Pride Landscape & Design

Not sure what to plant where?

A planting plan for your garden ensures that the garden is packed with colour and interest all year round. Before you know what you want, you need to figure out what you have. Below are a few tips:

  • Draw a map of your garden
  • Locate areas that have full sun and shade
  • Specify the places that are sheltered from wind and where the best soil is
  • Choose what you would like to plant and where

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLANTS

When it comes to flowers, you need to consider where and when they are going to grow. Most gardens have sunny and shaded areas. Prioritise any parts of the garden that get full sun for the flowers that need it an create colourful displays.

CHECK YOUR SOIL

It is important to check what type of soil you have in your garden. Different plants suit different soils. You may need to improve your soil before you start. Check the consistency of the soil, is it sticky and muddy, or does it fall easily through your fingers? Somewhere between the two consistencies is ideal. This type of soil is often referred to as friable or having a fine tilth which means that young roots will spread easily. If your soil is heavy clay, it will be hard to dig and will need to add plenty of well rotted manure or compost to improve the structure. If your soil is sandy or chalky, you will need to add organic matter to improve fertility. You should also check the pH of your soil. Most plants require a neutral to acid pH of around 6, but some require higher levels of acidity and these are often known as ericaceous plants. It is hard to change the pH of the soil, but can be tweaked by adding acid composts, or creating an acid raised bed or container. The most important thing to remember about soil is to choose plants that will suit the growing conditions in your plot – it’s easier than trying to change the soil.