Home grown

Sense incentives

Think of all the senses when creating a garden. Encourage birds so that you can hear them singing, and don't forget frogs. We have a pool outside our home in which a frog croaks on summer evenings. Think about fragrance - old roses usually have more scent than modern ones and single flowers tend to have more fragrance than double ones.

Fruity accents

Think about texture when planting and include soft fruits, such as raspberries or strawberries, in your garden, even if you don't plan to harvest them.

Grassed up

The popularity of decking runs hand in hand with the trend for grasses as the two work well together. Grasses are widely available in England but it can be quite difficult to get many varieties here. Stipa is easy enough to find, but not others. You'll need to shop around to get certain varieties - try Stams Bamboo Nursery in Waterford or Common Grounds in Cahir. Different grasses have their own characteristics, including fine ones in hazy autumny colours and grasses that grow to 7 ft, making great accent plants.

Decked out

People don't seem to want lawns any more. They are being replaced with decking, gravel and paving, or a combination of materials. If you're installing a deck, don't have the usual balustrades around it but build in seating instead.

Concrete apron

One of the worst obstructions to creating a garden is the concrete "apron", or ledge, around the house which many builders put in as standard. Everything in the garden has to be outside that, yet it softens the house if you can plant right up to the walls (and path, drive and patio). Concrete aprons also mean you can't have the same flooring running from the interior to the exterior of a house, marrying the two. If you already have an apron you can use decking to cover it up. If you get rid of it, make sure the soil is at least six inches below the damp-proof.

Curb that kerb

Concrete kerbing on driveways is often put into new homes as standard yet it takes the personality of the site away with its two bright white lines. Use more subtle timber as an edging or materials that are used in the house, for instance the same stone as on the lintels, or brick - something that ties in the drive, house and landscape - so that they all come together.

Border fever

There's been a big revival in herbaceous perennials. The perception was that they were high maintenance but this stems from the old days of herbaceous borders, which contained many different types of plant with their own requirements. Modern borders contain a select few plants that are easy to maintain. Popular ones are Rudbeckia goldsturm, with its big black centre and orange daisy flowers. These are good autumn plants. Another popular plant is crocosmia which grows well here.

Blocks outside

The most innovative materials now being used in gardens are stainless steel and glass, usually in the form of blocks. Create walls and steps and even pergola-type arrangements with them. These materials really need a modern house to set them off because the style of the garden should in some way reflect the style of house. If you have a Georgian or Victorian house you can use traditional materials in a new way - creating interesting structures and patterns with reclaimed brick and stone.

Fountain heads

With such interest in water features, there is scope for having innovative fountain heads made by an artist, perhaps in cast bronze. Artists are becoming increasingly involved in gardens and it is worth looking beyond the garden centre for ornaments.

Pond life

If you're putting in a pond, you need to employ someone who knows what they're doing as water can be very unforgiving. Water finds its own level and if the top of your pond isn't straight, the water level will highlight this. A lot of people just want the sound of water and don't necessarily want a pool. In this case you can have small areas such as a small trough or a wall fountain.

Environmental gardening

Now there's increased pressure on the environment we need more ecologically friendly gardens. This involves creating compost bins and growing plants that encourage wildlife. Plant single rather than double flowers, as butterflies and bees feed on these. Provide bird tables and places for them to nest, and plant hedgerows rather than fencing.

Lighten up

Lighting is more important now that we entertain out of doors more often, on patios or decking. People often think of outdoor lighting as Victorian-style lamps on poles but subtle uplighting or low-level lighting is far nicer. Most lighting outlets have an outdoor range and, when installing them, you should aim to see the light but not its source, which can be hidden among plants. There's still not a great range of contemporary outdoor lighting in Ireland but it's getting there. Applied Lighting in Drogheda sells some good outdoor lights called Royal Botania.

Patricia Tyrrell has a degree in landscape architecture from UCD and designs gardens for private homes and housing developments

Emma Cullinan is editor of Select magazine