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How well you choose and grow your
plants will probably make the greatest difference between having a
beautiful, easy to maintain garden, that looks good all year round or
one that has you constantly pruning, spraying, weeding and feeding.
Grow suitable plants for your
site, soil and conditions, they will be healthier and need least
attention. . Healthier plants look at their best.
Choose plants and varieties of
plants with care, know the eventual size of what you are planting, Less
need for pruning will enable the plant to grow to its optimum shape and
size; and don't plant very vigorous or 'spready' plants in the ground,
if in doubt keep them potted.
Grow a wide range of plants, to
encourage an equally wide range of birds, insects and beneficial
organisms. Plenty of flowers to attract bees. Many wild or native
plants are very garden worthy or have improved relations with the same
advantages as the wild ones. Look especially for plants that will
attract butterflies, from Bergenia in February to Rudbekia or Sunflower
in the autumn; and don't forget the many plants that are specific
larval food plants that they need, on which to lay their eggs.
Have in your garden a backbone
planting of evergreens, gold and varigated forms of both shrubs and
conifers. This will ensure at least some colour and interest during the
winter months.
Deciduous and evergreen shrubs
that have flowers, autumn leaf, colour, berries, bark colour, good size
and shape will give you colour, scent, bird and insect habitat all year
round.
Remember that there are usually
many different varieties of any plant, some of which may be very small
alpine varieties, others very large, almost tree sized in many cases.
This gives a useful clue to the
many large shrubs that can be grown to full size if you are looking for
small trees, e.g. Caenothus, Forsythia, Philadelphus, Escalonia.
Be very careful when planting
trees. The right tree in the right place will give years of joy to both
you and your neighbours, but if you get it wrong it can be a seriously
expensive mistake in terms of work, expense, and spoilt neighbourly
relations. Know what you are planting, its potential height and spread,
depth and extent of shade, in summer and winter, decicuous or
evergreen. Leaf and or fruit litter and any bad habits like surface
rooting or attracting aphids.
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