The mix of materials that’s most eco-friendly for your area will depend on your climate. In a hot, arid area like Southern California or the American Southwest, succulent plant and hardscaping will be more efficient than a lawn and verdant garden beds, which will require a ton of watering.
Take practical factors such as sunlight, shelter, and your all-important budget into account. If you’re thinking of laying a paved area, you might want to consider choosing a light shade to open up the space. Paler colors reflect light, making an area seem more spacious without seeming empty. You’d be amazed how much it can open up even the smallest of areas.
There’s advice on everything from seed starting to preserving the harvest. Most seed packets and transplant containers come with basic planting instructions. Once you’ve done the ground work (literally), you just need to jump in and plant.
Having a garden on different levels can be more visually appealing than having everything at one height. Steps can add another dimension to your layout, so think about putting in a raised section at one end of the garden. Sewing skills can be put to good use for seat cushions in pretty prints and of course a lick of outdoor paint in a well-chosen shade is simple to do. You may not have lots of space on your terrace for an array of plants, but one statement pot will really lift the view.
However, in cold climates, you won’t have enough time to raise heat-loving crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, in your short growing season. If you try to plant these types of crops from seed, you’ll run out of summer before the crops come to maturity. Plus, there’s something so satisfying about growing your own veggies, and it’s not difficult with a little planning. Over watering is as bad as under watering, so always check the soil before turning on a tap or hitting the rain barrels. Foliar feeds like compost tea can be added to give plants extra nutrition and a dose of healthy microbes while watering. Most fruits and vegetables need full sun, with a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight per day for fruiting. Southern gardens may benefit from late afternoon shade, whereas northern gardens likely need all the sun they can get.
‘Create interest in your garden by screening certain areas to create intrigue and encourage people to explore the whole space,’ recommends Ed Oddy. A triangle or other odd shape can easily lend itself to breaking up into different areas that may be round or rectangular. If the garden does have a sharp point that‘s difficult to deal with, this could be screened off and used for a compost heap or storage, or planted with a feature tree, for example. Think about the environmental impact of what you propose to use. Smart garden wall ideas can link the garden directly to the architecture of your house. ‘To choose the right landscaping materials, a good formula to stick to is using no more than three hard landscaping materials,’ says garden writer Sarah Wilson. Measure the space first, then draw out a scale plan on to which you can mark the desired locations of different functional areas of the garden.
Rule #1 – If you won’t eat a crop, don’t grow it in your vegetable garden. (I break this rule for flowers. Edible or not, I like to see at least a few in every garden.) Focus on the fruits, vegetables or herbs that your family enjoys the most. Also bear in mind that some crops are more compact than others, and some can even be cultivated in pots or very small raised beds. Meanwhile, opting for deep beds can produce plenty of crops in a smaller space. Sound can be important, too, and the wind through leaves or grasses or the gentle trickle of a water feature can add additional pleasure to the space.
How to Start Seeds
And, to keep it in tip-top condition, our guide on how to clean garden furniture has lots of advice. Hard landscaping should last for years, so it makes sense to go with a timeless look as part of your garden design ideas. With so much choice available when it comes to materials, this is where things can get expensive. It’s important to bear in mind your budget so things don’t ravel out of control. This all-white scheme is fresh and modern, and really soaks up the sunlight.
Style up your space with modular furniture
It’s also important to understand the hardiness zone where you live. The U.S. encompasses nine hardiness zones, each based on the local climate. The hardiness zone dictates the type of plants that are best suited and ill-suited to the area.
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