Formal or Informal...?

Hi everyone. It seems a lot of people on DG really value the informal (somewhat wild or natural) look of plantings. Wondering which you prefer? I loved the less formal look of the roadside screen Equilibrium showed on the Living Screens forum:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/578919/

But I think I lean more towards the formal look, and thus LOVE boxwoods and symetrically planted trees. I am not as particular about flowers since I am still experimenting with varieties.

Just hoping to get some more viewpoints on this, and perhaps pictures of your more established formal or informal landscapes!

I think the informal look is gaining popularity because of the increasing population, spreading suburbs, decreasing countryside, and peoples desire for more privacy. Its not that easy to just move to the country anymore. In some places there is not a whole lot of countryside left, so why not bring it to where you already are. A lot of people with increasing work schedules are getting tired of "keeping up with the Jones" and trying to have the best looking lawn in the neighborhood. That's just my opinion.

Although I appreciate the less formal designs, I prefer the symmetry of more formal designs. English Knot Gardens being at the forefront of desirability for me but interestingly enough, the Italian and Japanese formal gardens have their own distinct appeal. This is really a tough question because it comes down to personal tastes.

I guess you all know by now that I have lived most of my adult life way away in the country. At least 30 yrs with grocery stores in excess of 30+ miles. I see alot of natural settings and never tire of them. Those few years I was citified I saw and appreciated the formal look, but how, in truth, could i bring it into this setting,,, So I moved a lot of the smaller native plants and trees close to the house and when they start to get to large I either move or (close your eyes here) cut them down and replace them with another baby. In the 7 yrs we have been here, the house has "grown into" the forest which is just the way we like it.

It varies. With herbaceous plants and shrubs in architectural settings or historic restorations, formal may be fine and appropriate. But with trees, there are several problems.

First, formal design is based upon architectural principles, not natural principles. It's fine to have a row of limestone columns (as long as they are perfectly aligned and spaced) because it displays the skill of the human who created it. But nature seldom works in straight lines, so it looks contrived when trees are planted that way. To me, it implies a sad lack of imagination on the part of the planter.

Second, when one tree dies, you have a perpetual hole in the design. A replacement tree never catches up to the rest, at least for a century or so. To fix it, you have to rip out all the other trees and start over, often decades after the original landscape was built. Dumb, and costly!

Finally, formal designs often use monocultural plant selections. They thus are subject to catastrophic loss from species-specific pathogens, and they lack diversity in color, texture, and phenology. Dumb again, and boring too!

Given the choice, I almost never would opt for a formal design when trees are involved. IMHO, this is one factor that often sets good landscape architects apart from good building architects.

Guy S.

Escam, I can sure appreciate your opinion and your reasons on why people are favoring the informal look more, your ideas really makes sense!

Star, yeah I can agree that it would look odd trying to replace parts of a formal landscape after it's matured.

I guess I am trying to mix the 2. I love the look of trimmed boxwoods but I did try planting 4 of the same tree and all in a row and was disappointed once I could compare it to a neighbor who planted his 5 trees randomly throughout his yard. It made my trees seem boring. Fortunately they were young enough I could tear them out and begin anew. I will also be using different trees, not all the same. But I like to repeat the more formal look in plants as well, coordinating like colors in large groups and not using too many different kinds of flowers. This helps for a novice as I can "grow" into gardening without being overwhelmed! Trees=informal and varied, shrubs=formal, and flowers a nice mix.

I prefer an informal garden, and that is the kind of garden I have, but I still very much appreciate a well done formal garden. I think they are much more difficult to pull off, and to maintain.

Scott

I prefer a combination of the two. Drifts of informal gardens with native plants, spotted with rarities to discover. Closer to functional areas (patio, house, etc) formal plantings kept neat, varied. I only wish I owned a home to garden with. When I do landscape design that's one of the primary questions I try and determine from the client.

Aww growin, I didn't know you didn't have a home to practice at. Please come on down by me any time you want to get creative! Use lots of natives but feel free to express youself anyway you so desire by utilizing a formal or informal design here, I'm easy but totally incapable of pulling off any semblance of a design at my home. I have failed miserably but sure am having a good time at it.

Professionals always welcome here!

I have always wanted to create the best copy of the natural creation around me. To make a formal garden to me is too monotonous. It requires a person who can plan, project, propagate, and prolong the creation by preventing disaster. I am none of these. I prefer to start, restart, plant, replant, select, remove, until the whole garden piece is complete for me and my DW. It then has my signature by its chaos.

