Moving into a brand new house is very exciting, and planning your new garden with the luxury of a blank canvas is undoubtedly an enviable position to be in.
The first thing you should do when planning your garden, is to take your time and get to know your garden. Is it south facing or north facing – knowing where the sun hits the ground will help you to decide what to grow where. This strategy will reduce the risk of error, and save you money and frustration in the long run.
If you are planning to install a greenhouse, it is worth studying the amount of sun your garden receives to ensure its optimum position, but think twice about positioning it in the hottest part of the garden if you have a south facing garden, as your plants may scorch.
It’s a good idea to design the layout of your garden on paper, drawn to scale, adding any large structures first, ie a shed or greenhouse, a bench etc, and then include some trees into your design. Ensure your choice of trees are an appropriate size for your garden, and maybe choose fruit trees so you will have the joy of eating your home grown produce. The addition of trees are not only good for the environment, they also create privacy and absorb noise, and they are a good way to attract birds into the garden.
Once the main structure is in place, incorporate some beds into your design, giving consideration as to whether you want your garden to be fairly low maintenance, or you are aspiring to recreate a Chelsea show garden! Your previous diligence on studying how much sun the garden receives will really pay off when it comes to planning your beds and what plants to use, and planning will also help you use colour and structure wisely. Always check whether your favourite plants are suitable for their new environment, as they will not thrive if they are not. It is good to include a selection of evergreen shrubs for structure, together with perennials and annuals for colour and drama, and this mix will bring something different to the garden all year round. And don’t forget to incorporate climbing plants, ie Roses, Clematis, Honeysuckle, Jasmine etc against your fences, to soften the hard sides and create height at the back of your beds.
Lastly, to create instant impact in your garden, add some planters to your patio, – this can be done straight away. For best results, select different heights of planters to add interest, and choose a mix of shrubs, bedding plants and bulbs, ensuring your shrub choices are suitable for planters. This is also the perfect opportunity to add any acid loving plants you simply must have, ie Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camelias, some Lilies etc, as they are unlikely to thrive in your Tiddington alkaline soil, however in planters with ericaceous compost, they will be very happy. Remember to always use rain water on acid loving plants, and it is less alkaline than tap water. Also don’t forget to add planters to the front of your house to create the wow factor.
If you would like to create instant planter impact, but are unsure where to start, or simply too busy perfecting the inside of your new home, www.joanneharrisfloraldesign.co.uk based in Tiddington, can supply planters for your new garden, and create the ultimate curb appeal, making you the envy of your neighbours!
