o_19q6en1ok1jkursaa4iubb1fsga.pdf

GARDENING
How does your garden grow?
Your garden can be what you want it to be. Understand what
you have, get inspired then let your imagination take over
When faced with a blank piece of
paper and told to draw something,
quite a few people feel lost as to what to
do. The same can happen when trying
to plan your garden. So much space,
so much nothingness - what do you do
with it?
To turn a parcel of land into a
garden to be proud of needs practical
application and an understanding of
what lies beneath the surface. At this
stage it’s important to remember that
most problems can be overcome, but
some basic research is necessary.
Read on and enjoy the great outdoors.
PLANNING TIPS
The garden’s aspect - Is your garden
north/south/east/west facing? This will
affect the type of plants you can grow
and which areas of the garden receive
sun and at what times of day.
Soil type - Is it heavy, light, dry, wet,
acidic, neutral, or alkaline? Again, this
affects the type of plants you can grow
and what soil modifications you may
need for your chosen plans.
Plant exposure - Is it exposed to wind,
frost, or sheltered? This can affect the
type of plants you can grow and how
well your plants flourish.
Soil drainage - Do you have areas of
standing water, or is it dry? Unless you
want a bog garden, you may need to
condition the soil to help excess water
drain away.
Topography - Is your garden level or
sloping, and to what extent? If it slopes,
are you happy with it? Think about
whether you want to level it off.
Back to basics
Having offered you carte blanche with
your garden, there are elements that
are common to all styles - they are the
skeleton on which you build you dream
design.
The key components are:
Pathways - to link up areas of
the garden, and provide safe and
dry access.
Storage - a shed to store garden tools,
lawnmowers and other equipment.
Compost heap - to discard your
organic waste and provide a free source
of nutrient-rich compost.
Outdoor electricity supply - properly
installed so electrical equipment can be
used safely.
Water supply - for easy access to water
for hoses and watering.
Body & Soil
Do you want fruit, vegetables, flowers,
or all three? You can start small as
you can expand later. Do a soil test
to determine the pH level of your soil
and what nutrients you may need to
add, depending on the plants you
want to grow. Draw a plan of what
you’d like your garden to look like once
its finished. If you want plants that
will come back year after year, plant
perennials. This type of plant lives three
or more years and reappears each
growing season. Examples and calla
lilies; some perennial vegetables are
asparagus, rhubarb and berries.
If you want to see different plants
every year, plant annuals, which
grow for only one season. Annual
vegetables include peas, beans and
spinach; annual flowers are marigolds,
sunflowers and morning glories. >