- Understanding your garden
Sit in your garden and look around. Pay attention to which parts of your garden gets the midday sun. Understanding when and where the sun hits your garden will help you to decide what you should plant and where. - Plan your garden
Now you have figured out sunny and shady spots, you can plan your garden. This is the fun part! When planning, take into consideration colour, height and spread. You don’t want to plant something that will quickly overshadow the other plants. By planting with height and colour in mind, you can create a beautiful, multi layered flowerbed. You’ll soon have a garden that neighbours will envy. - Learn how to plant
Planting your plants properly will ensure they grow well and live for a long time. Make sure you take time to weed and prepare the soil before planting, and add mulch or fertiliser where necessary. If you’re unsure how to plant something, look online for instructions rather than just hoping for the best. Trees planted too deeply will never thrive, and root-balls that sit proud of the soil surface will dry out quickly, leading to the eventual death of the plant.
Follow this easy guide from Gardeners’ World. - Know when to feed and water your plants
Knowing when and how to water plants is a major factor in plants living or dying. As a general rule, water the root ball rather than the leaves, as it’s the roots that absorb the water. Feeding is also important. Look to feed every 2 weeks or so during spring and summer, although you will need to feed more if growing in containers.
Lastly, start small. When starting out, its very easy to buy lots when perusing the garden centre – we’ve all been there! But, by taking your time and concentrating on one area you will be able to keep on top of the weeds, pests, watering and feeding.