Expert Garden Design Insights for Dubai Residents
Welcome to the Gardens by Design blog, where we share our expertise and personal insights into creating beautiful, climate-appropriate residential gardens tailored to the unique environment of Dubai
The No-Lawn Garden Trend: A Sustainable Solution for the UAE
The No-Lawn Garden: Embracing a New Trend in the UAE’s Hot and Humid Climate
In recent years, the “no-lawn” garden trend has gained significant momentum, especially in regions where water conservation, environmental sustainability, and the harsh realities of climate conditions make traditional lawns impractical. Here in the UAE, where the climate is extremely hot and humid, maintaining a lush green lawn is not only challenging but also unsustainable. As a passionate garden designer with over 16 years of living in the UAE, we wholeheartedly advocate for the transition to no-lawn gardens—an approach that’s not just more practical, but far more beneficial for both your garden and the environment.
Top 8 mistakes to avoid when designing your garden
Designing your own garden can be daunting. Here are 8 common mistakes to avoid.
Mistake number 1.
Not allocating sufficient budget towards renovating your garden. This is a common one. You’ve overspent on the internal renovation and are left with a miniscule budget for the outdoors, and your husbands still not convinced that having the garden designed professionally will add value to the property, and so you’re going to try and do it on the cheap. Top Tip- you’re better off waiting until you recover from the overspend on the house and doing it properly when you can afford it.
Contemporary Gravel Gardens
A gravel garden is an area with a crushed stone surface. You can use gravel on a driveway, to create foot paths, or to mulch around plants in beds and also as a patio surface. Visually, gravel has a soft, three-dimensional surface that’s still uniform. It adds instant texture to any scheme. It becomes an instant backdrop to plants, outdoor BBQ’s, outdoor showers, furniture and other seating areas and sculpture. Against gravel, everything else pops..
7 things you should consider before buying plants at the nursery
I’ve decided to start with this topic as my inaugural blog post, as it’s easily the most common situation I face when a new client contacts me to design their outdoor space.
Clients are usually at their wits end, and have given up on their garden. They tell me that it seems that no matter what plants they buy at the nursery, nothing seems to survive for more than 6-9 months, never mind thrive.