The other day someone asked me what were my gardening rules? At first, as I looked out at my rather wild garden, I thought, ‘I don’t really have any.’ But then I reflected, I do have a few principles which I follow. Some are highly practical – things I do because I know they are important or work for my plants. Others are highly personal – things I do because they mattter to me. Bundled together they influence most of the gardening decisions I make.
#1. It’s Our Garden
This might sound a bit obvious but it’s surprising how many gardeners I meet who say ‘I really ought to…’
They then reel off plants they ought to have (or not have), colours they ought to try, lawns they should mow or keep tidier.
I reassure them that this simply isn’t the case. Who’s to say your way isn’t right? If you like your garden a certain way that’s good enough. No one else’s opinion really matters.
So the first of my gardening rules is that our garden is for my family and it only needs to please us. This removes a lot of gardening angst. I don’t have to adhere to a particular style or choose fashionable plants. If I want my gardening style to be a bit overgrown and wild – which I do – that’s fine. If I find lawn care boring and therefore have lawn that’s full of everything except grass that’s my choice and I’m comfortable with it.
#2. Let Nature In
To me, our garden is successful if it is buzzing with insects and full of birds. This rule therefore drives a huge number of decisions. We make and put up lots of bird boxes. We don’t use pesticides or weed killers at all. This is despite the leaf curl which permanently blights our cherry tree, the aphids which assault our honeysuckle or the length of our driveway which is a chore to weed. We also don’t tidy or deadhead plants, as seed heads provide food for birds and old stems can shelter over-wintering insects. Beyond this, now we also do no mow May, not mowing our ‘lawn’ for the whole month – even though about three weeks in I’m itching to grab the mower and sort it out.
The reward of insects and birds busy in our garden makes – to us – all of this worth while.
#3. Have Lots of Different Colours
I know that all white gardens are incredibly fashionable and can look very lovely and stylish. But to support a greater diversity of insect life it’s a good idea to have as many colours as possible in your garden. I do have one north facing (and therefore very shaded) bed that’s full of white shade-loving plants, as I wanted them to visually ‘pop’ out of the gloom. However, the rest of my garden has lots of other colours on the spectrum. That variety of colour is definitely one of my gardening rules.
That’s not to say I have any old colour anywhere and don’t take care about the colours in my garden. I do. Indeed, I find the colour-wheel really helpful for selecting colour combinations. But I don’t stick to one colour combination for the whole garden. I have divided up the garden into areas.
The area I see most, near our patio, has the soft romantic colours I like most – mauves, pale pinks, soft whites – with a splash of hot coral from poppies to stop it all becoming insipid.
The walk from our back door to the potting shed (above), has hotter oranges, russets and reds – and heaps of interesting leaves.
My semi shaded bed (above) at the far side of the garden is full of lime greens, acid yellows with darker purple and hot pinks towards its sunnier end.
In short I have lots of different colours and shaped plants, to please lots of different insects.
#4. Be Brave and Bold
The best things in my garden are the things I’ve been bravest about. For instance putting in a line of 5 catalpa bignonioides ‘nana’ trees and 10 Annabelle hydraneas. I did this when first re-shaping our garden from the muddy playing field it had been for the kids for years, into a designed up garden.
I remember distinctly calling the company I was ordering the plants from. I told them what I wanted and they double-checked, saying ‘how many?’ I paused. Was I doing the right thing? Perhaps I should plant one tree with two hydrangeas beneath it first and see how it looked. After all it was going to be expensive, and a big statement.
But no. I had drawn my own plan. I could picture it in my head. So I thought ‘be brave Louise.’
I’m so pleased I was. It’s by far the part of our garden which garners the most lovely comments. The combination of trees and hydrangeas gracefully arcing, divides up our garden and creates drama. I love it. And as an added bonus we have a pair of goldfinches nesting in one of the trees. Magic!
Similarly my raised bed which I pack with tulips felt rather a big step when I first did it. I remember thinking, oh it’s a big area, if it looks terrible it will be a big eyesore.
But it has never disappointed.
