Plant Combinations for an Abundant Garden. A. & G. Bridgewater

Hedges and Wall Shrubs

       Climbing Plants

       Herbaceous Perennials

       Bedding Plants

       Annuals and Biennials

       Rock-Garden Plants

       Rock, Alpine and Desert Plants

       Water Plants

       Bamboos and Grasses

       Container Plants

       Herbs

       Fruit

       Vegetables

       Tips for Growing Vegetables and Fruit

       Vegetables

       Fruit

       Care and Troubleshooting

       Looking after Plants

       Pests and Diseases

       Year-Round Calendar

       Troubleshooting

       Getting Started

       WHY GARDEN?

      The moment you take people out into the garden, they immediately become more relaxed and expansive. Their smiles get bigger, they talk more loudly, their hand movements are broader, and they generally stride around looking happier. Whoever said that the great outdoors is our natural habitat certainly knew what they were talking about. Gardens are uniquely wonderful.

      What could be better after a hot, sticky day at work, or a long drive home, than to relax in the garden? Gardens are all things to all people – a place for reading, a place for growing tasty vegetables, a place for playing out private fantasies such as building a log cabin, digging holes, building ponds or breeding chickens, a place for whatever takes your fancy. Patios, ponds, sheds, gazebos, barbecues, vegetable plots and lawns … there are so many exciting options.

      Your garden might not be much bigger than a small room, but this does not mean that you cannot turn it into the best room in the house – a room with a ceiling that stretches right up to the sky. This book will gently guide you through all the stages, from planning and making drawings through to selecting tools, digging, building walls, planting, stocking and much more besides. No more dreaming … now is the time for turning fantasies into realities.

       Measurements

      Both metric and U.S. measurements are given in this book – for example, 6 ft (1.8 m).

       Seasons

      Because of global and even regional variations in climate and temperatures, throughout this book planting advice is given in terms of the four main seasons, with each subdivided into “early,” “mid-” and “late” – for example, early spring, mid-spring and late spring. These 12 divisions of the year can be applied to the approximate calendar months in your local area, if you find this helps.

       ENJOYING YOUR GARDEN

      Although you might start out with preconceived notions – the garden has to be formal, or you want to grow vegetables, for example – the finished garden will of necessity be a coming-together of what you dream of having and what you actually have on the ground – the location, the size of the plot, the character of your home, and so on. The best way of getting started is to list your needs, think hard about the possibilities, and take things from there.

       How do I get the best out of my garden?

       YOUR NEEDS

      List your needs in order of priority. Your needs might be unspoken, but you probably know absolutely for sure what you don’t want. If this is the case, then list what you don’t want, and then, by a process of elimination, gradually work through to what you would like to have.

       THE POSSIBILITIES

      Look at the size and location of your plot, and the size of your bank balance, and consider the possibilities accordingly. You might want a huge lake, but if you only have a modest-sized garden, with a modest-sized bank balance to match, it is probably better to modify your “needs” and opt for a good- sized pond.

       IMPROVING AND EVOLVING

      Gardens generally improve and evolve simply with the passing of time. Plants get bigger, new plants can be grown, lawns can be changed into flower beds, and so on.

      Even the smallest patch can be turned into a gentle, soothing haven.

       GARDENING STYLES

      Although there are only two basic styles of garden, informal and formal, there are many variations on these styles. For example, you could have an informal cottage- orchard type garden, or an informal wild garden. Much the same goes for a formal garden. You could have a classic garden with all the features relating to a symmetrical ground plan, or you could have a Japanese garden that is