its pH (whether it is acid or alkaline); just take note of whether it is sandy, wet, dry, clay or rocky, and then look around at your locality and choose plants that will thrive in that type of soil.
LARGE PERMANENT FEATURES
In most instances, you have to work around large permanent features such as a huge tree, the back of a neighbor’s shed, a tall wall that overlooks the garden or a streetlight. If you don’t like the back of the neighbor’s shed, then why not block it out with a shed of your own, a trellis covered with a vigorous climbing plant, or a tall, attractive fence? Try to use the back of the shed to your advantage.
YOU AND YOUR GARDEN
The wonderful thing about gardens is that they give you the chance to create your own private haven. Of course, you do have to consider the needs of friends and neighbors, but first and foremost you must start by identifying your own needs – all the things that you do and don’t want.
Ideas suited to the types of garden
Your garden might well be, in some way or other, uniquely tricky, but the good news is that there will be all sorts of exciting ideas and options that you can use to best advantage.
Small shady garden with moist soil Try a woodland theme with a small sitting area or “glade” positioned to catch available patches of sunshine. Go for woodland plants that positively enjoy damp shady conditions, like ferns, ivies, some grasses and bamboos, hostas, Polygonatum, primulas and hydrangeas.
Small shady garden with dry soil A good idea is a woodland glade theme with shrubs and trees like fuchsias, Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper) and Acers (Japanese Maples) around the borders. Have a large patch of lawn for the “glade.” Extend the woodland glade theme by spreading a mulch of woodchip around the shrubs and trees.
Small sunny garden with dry soil Position a gazebo or arbor so that it catches most of the sunshine, and then have a small pool with appropriate planting. You could have Eichhornia (Water Hyacinth), Aponogeton distachyos (Water Hawthorn) and a whole range of lilies.
Sloping garden with stony soil Take advantage of the stony conditions by making the garden into one large alpine rock garden. Bring in large feature rocks and stone troughs, and grow alpine plants like Thyme, Sedum (Stonecrop), Iberis (Candytuft) and Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox).
Large garden with wet clay soil Turn the whole garden into one big water garden with a large natural pond at the center and areas of bog garden to catch the runoff from the pond. Have all the usual plants in the pond, with the marginals around the pond blurring into bog plants like irises, primulas, ferns and Hemerocallis (Daylilies).
Garden with back-to-back houses Position a pergola at the bottom of the garden, with trellises to each side, and then plant climbers to grow over it. You could concentrate on Clematis – search out the various spring, summer, autumn and winter varieties – so that you have foliage, buds and flowers all year.
Garden sloping down from the house Create a flat terrace area close to the house with steps running from the terrace down to the lawn and flowerbeds. You could have a cottage-garden feature in the lower garden with wildflowers like Viola odorata (Sweet Violet), Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife) and Lychnis flos-cuculi (Ragged Robin).
Garden sloping up from the house Dig out the ground close to the house and build a patio. You could have steps leading up the slope with ponds and waterfalls at various levels. The idea is that you can sit on the patio and view the water and plants as they cascade down the slope.
Small garden ringed by high walls Fix wires and trellises on all the walls and then plant a whole range of climbing plants. You could have Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) and Pileostegia viburnoides on the shady walls, and plants like Wisteria and Lonicera (Honeysuckle) where there is sun.
Small walled courtyard garden Build a pergola that more or less fills the space. Cover the top of the pergola with clear plastic sheet so that the courtyard is roofed over. Put a small wall feature on one wall, and plant grapevines on the underside of the pergola so you can sit out in all weather.
Wish list
Every good idea starts with a wish list. The very act of sitting and dreaming about what is possible is a good part of the pleasure of gardening. I wish I could have …
Barbecue: a brick-built barbecue is a good option. All you need is a patio area, the barbecue itself and seating all around.
Beds and borders: beds and borders are like an ever-changing film screen – places that you can stuff full of color.
Bird bath and bird feeder: bird baths and feeders are a must. What better way to enjoy the garden in winter than to put food out and to watch the birds feeding and bathing?
Chickens: going to the chicken house and listening to that very special sound that hens make when they are about to lay … it’s a thought!
Fruit trees: apples and plums are good, but when they are fresh from the tree they are very special – a gift from nature.
Gazebo: lots of people dream about having a gazebo. Just think about it – a place for the kids, or a place for sleeping when the weather is hot and sticky.
Greenhouse: if you want to be able to get out into the garden from very early spring until early winter, you are going to need a greenhouse.
Herb garden: a sunny patio is good, but a patio planted with herbs such as thyme, sage, marjoram and so on is better.
Kids’ garden: children need a place to play. A jungle gym is fine, but a place to dig and make a camp, and make a mess, is so much better.
Lawn: an area of lawn is essential. The mowing may be a bit of a chore, but the scent given off by the freshly cut grass, and the pleasure of sitting on the lawn, are experiences that should not be missed.
Log cabin: if ever there was a dream feature, this is it. It can be just about anything you care to make it – a workshop, a weekend cabin, a place for the kids, or a potting shed.
Patio: what could be more pleasurable on a warm sunny day than to sit on a patio with friends and family? A good patio is a choice item.
Pergola: a well-placed pergola is another great option – good for providing shade over the patio, for growing grapes and for blotting out eyesores.
Pond: water has irresistible magical qualities that give us pleasure – the sight and sound of moving water is fascinating.
Raised beds: raised beds not
