Let’s start at the very beginning..
there is a considerable difference between the mild but windy coastal climes of the South West, the droughtprone South East and colder northern regions which present different challenges and opportunities.
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The aspect of your garden – is it open and sunny or shady and overlooked?
Remember there is no point in battling against prevailing conditions. If it’s too shady for the big flower garden, you can still achieve beauty and interest using the plants that will flourish in partial light. Note where the sun is at different times of the day and various times of the year.
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Soil – this is the most important thing
Understand what type of soil you have and work to improve it. This will be the best garden investment you make. Healthy soil is the basis of a productive garden.
If you can analyse what you have you can understand what you need to do to improve it and what will grow best.
It also means that where you want to grow productive plants such as fruit or flowers, or put on an abundant display of foliage, these areas will need investment in the form of digging in stuff that’s good
organic matter.
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Dare to dream about what you want
Understand the type of garden that you love, that’s appropriate for the conditions you’ve got, and suitable for your circumstances, budget, and time available for maintenance. Is it time to declutter? Sometimes the answers are easier than you expect. If you don’t want a complicated plot, look at the line and shape. Simplify by replacing scalloped borders with one big flowing line. Consider removing finicky features such as rockeries which can be very challenging to maintain once weeds get in. Styles that are complex can be very rewarding but their implementation and maintenance can be hard going.
Cottage gardens, new perennial styles and large collections of pots and containers look great but need a lot of attention and not a little knowledge.
It may be easier to manage simple contemporary ideas that use only a few materials, have strong lines and shape and feature plants that stand out at different times of the year.
In our New Year, New Approach to gardening that I’ll reveal next week, we will take a closer look at the foundation of everything that grows... your garden soil and how to improve it.
Consider removing rockeries which are a challenge if weeds get in