Hi Gardenistas,
What are the best lessons you've learned over the years amongst the dirt and foliage?
One I try to apply is "don't be sentimental" (compliments of a Paul Bangay book I believe). Just because that shrub has been there a while or some self-seeded alyssum pops up, it doesn't mean you can't rip them out in the name of the master plan.
Another is to choose plants *before* going to the garden centre to avoid being tempted by an incongruous impulse purchase.
I'd love to hear some of your insights!
Your best general gardening tips
Discussion
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One of mine would be ‘When considering the look and the feel you’re after in your garden, put WAY more emphasis on the feel than the look. Get the former right, and the latter with follow.’
Also, kind of linked to that would be my conviction that
‘Our strongest response to any garden we own or visit – our deepest, most visceral response – is not to how pretty or flower-filled it is, but to how well it captures and defines space’
Right now I’m enjoying a second flowering of Salvia Nemorosa Amethyst. David Glenn, in his notes on this salvia advises “to cut it to the ground to encourage a repeat flowering in Autumn”, even when it’s first flowering may not be done. I bit the bullet this year and did as suggested (rather than timidly dead heading!) and it’s looking beautiful. Lesson? Sometimes be brave with the secateurs. Oh, and trust the experts.
My best tip is to not be afraid of short-term pain for long-term gain. I cut many of my plants back really hard so I get fresh new growth it keeps the plants vigorous and young looking
“Citrus are the teenagers of the plant world – always hungry! ” this was a comment from a CSIRO expert that has always stuck in my mind. We used to grow plums, grapes, citrus and avocados commercially so often got advice from the experts.
Also Jerry from Gardening Australia once commented ” Your garden is not a hospital!” So be brave – if it is not responding to your TLC – it can be recycled in the compost. Cheers.
This one came from you, Michael, it was to imagine your garden in a black and white photo and design according to structure and form, not colour. That’s been very helpful to me, thanks!
My best tip is patience:
Got a new site and think you know what you want to plant?
Get to know your site and prepare it first:
1. Check out your soil (Ph, soil type, drainage, dry bits, damp bits).
2. Wait for spring and either mark where any bulbs are that you want to retain or dig them up and store them
3. Get yourself a stack of organic matter – either shredded from plants you may be removing or bought in – either way it must be completely free of green – fork it well along with whatever well rotted animal manure you can get your hands on and wait at least 6 weeks before planting – more if you can – you will never have the opportunity to do this so well again once plants are in – so do it well now
3. Check out how sun and shade track through the day (and through the seasons if you can)
4. Take a walk in the neighbourhood and take note of the plants that are doing well in the most neglected gardens (ask for cuttings of the ones you like – hardly anyone says no)
5. Armed with all this info now you can draw up your design – use all your knowledge to ensure right plant right place
And your patience will be rewarded!
Mine has always been to just get busy gardening. You can read as many books, do as many courses and watch was many shows on the telly as you want but garden is such an experiential thing.
I think it was Russel Page who said that he really didn’t learn anything about plants until he started to handle them. So true. Once you start the rest just kind of comes, but solid design theory always helps your evolution as a gardener in leaps and bounds.
And be ruthless. If something’s not performing then be drastic – cut it back hard if it’s flopping about or move it and if that doesn’t work, get shot of it entirely.
Even on her worst day. Mother Nature is a whole lot smarter than any of us think we are. Look for ways to work with, not against, the system.