#5. Look After the Soil
I read somewhere that 80% of plant problems stem from soil problems. So one of my gardening rules is to try to look after the soil. I didn’t really know that much about this when I started gardening and still don’t know as much as I should. But when creating a new border, I prepare the soil well before planting. I dig in lots and lots of compost – this helps with drainage and nutrients.
Once a border is planted up I don’t dig the soil unless I need to. But I do add mulch each year – a good generous layer, often of homemade leaf mould. Again I don’t dig it in much but let the worms drag it down into the soil.
I have also tried adding a handful of biochar to plant holes before popping plants in. I’d never heard of biochar until someone explained it to me. So let me tell you what I know. Biochar is an extremely high-carbon form of charcoal. According to the experts, when added to soil it improves its structure, prevents the soil compacting, increases aeration and soil’s water-holding capacity (such a big thing these days) and it makes more nutrients available to plant roots. This is because it improves the actual microbiology of soil – cultures of symbiotic species can stay around plant roots without getting washed away in the rain.
Enough of the technicalities I hear you shout. The main thing is I shove a handful into the bottom of the hole before planting each plant.
#6. Right Plant Right Place
There are lots of plants I love which I can’t grow in my garden because I don’t have the right conditions for them. But rather than fight this and continually be disappointed by plants which aren’t thriving or worse still die, I embrace what will work in my garden. And I don’t cheat, compensating for a dry spot by providing lots of additional watering. The plants I choose have to work in the conditions I have – without gallons of extra water.
If your soil’s good (Rule #5) and you put the right plant in the right place – in terms of light, moisture conditions, drafts, space, and soil type (Rule #6) – I really think you can’t go too far wrong. That’s why I think this is a powerful combination of gardening rules.
#7. Allow Time to Look and Think
I spend a lot of time thinking about our garden and looking at it. While I’m sure my family thinks I’m day-dreaming, to me this is still gardening. By regularly wandering around and simply looking at the space, I spot when a plant looks a bit unhappy. I can then head the problem off. During these garden saunters if I spot a weed I pull it up, or something which needs a support, I sort it there and then. As a result problems are averted and there are very few occasions when I have to devote a whole afternoon to weeding.
Looking and thinking about the garden also frees my head up to notice shape or colour combinations – are they working? It’s an ideal way to notice if the garden suddenly starts looking a bit drab. I make note of the time of year when the interest drops off, and can then research for plants which I can perhaps pop in here and there which will add some va va voom at this specific time in next year’s garden.
Gardening I feel is an act of constant tweaking, editing, nurturing. Wandering around the garden to look and think – and actually touch the plants – is essential to this.
So those are my top 7 philosophies or gardening rules…I’m sure you have your own that you follow. Do share them…I’d love ot compare notes. Happy gardening x
I’m so glad I can look at the photos now! I always read your texts, as they alone are entertaining and informative, but the photos take it to a whole new level. It’s better to be able to see what you are describing. Thank you for fixing this glitch.
Thank you Jill, fingers crossed it continues to behave itself. In future if you ever can’t see the picture just head to the website and the latest post will be the first one you see
And let me just add, I so understand what you mean by #7, “time to look and think”. This is very important. I recently finished a small project in the front, alongside our driveway, and was reminded of just how much I prefer working in the BACK yard – where I have the privacy, solitude and quietness to look (and look again) (and look again from a different angle) and really get into the “zone”. In the front, I always feel a bit foolish to step back and literally stare at a bed wondering if it’s balanced and harmonious. I will admit to wondering what the neighbors must think and always rush along with my front yard projects. Whereas in the back yard, I once literally fell over the kid’s slide while backing up to get a better view of something. I just had to laugh, and be grateful I was hidden from view 🙂 I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for the thoughtful posts!
Thank you Jill for your kind comments . I can so relate to you looking and looking again. It’s so important (and enjoyable) to really look and get a feel for whether something is right. I must confess I prefer working in the solitude and privacy of my back garden. Whereas the front garden gets neglected by me. I wonder if, like you, it’s because I’m more self conscious in the front garden and so bustle through the jobs.