as an outdoor kitchen as well as a dining room, in which case the tieady aroma of hot charcoal and grilled food will add greatly to your enjoyment—and that af your visitors—of your garden.