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Soil Types
We have listed six main soil types that are common to UK gardens. Smaller gardens usually have similar soil types but larger gardens can have a mixture of soil types. This is an important factor when considering taking a PH test.
SANDY SOIL
Sandy soil has a gritty texture and is formed from weathered rocks such as limestone, quartz, granite and shale. Sandy soils are prone to over-draining and can dry out in the hot summer months. In wet weather the soil can often have problems retaining moisture and nutrients. One way to resolve the moisture content of the soil and improve the nutrient content is to increase the organic matter in the soil using manure, leaf mould, peat, green waste, soi... |
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Soil Preparation
The most important thing to do before planting up any border in the garden! We have covered the types of soils you may have in the previous section ‘SOIL TYPES’. This helps in order to understand the level of cultivation required and the amount of manure, compost, gritty sand and base fertiliser you will need to use. Soil preparation only needs to be carried out once in order to obtain good quality soil. Often the soil in new developments requires preparation as is it of a poor quality and this leads to poor plant growth and you find that most deep rooted shrubs can’t expand their root systems and in most cases the plants never receive any granular or liquid fertiliser to help. So when plann... |
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Staking & Tying Trees
The most common method of tree staking is using a wood stake. This is rammed into the ground next to the tree and supported against the post with a rubber strap to stop the tree from rubbing against the stake and damaging the bark. The tree is secured with a rubber or plastic strap. You will commonly see tall stakes, almost as high as the tree. However, this method of staking has now changed as it does not allow the tree crown to sway in the wind, which prevents root stimulation, as in normal conditions the tree would have some natural movement.
When we stake trees we make sure that the stake is positioned very low in the ground. In some cases if a tree is small or has a la... |
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Irrigation
With increasingly hot and dry weather irrigation is essential in improving and maintaining healthy plant growth in the garden. Roof terraces can also be hostile environments for plants and they find it difficult to survive without adequate water. The extra cost of irrigation should be included when budgeting for garden works. What type of irrigation system you install will of course depend on the size and style of your garden and the plants you have. Also take into consideration the direction your garden faces, north, south, etc, and the geographical location of your garden. Generally the south eastern areas of the UK are considered the driest and one would assume that more irrigation system... |
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Maintenance
Plant maintenance is often neglected once a garden is built but without ongoing maintenance planted areas can become overgrown with weeds and pest and disease can become established and damage newly planted borders. Ideally plants need to be pruned and shaped at the appropriate times. See below for a list of tasks that if completed, should enable you plants to survive and to flourish.
1. Prune trees and shrubs at the appropriate time, usually after flowering or in the dormant winter season
2. The use of fertilisers in the growing season to make up for any nutrient deficiencies and to encourage growth
3. Allow for adequate watering during the growing sea... |
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Garden Design London 
