TOP TIP 1: Know your garden!
Understanding everything about your garden is key to all of the planning - For example: What is the aspect when do certain parts get sun or is in in full shade, is it sheltered/windy, what type of soil clay/sand/loam, is it damp or dry? So many questions but knowing the answering to these will direct what will and won’t work in the garden.
TOP TIP 2: Decide on a style & colour theme
With so many options its hard to choose but by keeping plant varieties to a minimum you can weave key plants through a border its cohesively creates a style and draws the eye together. Buying plants in 3s or 5s will create a theme over buying lots of different plants. Using a colour wheel chart will really help you decide how to choose plants that either harmonise or contrast depending on your preference.
TOP TIP 3: Consider all seasons
We only tend to use our gardens once the weather improves but thinking about where you have windows and view points from the house it is easy to forget mid-winter. By adding evergreen structure - you can create shape, form and texture even in the middle of winter. Using evergreen short hedges to add structure, topiary cubes or balls or even lollipop trees to add height to a border. Thinking about the maturity height and spread of plants helps to decide on where to place them in a border.
Bonus Tip: Check the Height & Spread of your Plants
Bare in mind the sizing of plants at their maturity - everyone would love an instant garden but plants will evolve and grow - by layering different heights you can create movement and depth within the border. Try not to overcrowd at the planting stage but remember if something gets too big it can almost always be pruned, shaped, moved or divided in time.
Not sure where to start or daunted by choice? As well as providing garden maintenance, we design borders and planting plans - offering a comprehensive plant sourcing service with local plant nurseries.
Get in touch today and let's get your garden growing.
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