Most gardeners understand what is meant by a wild garden even though it is really a contradiction in terms. How can a garden, a man-made creation, be truly wild? The main characteristic is that nature is apparently allowed to have the upper hand over the gardener, but in a successful wild garden Read more...
The labour-free garden does not exist, but there are ways in which such chores as weeding and tidying can be kept to a minimum. Clearly, what you get out of a garden is in proportion to what you put in, and it will never be possible to expect a plantsman’s paradise to thrive on neglect. Read more...
As harmony is to a tune, so colour is to a garden: it gives a more precise feeling and mood to the under¬lying design. Colour alone cannot make a garden, but it can enrich the design and highlight different parts of the scheme at different times. It can attract atten¬tion by means of bright Read more...
Sunlight is essential because it is absorbed by chlorophyll in the plant cells and converts moisture absorbed through the roots and carbon dioxide absorbed through the leaves into sugar and water. This vital food-making process is known as photosynthesis. Generally, the sunnier a plant’s Read more...
Inexperienced gardeners often fail to recognize the fragility of soil structure. While some soils are less stable than others, all are liable to damage. The main problem is compaction. This results from mechanical pressure which forces the particles together, driving out air and spoiling the Read more...
It is a rare gardener indeed who wishes to make a gar¬den look smaller than it is, unless he or she is moti¬vated by an underlying passion for bonsai landscapes. Most wish to increase the apparent size; others to make a broad site with little depth appear longer than it is, or to make a long Read more...
There are a number of ways to improve the quality of the soil; drainage can be made more efficient and the substance and fertility of the soil enhanced. Drainage The most important consideration on any land that is to be productive is drainage. This fact has been recognized almost as long as Read more...
The rock garden reached its apogee, in England, in the period spanning the latter part of the nineteenth century through to the First World War. At this time labour, in comparison to materials and transport, was inexpensive and large amounts of money were expended on creadng monumental rock Read more...
In both large and small gardens it is often appropriate to have a paved area, such as a patio, terrace or flight of steps. Here, container-grown plants can contribute significantly to the success of the garden, introducing splashes of colour, architectural features, focal points and seasonal Read more...
The style of a garden is largely responsible for its atmosphere, whether it is neat and geometric, relaxed and informal, busy and colourful, or still and discreet. The choice of style is often influenced by other gar¬dens that have been seen and admired. Try to be open-minded about the styles Read more...