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Focal point off centre.

dustycornerdustycorner Posts: 7
in Problem solving
Moved house nearly 2 yrs ago and with must sweat, blood and blisters I have nearly got it how I want it. The  previous owners put a gate at the top of the bank in the hedge.The gate is central to the garden but the stone steps they subsequently added are not but viewed from the house appear central. It bugs me that the focal point is not straight up the steps to the gate. The family think I'm silly for letting it annoy me. Any tips or do I move the gate (with costs involved) 2 foot to the left. Yes the hedge pruning is ongoing! 
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  • cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
    I like it, personally. I think it moves your eyes around the garden and takes you on a bit of a journey behind the planting, rather than everything being so perfect symmetrical.

    If the gate were perfectly aligned with the steps it would just take your eyes straight up to it I feel. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,114
    Exactly, and that would shorten the garden and stop you seeing the rest.   Leave well alone.  It looks good.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • dustycornerdustycorner Posts: 7
    Thank you for your comments. I don't think I'll tell the family that they are justified in their views. I'll just keep quiet and enjoy my garden.
  • dustycornerdustycorner Posts: 7
    Cheers, the olders always think they are right. Gets a bit annoying, when they are proved correct😁
  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 613
    Maybe move it a bit further to the right then :p it is annoyingly close to central alignment. Ideally it might be largely out of sight and a little bit hidden by vegetation even.

    Or leave well enough alone :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,768
    Perhaps make the path above the steps turn more to the left to emphasize that diagonal before it turns to the right on the other diagonal ? 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • dustycornerdustycorner Posts: 7
    Thank you for your replies, I think I am now back to wondering which is best. I guess if I was clever with Photoshop I could see what it would look like without moving anything. A job for tomorrow perhaps. 
  • dustycornerdustycorner Posts: 7
    Thanks Hazel I do like things symmetrical. Hence the 2 pots on the steps. My eye is continuously drawn to this area of the garden. I do most jobs myself but moving a gate is not in my skills set. This is why I went looking for options other than that of my parents. Before committing to moving the gate, in case someone had a really easy affordable fix.
  • dustycornerdustycorner Posts: 7
    Has gone through my mind. Dog does silly things going up the steps so blocking them was a thought at one time. When I first moved in I was going to remove the gate and grow the hedge across. Recently I have had to cut the willows at the back of the bank, still to do the left side. So the gate access is needed. I don't want the dog over the back as sheep are often in the field behind.
  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,550
    Hazel-1 said:
    DC, sorry, I hadn’t meant to put the fence at the top of the steps (as I can see you would need the access up there, ) but rather right in front of the hedge at the back, to create a false gate to be more pleasing to the eye. 😁 Or how about putting a pot of plants or a garden ornament in front of the hedge to disguise the gate being off centre? Maybe the eye would go up and see the pot first instead of the fence?
    I was just thinking the same as Hazel.  Create a new focal point which is central. I thought maybe same pot as what your lovely agapanthus is in but larger. I would mirror what ever you have planted in the smaller pots. Ie blue agapanthus and I think white agapanthus which you have in the other pot?

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