Garden Design Tips for July: Creating Visual Interest

July is a vibrant month in the garden, filled with lush growth and abundant blooms. To keep your garden visually interesting during this peak season, strategic design and maintenance are essential. Here are some tips to enhance your garden’s beauty and create captivating visual interest throughout July.

Emphasize Colorful Foliage and Flowers

July offers a wide palette of colors with blooming flowers like roses, daylilies, and coneflowers. Incorporate plants with varied foliage colors and textures to add depth and contrast. Use bold-colored flowers as focal points and plant them amidst greenery to make them stand out.

Layer Your Plantings

Create visual interest by layering different plant heights. Place tall plants like sunflowers or tall grasses at the back of beds, mid-sized plants in the middle, and low-growing ground covers or ornamental grasses in front. This arrangement provides a sense of depth and fullness.

Use Contrasting Textures

Mix plants with different leaf textures—smooth, serrated, or fuzzy—to add tactile interest. Combining spiky plants like agave with soft-leaved hostas creates a dynamic visual effect that catches the eye.

Incorporate Focal Points

Designate focal points such as a decorative sculpture, a water feature, or a standout plant like a peony or a flowering shrub. Focal points draw the eye and give your garden a sense of purpose and structure.

Plan for Continuous Bloom

Ensure your garden has plants that bloom at different times during July. Staggered flowering times maintain ongoing visual interest. Consider including repeat-blooming varieties or plants with long-lasting flowers.

Maintain and Prune Regularly

Regular watering, deadheading, and pruning keep plants healthy and blooming profusely. Remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms and prevent the garden from looking untidy. Healthy, vigorous plants enhance overall visual appeal.

Use Strategic Lighting

Incorporate outdoor lighting to highlight focal points and create ambiance during evening hours. Solar-powered spotlights can illuminate flowering plants or sculptures, adding drama and extending enjoyment of your garden.

Conclusion

By emphasizing color, texture, and structure, you can create a garden that remains visually engaging throughout July. Regular maintenance and thoughtful design choices will ensure your garden is a beautiful and inviting space all summer long.