If you're a movie fanatic then the thought of designing your garden with the same principles isn't going to come as a real surprise. You understand the lingo, the framework of a good movie and the individual components so using them to put your garden together is going to be a cinch.

The first thing you notice about a movie is that there are only a few stars in each - unless, of course, it's one that seems to have EVERY star making a cameo. The rest of the actors play supporting roles or, if it hasn't been computer generated, they're extras playing bit parts.

It's the same with your garden: there should only be one or two stars, upheld by a few supporting others with mass planting extras to give context. Shouldn't it?

I remember one garden that Monty Don visited in his recent sojourn around the world. The owner, a landscape designer, had a philosophy of viewing nature and then recreating it within his garden designs. This meant that there were only ever 2-3 different trees, 3-4 different perennials and one or two groundcovers for each landscape. These limited choices were then mass planted to great effect and appeared to be naturally inset.

However, it's a far cry for someone who loves plants over design. If you want a landscape that can be planted, grown and then requires only limited maintenance then the "Blockbuster Movie" model is for you. But, if plants are what keeps you gardening then this style of garden design will bore you to death.

I guess its one of the tangibles that keeps gardening interesting. No two gardens are ever the same and what I like in a garden is not necessarily what you like. Just like movies.