Seeds of design:

Following a trip to the Design Museum Denmark in Copenhagen, Katrina produced a circular garden design based on the spherical bed by furniture designer Kaare Klint.

Seed of inspiration

Kaare Klint spherical bed. Photograph: Designmuseum Danmark

The bed is a rare and refined exhibit. The edges of the ends and sides are cut to follow the surface of an imaginary sphere with a diameter corresponding to the height of an average man. Mathematically, the bed is a work of genius. Every single one of its dimensions and proportions corresponds to the human body, made from Cuban mahogany by the master cabinet maker Rad Rasmussen. It was designed for the Cabinetmakers Guild Exhibition in 1938. I love the wonderful stylised design and the wire sphere positioned to hold it.

The garden design bud

Circular bed garden design

Strong bold shapes fill this plot. Two hardwood decked areas on opposite diagonals allow for a dining as well as the seating area. Mathematically engineered to form the arc of a circle, they fill the space to the edge of the lawn. Sandstone sets edge the lawn to define it further. Centrally, a spherical specimen shrub such as box tree further reinforces the circular nature of the whole design. Mixed planting adds depth and texture to the garden.

Other influences bloom

Circular garden design mood board

Taking inspiration from nature, plants with very defined spherical shapes would be perfect for this garden. Viburnums, hydrangeas and alliums are all excellent choices. From art, I looked at the works of Wassily Kandinsky and Anish Kapoor. Coracle boats are perfect examples of spherical balance, whilst decking jetties, used in the most appropriate way, remind me of the lustrous mahogany used in the construction of the spherical bed.