The Garden Plants
Once you have decided where you would like to have plants, consider the amount of sunlight that particular spot receives. There are several possibilities: morning sun, afternoon sun, sun all day, dappled sunlight (an obstruction of some sort is letting through rays of light) or shade.
Don’t make the same mistake we did. We planned our beautiful shade garden in the middle of winter— not a speck of sunlight. However, as soon as the sun started moving over in summer, at least half of the rather sensitive little patch was just about toasted by the morning sun. This forced us to go out and buy a rather big and therefore expensive fan palm to create shade. Not the most effective or cost- efficient way to go about things.
The point is, plan carefully and know where you want to plant things before going out and spending money. Know what kind of light the particular area receives, summer and winter, and know how much time you will be able to spend on care and maintenance. It is generally advisable to go for indigenous plants; they often need less water and care than any other kind and can be absolutely beautiful.
Spend some time walking around in your local garden centre. Find an acceptable compromise between what you want, what the area wants and what you can afford. Most importantly, ask advice; they generally know what they’re talking about and they’re really friendly (they know us by name already!).
Garden Planting
To get a general idea what it’s going to look like, arrange the plants in their bags on the prepared bed where you intend to plant them. Experiment with several arrangements and combinations and try something different, as long as the conditions allow it. Once you’ve decided what goes where, dig the holes one by one, completing the planting of each plant before starting with the next.
Dig a square hole, bigger than the actual base of the plant; pour a handful of bone meal in the hole followed by some compost. Remove the plastic wrapping or container and carefully place the plant, complete with its root ball in the hole. Try not to disturb the roots, and empty out all the soil into the hole. Fill with some compost and the soil that you removed. Continue with this procedure until all the plants are in the ground. Rake the remaining soil evenly around the area. Water well immediately, followed by a good soaking daily for at least a week after planting to give your plants a good start. Then follow the respective watering instructions.
Plants Containers
Containers can enhance any garden, big or small, some even without plants in them (we’re not kidding …). Shop around for containers that will compliment your home; prices vary dramatically and if you don’t take care you could spend a fortune on something that clashes with the colour of the walls in your home. If the container is for outdoor use, you need not worry about a drip-tray, unless there is a danger of creating marks on the patio.
The principles for choosing plants are the same as for normal garden planting, except that you don’t have to worry about plants‘ soil preferences, as you can fill the container with soil suitable for the plant intended for it. Container plants do best when planted in special potting soil; take note that there is soil for outdoor and indoor containers. The container should be large enough to comfortably hold the plant before you have removed the bag, and then some.
Light is important too if the container is intended for indoors. It may be in a spot that gets direct sunlight or merely ambient light. Choose your plants accordingly or move the container to a more suitable spot. Use drip-trays inside to prevent stains on carpets and floors.
Inspect the container to see whether it has drainage holes. If so, perfect. If not, it’s time to improvise. Use a drill, screwdriver and hammer or any other suitable tool to make two or three drainage holes in the bottom of the container about the size of a finger. Work very carefully, taking care not to crack the container.
Fill the bottom of the container with chips (not the potato variety) to assist with drainage. These are little chips of stone, obtainable from a nursery or garden centre or occasionally sold along the roadside. Hold the plant, bag and all, in the container and estimate how much soil you need to place in the container before actually planting. Fill with potting soil and, after carefully removing the plastic bag or container, place the plant on the soil. Ensure that it is upright and in the centre of the container, unless of course you are trying a new style, or combining several plants in the same container. Fill the container with potting soil, compacting it slightly, and water thoroughly.
Now for the TLC: talk to your plant, water once a week and occasionally clean the leaves (if necessary). Talk to your plant some more.
If you are really getting into this, you can also buy food for your plants. It does for the plants what steroids do for body builders, giving just that bit of oomph. There are many kinds available — enquire at your garden centre as to what would be best suited for your particular plant.
Talk to your plant some more.
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