Do put balance at the heart of any garden design
Great gardens share a sense of effortlessness. Nothing overly dominates by virtue of the way different elements are balanced across the scheme; everything feels as it should be. In the garden, consider the space that is afforded to areas of hard landscaping, like paving and terraces, versus areas of soft landscaping, like planting and lawns).
Do be realistic about what you can manage in the garden
It’s easy to be seduced by the endless opportunities for growing, but it’s important to be strict with yourself about what you can actually manage to look after with the time you have available. If you have a gardener, this is something you can discuss with them, but otherwise really consider the amount of effort you can give to the garden before deciding on the complexity of a scheme.
Do keep texture in mind when choosing plants
Often, it’s colour and height that people think about when selecting new plants, but don’t overlook the importance of texture. Different types of foliage working together elevates any scheme. Plants like ferns and hostas are great for this in shady areas.
Do prioritise dead-heading at the height of the season
It’s easy to prematurely curtail flowering in your garden by not dead-heading regularly enough. Across the garden, at the first sign of flowers fading, cut them back to encourage a repeat performance. The aim is to prevent the plant from producing seed for as long as possible.
Do be bold and ambitious with colour
It’s often thought that sophistication comes with colours that are subdued and restrained, but there are so many wonderfully bold and vibrant colours in the plant world that it would be a travesty to ignore them. Forget colour trends and grow what makes you happy.
Do make use of containers
Containers add an interesting height contrast to a garden scheme and allow you the opportunity to experiment with different planting combinations. They’re invaluable for growing plants in special conditions that you otherwise couldn't have in your garden. For example, growing ericaceous plants if you don’t have acidic soil.
Do experiment with growing your own plants from seed
There is infinitely more choice when growing plants from seed and the process of doing so can be truly rewarding. If you’re getting started, try sowing annuals that are a bit more forgiving and quick to establish.
Do cut flowers for the house
Bringing the garden inside is one of life’s great pleasures. Cut flowers at the extremes of the day – either early morning or late evening to improve their chances of surviving in water. With some planning, there’s no reason the garden can’t provide all the cut flowers you’ll need year round.
Do leave areas to be discovered
Think of your garden, no matter its size, like a journey. Are there opportunities to travel through it and discover something of interest that wasn’t immediately obvious?
Do be patient
Very little in the garden happens quickly. Learning to live slowly alongside the garden as it matures, embracing its ebbs and flows, can be a real joy. Don’t expect too much too soon.
Don't weed out anything and everything that has self-seeded in the garden
Unless you’re 100% sure that it’s a plant you don’t want, some of the most interesting planting combinations can happen by accident. Allow nature to take some control.
Don't worry about perfection
Just like an interior scheme, gardens should reflect the personality and idiosyncrasies of those who create them. Embrace a little chaos and disorder, give planting combinations that appeal to you a go. If things don’t work out, try something else.
Don't be too precious about keeping plants that aren't working
If you’ve given a plant everything it needs (the right position in the garden, the right levels of moisture) and it isn’t thriving, swiftly move on and try something else. It can be heartbreaking to see a plant that you’ve grown from seed or spent money on underperforming, but it’s better to fail quickly and redirect your attention to something with more potential than become bogged down and disillusioned.
Don't expect miracles if you go against what a plant needs
There are thousands of websites with information about the specific requirements a particular plant needs, and if you’re buying from a nursery, its label should have the basics. Follow this guidance when deciding where to position a plant in the garden. Plants that need full sun won’t suddenly thrive in shade, plants that require acidic soil won’t suddenly perform in neutral or alkaline gardens. Select the plants that will work with the conditions you have.
Don't overcomplicate the overall layout of your garden’s design
Keep connecting shapes in the garden’s design simple and straightforward. Interest comes in the layering of textures, forms, colour and scent on top.
Don't assume perennials live forever
We expect annual plants to only last one season, but it can be a surprise when a perennial plant suddenly stops performing well. Although the term perennial suggests that the plant returns year-after-year, there comes a point when it runs out of steam. You can often encourage a perennial to rejuvenate by dividing the plant’s rootball, but some, like lupins, simply need replacing every few years.
Don't overlook trees and shrubs
The modern garden is perennial-heavy and these plants are often appealing as they provide near instant gratification. However, trees and shrubs play a vital role in the structure and balance of a garden’s overall design. They take longer to establish and really shine, but when they do they have a very transformative effect.
Don't ignore the power of water in the garden
Water, moving or still, has a magical quality in the garden. It’s an added texture - reflecting light and the foliage of plants - but perhaps its most beneficial quality is its ability to attract wildlife into the garden. There are countless ways of introducing water in the garden; it’s worth taking time to research what would work best for you. Just make sure drainage is also a consideration.
Don't compromise on compost
Buy the best quality compost and mulch you can afford–it really makes a huge difference to the performance of plants in the garden.
Don't overfeed the garden
Armed with a bucket of fertiliser, it is easy to quickly overfeed plants in the garden and do more harm than good. Read dosage instructions carefully and research the feeding routine that particular plants require. Some plants, like nasturtiums, perform best in very poor soils, so feeding is not necessary at all.
Outside In: A Year of Growing & Displaying, by Sean A Pritchard, £30 from Amazon.