Can I grow Albizia? LOL

I always say, "As long as you have fun with it." I think there's lots of "design" experience here at DG. I do, though, believe in scratching it out on a piece of paper or pc.

Um, sure growin. But no guarantees that it will survive. I mean... things have a way of just up and dying around here.

Guy, I can't "plan, project, propagate, and prolong the creation by preventing disaster" which may very well be why I appreciate formal gardens so much. I certainly don't have anything even remotely formal over here but I'd like to have a few formal areas some day when I grow up.

Equil, LOL, you are too funny!!! I guess that's why I like formal so much, I appreciate the extra effort and thought that goes into it and since I'm new to having a house and garden I would have to work hard to create a formal garden. But I loved that pic you posted of the roadside trees with snow. That was beautiful!!!!

Ok you just gave away your deception alamoamiee. Those trees were planted by chaos (I call him God). Nothing formal there. Anyway you don't see the extra effort, and extra thought in me planting with no planning. My wife and I have over 50 transplants in our garden before we can plant anything new. And I have thought and thought and thought how to fix that screw up I made 3 years ago. LOL

Sorry Sofer, I was saying I admire people for being able to plant formally but that I still can appreciate the informal like in the pic Equil posted. Sorry I confused anyone. =0

This message was edited Mar 8, 2006 8:36 PM

I'm just giving you an Al. Al isn't here yet so I thought I pick on you. Sorry. You formal people are what all of we fly by nights look up to.

I thought I would post this picture of my azaleas and camellias that are now blooming. These are on the eastern edge of my front yard. They are over 40 years old. My great grandparents house used to be in the right side of this photo, it was torn down back in the 70's (my house now sits about 80ft further back). I have let the azaleas spread and do their own thing. They make a nice screen. Others might say that they need to be cut back or ripped out but I like the way they look. The little patch in the middle is daffodils that just got finished blooming. It's definitely informal.

I love informal. I love mature rodies, is that a photo already this year? Most beautiful woodland.

Yep, I took it today. It's been warmer than normal this year. My oaks are already leafing out.

Nothing leafing out my way yet. That won't happen for a while. I have been seeing crocus though. That means the daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are next. I'm sort of anxious this year for spring to come. I am hoping I have a successful winter sowing year and I additionally want to see what survived that was planted last year!

Alamo, you get yourself a formal garden and gather up all that experience and then come over here by me. I'll give you a few areas to work on your "technique". Lots of areas over here for practice. It's a veritable gold mine of opportunity! Just think of the educational opportunities.

E-guy, It looks as if you have planted them at least 20' back into the trees. Do you mulch them individually and water them separately? Also what direction are you facing when you are taking this shot? This is quite well done and gives depth into the woods. Ken

Escambia, It's a great time of the year for us in Alabama - flowering fruit trees, dogwoods, redbuds and azaleas; japanese maples and other trees leafing out, daylilies with their new foliage, oakleaf hydrangeas leafing out and a plant that doesn't look all that great after it blooms, but its going great guns now, Kerria, really highlights the azaleas around it with its blazing orange. Lantana is also showing its new growth. I like the informal because my poor eye for landscape design doesn't matter as much. I also am a "stick-em" gardener; if there's a space, I stick a plant in it.:)

You sutherners are scaring me, bless your lil' pea-pickin' hearts. I still have about 80 trees left to B&B out of our nursery before they break dormancy!
Somebody please slow down the spring . . .

Guy S.

Equil, LOL you are sooo sweet!!! I dream of experimenting with plants on a large scale! Might take you up on that offer. But at least I can say now that I have DG I'll never plant anything I don't read about first. Learned my lesson.

Someone mentioned...think another forum....not to prune boxwoods...think it was you Star. Think I may have to follow that. I have a row of small ones along the curve of my corner lot and am just waiting for them to grow up into a nice privacy hedge. I have way more backyard than I do front, so I wanted something to keep the dogs/cats/kids in someday from running into the street.

Those azaleas were planted by my great grandmother long before I was ever born (i'm 27). LOL The azaleas were actually there before the trees. That shot is facing northeast. As the sun sets to the west, the azaleas want to spread towards the light. The only time I trim them is when they are starting too come to close to the driveway. Those are mostly water oaks and black cherries growing over them and the leaves that fall stay there on the ground. The hardest part of this little natural area is getting in there and keeping the privet and honeysuckle out of it.