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» Know Your Garden » Essential Tools » Preparing a Bed » Handy Hints » Nature-Friendly Gardens |
Know your gardenThe first consideration for all gardeners is to know what conditions your garden has.Soil type Is it a sandy or chalky or full of clay... there are six main soil types : loamy, silty, peaty, sandy, chalky and clay. Soil is very important as your plants will gather a large amount of nutrients from it also use it to anchor themselves down. Moisture How much rain do you get? Is the water table high or low? If your garden is shady or north facing you may find you have damp soil. South facing beds or beds near high walls and buildings tend to be dry. Light (photosynthesis) Without light plants die! It is the most important energy resource other than water. The amount of light your garden gets depends on the direction your garden faces. North facing gardens may be damp and get the lowest light levels. East facing gardens get light in the mornings. West facing gardens get evening and afternoon light. South facing gardens get the most light. Temperature What is the local climate like? Do you have frost traps in your garden? I tend to find that town gardens are warmer then country gardens, and beds near buildings tend to be warmer - sometimes even staving off the frost in Winter. Wind Winds can change the way your garden looks and can influence the plants you can grow. Cold winds can scorch leaves and kill plants, especially young plants. Generally north and east winds are cold; west winds tend to be warmer - but much stronger. |
Stewarts Garden Service Surrey |