Feb 05 2016
5 rules when planning your garden
If you’re planning on growing your own garden, here are a few rules that can help you create a successful garden that will look good all year around.
Planning your foundation plants – These are the small trees and bushes that are planted around your home. Growing a few small plants around your home will create a soft transition from the lawn to the flower beds. When planting your trees, plant them so that they wouldn’t damage your foundation or block your entrance/ windows once they grow.
Trees – Do your research on the type of tree you would like to plant. Consider the tree’s width, height, form, color, suitability to your climate and its water needs. If you like trees that are low maintenance, consider when the tree produces fruit and when it’s leaves fall.
Shrubs – Shrubs are relatively low maintenance plants, compared to flower borders. When choosing a shrub consider the following; berries, bloom time, leaf form, seasonal colour and the plants basic requirements.
Ground covers – Groundcover plants are great to reduce lawn coverage. They also require a lot less maintenance than a lawn. Any plant that spreads, can be used as a ground cover plant. The thicker the plant grows, the less weeding is required. The plant you select should be able to coexist with other plants.
Vines – Vines are a great addition for low maintenance gardens that are relatively small. They provide a lot of colour and can help to hide eyesores that are costly to fix. When choosing a vine, pay attention on how it will attach itself for support. Vines that cling, are permanent and are suitable for brick and stone. Other vines take a long time to grow and some take less than a year to reach 10 feet.