Planning a New Garden

Your local botanical garden is a great place to start when planning a new garden of your own. Not only will it provide you with inspiration but will also give you a good idea of what plants will do well in your area & will give you some excellent ideas when it comes to plant combinations.

When planning your garden it is always a good idea to have a good sense of the area you are designing for prior to purchasing plants. This will allow you to choose the right species of plants in relation to size and variety for the type of garden you are aiming at achieving. It will also give you a good idea as to the conditions of the area & important factors that will contribute to the success of the plants chosen like sun position & frost.

Background Plants

When selecting the varieties of plants you would like, start with the background first. In a larger garden with more room hedges are great. If your space is limited consider using climbers. It is important to add evergreen plants to your garden design so that it will hold year round interest. Some good varieties of evergreen plants that can be pruned to shape are:

• Buxus – Nice bright green rounded leaves  
• Murraya - Highly perfumed white flowers in summer.
• Photinia (Red Robin) - Makes a superb medium to tall hedge or screen, fast growing & provides long lasting colour.

Feature Plants

Create a focal point in your garden by using plants with striking foliage, this provides contrast to your garden. Plants such as the Cordyline Terminalis & Agave Americana are great attention grabbing plants. When choosing feature plants don’t forget to take into consideration the size the plant will eventually grow and if it is suitable.

Groundcovers & Borders

• Variegated Liriope makes an excellent border plant with its strappy variegated foliage. It is widely used & very adaptable.
• Juniperus Conferta (Shore Juniper) first rate ground cover, grows to about 50cm high with a spread of 2-3m. Very hardy plant.
• Trachelopermum Jasminoids ‘Tricolor’ is a compact slower growing form of star jasmine. Variegated leaves new shoots may be white or pink. Grown as a ground cover for foliage contrast.