Planting Trends


Planting trends come and go in landscaping, just as they do in architecture, interior and clothing design. A few years ago, it was passé to include both exotic and native plants mixed together in the same garden. But today, particularly with the desire for a productive garden, many gardeners and designers are including a combination of exotic and natives and recognising the benefits of both. Another influence on planting trends is the overuse of particular plants. A plant can go out of style if it is used too much. In the early 00’s I worked in a retail plant nursery…

Great soil makes for a plentiful garden


Soil preparation is like baking a cake. If you don’t prepare it correctly you’ll end up with a mess and a disappointing end result. It’s really important to prepare the soil well before planting to ensure your plants grow well. For those who are lucky enough to inherit an established garden with great soil, or are starting a new garden in an area with great topsoil, you may not need to do much at all. But for those who have a garden in an area with pretty average soil, you’ll need to modify the soil to ensure the end result…