Make the most of your outside space by getting creative in the garden. A garden full of seasonal colour and a variety of greenery can transform the area, making it not only a pleasure to look at but also rewarding to spent time in, as well as adding value to your house.
Our Planting & Growing Range
Don’t worry though, you don’t have to be a planting pro or have acres of land to play with to be able to create your own little outside haven. Planting a few carefully selected shrubs, bulbs or bedding plants will provide a stunning outdoor sanctuary which will be fun to create as well as giving you a sense of pride and achievement in maintaining your newly transformed garden.
Building Supplies Online has everything you might need to get your garden transformation off the ground. To ensure the transformation is a success we’ve put together an expert guide to get your started.
Preparing your Garden for Planting
To prepare your garden ahead of planting it is important you consider how much space you have available for growing.
You don’t need to set aside a lot of space in your garden to make a big impact, courtyard gardens and balconies can look just as stunning with a few carefully positioned planters or dwarf trees which won’t dominate the space. Likewise, if you have a large garden it might be worth sketching a planting design plan to ensure you get it right.
Things to Consider When Designing a Garden
How much sun will the area get?
Is it sheltered from the wind and what other plants are already in the garden?
By doing so, you will ensure you are planting the correct type of plants which will thrive in those particular growing conditions. Understanding your soil type Just as plants thrive off different light levels, some are much more suited to a particular type of soil. Before you get planting it is worth checking your garden’s soil type so you can select the right plants.
There are many different types that your soil could be;
- Chalk
- Sand
- Clay
- Loam
- Peat
Some of these are more fertile so better suited to growing that others.
As well as soil type it is also helpful to know if your soil is acidic or alkaline. This can be done with a simple pH tester kit will quickly tell you. Once you have the growing conditions of your garden sorted it is time to prepare your growing area ready for planting. This is the hard part, but it will all be worth it and it is great exercise along the way. The preparation stage should be done thoroughly to save you a lot of time in the long run.
Using your planting design sketch, mark out the borders and beds or planters and clear them of any existing plants, weeds and turf. Next, you should give the soil a good rake through to remove any rocks or rubble. If you need to add more soil to beds and borders good quality top soil is best for planting in. Ideally top soil should be at least 30cm deep.
The final preparation step is to dig in lots of organic matter to add to the soil quality. It might be worth investing in a compost bin which will provide you with a good supply of nutrient dense matter to add to your borders and planters.
Get planting
Now you are on to the fun part, choosing your plants. To ensure you have an ongoing burst of colour try to fill your garden with a mixture of annuals, perennials and a few shrubs, all of which should flower at different times throughout the growing season. Choosing plants of different shapes and sizes will create visual interest but it is also important to consider which colours work well together. Doing your research will ensure you choose plants that will thrive and will be rewarded with a stunning garden.
Happy planting!