Pebble mosaics

. Pebbles are of course delightful. That is why children instinctively collect them on beaches. They are a feature of classical Chinese gardens. And making them is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon in the garden.

Coloured mosaic tiles in garden design

Mosaic tiles are another way of getting ‘permanent colour’ into a garden design. You can buy sheets of small square tiles but it is better to follow Gaudi’s example and use broken bits of larger tiles. They combine well with broken crockert.

Red is the colour - design is the game

You don’t have to be a Manchester United supporter to appreciate red in gardens. After all, there is a famous Red Border at Hidcote. But, in England, there must be a dozen White Gardens for every Red Garden. Maybe their creators all support the English football team.

Mirrors in garden design

This is not the easiest way of doing it, but mirrors have long had a place in garden design. They introduce light and life – and the effects they produce change with the day and the seasons.

Painted wood in garden design

Here is another way of using coloured paint in garden design. The square-section poles have been painted in different self-colours. The result is funky.

Paint colours in garden design

Coloured paints have been used in garden and outdoor design since the dawn of history. But most modern garden designers have been over-cautious. So we commend the bold swirls of paint in this photograph and also the harmony between the paint colours and the flower and plant colours.

Black garden twine

Please tell us what is your favourite colour for garden twine – ie for tying up plants. We favour black. Most gardeners, judging from what is available in the garden centers, prefer a lurid bright green.

Fluffy hen garden sculpture

. I like to see animals in gardens – but so do foxes. So if you want to keep hens you must either have a cage, a high wall or a nice fluffy model of a hen. Take it from me, the latter choice is the least trouble.

Colourful stone circular garden table

. Gardens need colour and colourful materials provide an anchor for arranging colour compositions with plants. This circular table is made of natural stones which have been fused to make a conglomerate and then sliced-and-polished to make a table. There are few better ways of getting a ’splash of red’ which glows even in the coldest weather.

Wire wild boar sculpture

. Steel wire is very well suited to garden sculpture. If you had it indoors, it would always look much the same, except for getting a little dustier each year. In the garden it keeps changing, with rain, sun, cobwebs and everything else which happens in gardens. And the rusty iron is an excellent foil for a wide range of leaves and flowers.