Planting
For many people, the culmination of the garden creation process comes with the arrival of the colour, texture and fragrance of garden plants.
It is for this reason that we take as much care in choosing and laying out plants, trees and shrubs as we do in developing the rest of your garden.
Many of our clients are very knowledgeable about garden plants, look forward to choosing their own plants and making a mark on their new garden. Others have less clearly defined ambitions, with ideas about colours and some preferred plant species.
Whatever your experience, we aim to help you finish your garden without taking choices away from you. We offer as much advice and work as you require to help create a planting scheme that you will be able to maintain and enjoy for years to come.
Considerations
There are a number of practical factors to consider when adding plants to your garden :-
- First and foremost, the types and species of plant that you prefer.
- A style or theme that you wish to create for your garden.
- How much time you wish to spend maintaining your plants and your level of gardening experience.
- Soil and light conditions.
- The final height and size of plants - in particular large shrubs and trees.
- Speed of growth and seasonal availability.
- Co-planting relationships and how they may help your garden to look after itself.
- Screening and structural value.
- Attractiveness to wildlife.
- Ground cover and weed suppression.
- Child- and pet-friendliness of plants.
- Of course, our planting design will be created with reference to your budget.
Our Service
Our planting service includes some or all of the following, according to your needs:-
- Consultation and planting design.
- Soil preparation.
- Maintenance of existing plants.
- Acquisition of new plants.
- Installation of plants.
- Instructions for plant care.
- Scheduled garden upkeep.
Site
Many species prefer soils of a particular acidity, nutrient level and dampness. While soil can be improved by the addition of organic material and fertilisers, it is often better to choose species which thrive in the prevailing soil conditions. On the other hand, if there are plants that you would really like to have in your garden, we can create the right conditions and advise you on how best to maintain them.
Light also plays an important part in plant selection, with some plants preferring full sun and others more suited to shady areas. We carefully choose each plant's situation and companion planting to provide the ideal conditions for it to flourish.
The architecture of your home can also have a bearing on the choice of planting scheme. A cottage style garden would look out of place alongside Greco-Roman architecture and knot gardens and formal box planting may be inappropriate for a modern semi-detached garden. We will choose a scheme which is sympathetic to your garden's surrounding hard and soft landscape.
Styles
Gardens come in a variety of styles and themes. While some are inspired by the latest Chelsea Flower Show designs, many are inspired by the tried-and-tested, classic designs used throughout the years.
We will work with you to choose plants that will provide a natural, cohesive look to your garden. From a native wild garden that attracts plenty of wildlife to a low maintenance Mediterranean garden, we can help you to find just the right style of garden for your year-round needs.
Maintenance
By their very nature, plants continue to grow. It is important to keep some growth in check to ensure that plants remain healthy, robust and attractive throughout their life.
We can arrange to periodically visit your garden to ensure that all of your plants remain in tip-top condition.
