Do you have a bare patch of ground that's just calling out for flowers or vegetables?
Make your garden dreams come true by growing annuals (a plant that dies in one growing season), perennials (a plant that lasts for more than two growing seasons), trees, and shrubs. Gardening takes a bit of know-how and elbow grease, but the results will be worth it.
Access your garden conditions
Every successful plan must be grounded in reality. Before starting a garden, take time to analyse your growing conditions: sun, shade, soil type, climate, and moisture. No plant, no matter how expensive, will look good if it is suffering. Growing conditions can be altered, but only to a certain extent. The ideal plan is a balance between the plants you want and those that your garden’s condition can support.
What is the your reason for starting a garden
Different gardens suit different needs, so be sure to consider the functions of your space before you begin. Do you want to create a safe place for your children to play in, perhaps with room for a jungle gym or sandpit? Do you have household pets that also need space in your garden? If you are a frequent traveller, you'll need a garden with features and plants that don’t need too much attention and possibly automated watering. Perhaps you want an outdoor entertainment area with plenty of tables and chairs and lapa with a braai. Don't forget to take the style of your property into consideration as you plan. A large, formal house calls for compatible landscaping, but a cute little cottage can get away with whimsical accents.
Also consider the amount of maintenance you would like to perform. A water garden might seem like fun, but will the upkeep be a nuisance? Do you want to grow your own fruit, or will you be disturbed by dropping fruit and wasps? An organic vegetable garden can be a priority to one person and an annoyance to another.
Start with good soil
If you don't have the loose, dark earth of those fabulous gardens you've seen on television and in magazines, don't despair. It can be created by improving your existing soil for fertility and good drainage. Soils can be amended with sand to make them looser and drier or with clay to make them moister and firmer. They can be given a few doses of organic material such as; old leaves, ground-up twigs, manure, and old grass clippings, plus appropriate fertilizer. Organic matter improves and nourishes any kind of soil, which, in turn, encourages better plant growth. Some soils are naturally pretty good, but others may need significant improvement if they are to support a beautiful garden.
Garden soil tests, which can be purchased at most garden suppliers, will give you a clear indication of the amount of sand, silt and clay in your soil. Alternatively you take a sample of your soil to your local nursery and have them test it for you. Once tested you will also know how much fertiliser you should add to your soil. Sometimes unnecessary tampering with nutrients or soil acidity can actually create more problems than benefits.
How to select plant that will thrive in your garden’s soil
Once you have readied your garden’s soil, you can begin to plant. Knowing your type of soil, your growing zone, and whether you'll be planting in sun or in shade will be of great help when choosing your plants.
Depending on the type of plants you are buying, you will want to look for different tell-tale signs that the plants you bring home will be healthy, signs include; the roots should not be too big for the pot, there should be no brown spots on the plants leaves or flowers, the soil should be moist and fresh and the stalk or bark of the plant should look healthy. This will ensure that the plant has an easy transition from their present condition to your garden conditions, and will thrive in the long run.
Buying great plants
Ensure that you purchase quality plants for your garden from a reputable nursery or garden centre where you will find thriving insect and disease free plants. The plants should also be correctly labelled with a guide to how much sun the plant needs.
Bedding plants and perennials seedlings are generally sold in trays and small containers. Annuals that are not flowering in the pack tend to establish root systems quicker than those that are in bloom, resulting in side branching and abundant flowering. Purchase plants at nurseries that are at the proper planting time, as this will ensure that they easily adapt to your garden’s condition. Good plants are stocky and have healthy green leaves. Check if the plants roots are ready to stretch out and grow by looking at the bottom of the container, if they are root-bound, i.e. have matted roots and are too big for their pots, they will not easily adapt to their new home in your garden.
Although plants are usually grown well, they are not always treated well at places that don’t specialise in plants. Purchase only from stores that keep tabs on the needs of the plants.
How to water plants
Without water, plants wilt and die. But too much water can be just as bad. Even if the plants roots are submerged in water for too long, they may rot or drown from lack of oxygen. Ensure that your plants receive just the right amount of water in order for them to stay hydrated and healthy.
· Watering Guidelines
o Apply water in the morning or the evening when it is cool and the wind is calm. This will prevent the water from evaporating before it soaks into the soil.
o Try to water the plants that are easily susceptible to diseases in the morning, because if the water settles on the foliage for hours, it will encourage fungal diseases to attach to the leaves, buds, flowers and fruit. The warming sun in the morning will quickly dry the leaves and discourage fugal growth.
o Provide your plants and grass with about 2cm of water a week. The idea is to keep the soil lightly moist and to prevent it from drying out completely, which would be damaging to most plants.
o Install a rain gauge (inexpensive ones are available at nurseries) in an open area of the garden to capture how much water the garden receives each week. After each rainfall, check the depth of the rain inside and judge whether or not your garden needs additional watering.
Creative garden container ideas
Using containers and pots in your garden add interest and personality to your outdoor area. You could use clay or plastic pots, wood or metal flower boxes, decorative pots made of ceramic, terracotta or wrought iron, hanging planters, you could even recycle your old wheel barrow and turn it into a flower container, your options are limitless...
Window boxes are versatile planters with many uses; they can be used to bring colour into a small garden, to grow herbs on your kitchen window sill, they could hang from the fence, line a walkway or driveway or could be used to mark the end of a deck.
Garden features
Garden features are physical elements, both natural and manmade and are used in garden design. They are usually the focal point in a garden. Some examples include; fountain, pathway, trellis, pond, deck, gazebo, patio, lapa, built-in braai and garden ornaments or sculptures.
The most cost effective way to create a beautiful garden is to do it yourself, but if all this sounds like way too much work, or you don’t have the time, then you should call in the professionals...
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