Japanese-style gardens allow water features to play a central role, accompanied by carefully pruned shrubs and trees, rocks, exotic plants, pebbles and gravel – all skilfully positioned to create a sense of spiritual wellbeing. The secret to creating an authentic Japanese garden is all about simplicity rather than variety. This means choosing a small selection of plant types and materials to achieve a truly minimalist look.

Coastal gardens are perfect for seaside locations where hardy plants and shrubs are needed to cope with the wind and salt air. Grasses, drought resistant plants, boulders, pebbles and hedges (to create a wind break) are the mainstay of the coastal garden. Interesting focal pieces like driftwood, nautical props and old timbers can finish off the look.

Contemporary gardens feature crisp, clean lines to give clear definition between grass, paving, decking, ponds and planted areas. These gardens are cleverly designed to look minimalist and a mix of materials are often used together such as stone, wood, gravel, pebbles, slate and concrete. Add some discrete but effective lighting and the contemporary garden will beg to be looked at, day or night.

Cottage-style gardens are perfect for older properties but can also be adapted to suit modern homes too. In contrast to the contemporary garden, the cottage-style offers a more relaxed, informal design with an abundance of flowers – planted in the garden, in pots and climbing up a trellis or pergola. Shrubs and flowers need to be carefully selected though and the final scheme will depend on soil type and drainage. Reclaimed and natural materials work best in the cottage garden.

Mediterranean gardens are popular because they can re-create those holiday memories of al fresco dining in an enclosed, lush and colourful setting. Think bright pink bougainvillea, palm trees, grasses, olive trees and herbs. These can be planted in pots and moved into a greenhouse during winter. Patios, pathways and fountains make up the hard landscaping elements of a typical Spanish or Italian garden.

Courtyard gardens are ideal for small areas as they’re designed to make the most of the space available. Modern or traditional stone paving provides a spot for eating, relaxing and entertaining. While thinly planted borders, pots, window boxes and climbers bring space-saving solutions for adding plants and flowers.