Suppose I want to turn this into a weblog: can I just turn it over into an interactive site? I haven't a clue how to do this! I seem to have forgotten everything I learned up to last May, when I had to design this simple little design, which doesn't even work very well......
First, you need to think of structure; assuming you have the basic hard landscaping of your garden already, work out what trees, shrubs and hedges you might like:think small unless your garden comes in acres, but you don't have to restrict yourself to dwarf conifers. There are many very attractive trees under 20 feet, if you choose the right
cultivar. Just think of silver birch next to a beech hedge or a Siberian dogwood shrub next to a variegated holly hedge.
Yes, you will need to keep them in good trim and the shrubs will have to be cut back every year,to keep them from taking over your garden, but it's worth it to have those wonderful colour combinations through the year!
Now the plants and flowers themselves. Perennial plants will come up year after year, so they cost a little more, but are economical in the long run. Annuals are the bedding plants that you put in every year, which are useful for providing instant colour and filling any gaps in your flowerbeds. Biennials take 2 years to flower, so using them takes a little planning if you want to grow them from seed.
But most of us get our plants from the garden centre these days, so it's good to be able to recognise a healthy pot-grown plant. Pot-grown plants have spent a full calendar year in the pot, establishing a well-developed root ball, which should be able to thrive and grow
well,from the minute it is transferred to your garden. Containerised plants have been grown from seed and potted on as they have grown bigger. They may take longer to establish themselves after you plant them out because they are younger and often,less hardy than plants that have over-wintered.
See the pages for each of the four seasons, with planting suggestions and plant lists of those plants that I feel give the best value for the space they occupy, whether by architectural shape, berries, interesting foliage, coloured stems, wonderful scent or simply a long flowering
season--or all of these. Those plants that are illustrated are shown in italics on the plant lists, although the pictures may appear on other pages.
