It’s the best time of the year to think about creating, or just rejuvenating, your gardens.
There’s lots of information about … some good, some not so good. TV shows, magazines, Insta influencers and TicTok’ing experts … it’s all out there.
For us, the not so good ones tend be anything from overseas (everything is so different in another hemisphere) or from ‘down south’, where the climate is different, the soils are different, the plants are different, the timings are different …most of what they preach is just not suitable to our patch.
I have found over the years that one of the best information sources is a magazine called ‘subTropical Gardening’. Unfortunately, it isn’t published anymore but you can still find copies for sale.
Another really good source is the quarterly magazine put out by Searles – the horticultural company based at Kilcoy. It’s called ‘About the Garden’ and is available at many of the local garden centres.
But in the meantime, here’s a few of my tips for getting started …
Tip 1
– take an objective look at what you’ve already got in your garden. Are the plants performing the way you want? Does the layout of the garden match the intended style of the garden and the local growing conditions (shade, soil etc)? What features work well and should be enhanced, and what don’t and so should be hidden or changed?
Tip 2 – look for simplicity rather than complexity. Simple design and planting patterns will create a garden which looks organised, structured and stylish. They’ll also generally be easier to look after.
Tip 3 – the ‘wow’ factor of a great front entrance means that visitors are in the right frame of mind from the first time they see your gardens. Don’t neglect working hard on the front garden – even if it’s small.
Tip 4 – use the appropriate scale for the area you have. Use small plants in small spaces and large plants in large spaces. Don’t try and fit something into a courtyard that should be in an acreage estate.