An empty front lawn, perfect for a yard gardening project

James and Rebecca Wong have bought a new home in an outer suburban area. James works at the district hospital and Rebecca has a part-time job in a shop. They have two young, school-age children.

The Wongs want a garden which will add character and charm to the front of their home and distinguish it from their neighbors' houses. They need a better defined, more welcoming entrance that is within their abilities to maintain, fames would like to keep a small lawn and

Rebecca wants as many flowers and bird-attracting plants as possible. She likes roses, but knows they mean work, and is drawn to plants as long as they suit local conditions. Privacy is not a big issue, as their street is not busy. But they do want some enclosure to deter dogs and stop their children from running onto the street.


The old garden
An expanse of grass is dominated by the wide, grey driveway. There is no clear entrance way, and callers must either walk up the drive or wear a track across the lawn. Without a fence or any boundary planting, the yard and house seem very open and exposed.


Deciding Their Priorities

How much time?
3 hours per week, including the back yard. Less during school holidays.

Essential ingredients?
Year-round flowers in colors that will blend with the bricks and painted surfaces of the house. At least some plants that attract birds, and a warm appearance.

Likes and dislikes?
Rebecca likes watering, feeding, deadheading and other light gardening tasks that she finds relaxing. Dislikes maintaining beds of annual flowers, spraying poisons and heavy pruning. James is not keen on lawn mowing or caring for fragile plants.


The new garden
A low-maintenance steel fence and arched gateway enclose the yard. Side boundaries are defined by informal hedges of bird-attracting shrubs. A new path, paved like the drive, forks inside the gateway and leads to the front door and the meter box. The small lawn is easy care.


Carpet of color
Anthemis tinctoria, in the low bed beneath the master bedroom, produces golden flowers in late spring and summer.

Fragrance
Gardenias, planted amongst the anthemis, waft their heady perfume through the windows in summer.

Hiding the fence
Grevillea 'Sandra Cordon' and G. 'Moonlight' underplanted with Banksia 'Birthday Candles' provide nectar-rich flowers all year for the birds that will visit the bird bath.

Pretty native
Angophora 'Little Gumball' grows 4-5 m tall and has attractive, reddish-orange bark and white flowers.

Seasonal flowers
Pots of seasonal blooms can be arranged to give a warm welcome at the front door.

Subtle enclosure
The open metal framework of the front fence and arch are ideal supports for the easy-care, ever-blooming, fragrant climbing rose 'Crepuscule'.

A leafy sanctuary
Cream-flowered Osmanthus fragrans and brown-orange Banksia spinulosa, grown to mask the side fence, provide perches and nectar for birds.

Designing that perfect front yard garden

First impressions count most - and it is the front yard that gives the first impression of your home. It is what we­lcomes you home at night and sends you on your way in the morning. And it plays the dual roles of welcoming visitors while keeping out intruders, and letting you see the surrounding neighborhood while maintaining privacy.

Front yards vary tremendously in size: from pocket handkerchief gardens squeezed under the front window to a sweep­ing landscape where the house is set well back. Most front yards have to be functional as well as attractive, because they may need to accommodate a car as well as provide easy access to and from the house and garage.

A well-designed front yard should look good all year round with the minimum of maintenance. The layout should be based on simple but effective groupings of trees and shrubs and, if most of the smaller plants are evergreens with naturally compact, neat habits, the garden will still be inviting in winter. Remember, tools are often located in a shed in the back yard - so avoid features that need specialist equipment.

A densely planted front yard will help screen the front of the house from the street and create a pleasant outlook from within. With thick foliage instead of exposed earth, weeds are shaded out.

Easy maintenance gardening all year round

Early Spring
Remove any weeds and tidy up debristhat has fallen in winter. Top up the mulch so that it is at least 5cm (2 inches) deep. Apply snail bait around susceptible plants.

Mid Spring
Sprinkle complete plant food evenly between shrubs. If you have frosts, prune away any blackened stems.

Late Spring
Increase rate of watering. Inspect flowers and shrubs for aphids, caterpillars and thrips. Prune evergreen shrubs, including natives, after bloom.

Early Summer
Remove dead flower heads from shrubs and flowers. Shear potted or hedging box plants to maintain shape. Apply wetting agent to all potted plants.

Mid Summer
Clear guttering and garden of flammable material.

Autumn
Tidy up any debris before winter. Rake fallen leaves and apply as mulch on garden beds. Remove moss on paths and steps as it appears.

Calathea Makoyana (Peacock Plant)

The leaves of these plants look as if they have been hand painted with dark-green patterns. They look best in a mixed group of foliage plants. Smaller plants can be used in bottle gardens and larger terraria.

Mini-climate
Warm, shady.

Size
Calathea makoyana can grow to a height of 3 feet with a spread of about 2feet. Plants of all sizes are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks during spring and summer and once a month during autumn and winter.

Potting
Repot every spring using a mixture of two-thirds soil-based potting mixture and one-third leaf mold or peat. Once plants are in 6 inch pots topdress instead.

Special points
Stand plants on trays filled with moist pebbles to increase humidity.

Caladium Hortulanum Hybrids (Angel Wings)

Caladium hortulanum hybrids send up long, fleshy stalks bearing the paper-thin, heart-shaped leaves. The variety of leaf colors and patterns is immense - besides green leaves with red veining, white and cream leaves veined with pink or green are also available. These plants are highly ornamental, especially if different leaf colors are grouped together.

Mini-climate
Warm, shady.

Size
The mainly green-leaved specimens grow to a maximum height of 8-10 inch. Varieties with colored leaves may reach 1 1/2 - 2feet high. Plants in full leaf are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with half-strength liquid fertilizer once every two weeks during spring and summer.

Potting
Repot a rested tuber in spring using peat-based potting mixture. Make provision for good drainage. Use 5 inch pots and cover the tube with 1 inch of potting mixture.

Browallia Speciosa (Amethyst Violet)

These are showy plants with violet-blue flowers that appear in early summer or autumn depending on climate and when seeds were started. They are best treated as annuals and discarded when flowering has finished. The stems tend to droop so display plants in eye-level hanging baskets or massed together on a low table.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
Browallia speciosa grow to 10-12 inch tall with a similar spread. Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushy growth. Mature plants are offered for sale in autumn.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks.

Potting
Repotting is unnecessary.

Special points
Destroy any greenfly you may find.

Similar-shaped species
Browallia viscosa is only half the size of B.speciosa, with smaller leaves and flowers. The leaves are slightly sticky.

Bougainvillea Buttiana (Paper Flower)

Armed with sharp spines, these plants are woody-stemmed. The small, creamy-white flowers are insignificant in themselves but are surrounded by large, decorative, papery bracts which can be white, yellow, orange, pink, red or purple. These are produced in clusters of between 10 and 20, mainly during spring and summer. Although they are naturally climbing plants, Bougainvillea buttiana can be trained to remain bushy indoors. They are best grown in very sunny rooms or conservatories, since they require a large amount of light to encourage them to flower.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
These plants can reach a maximum height and spread of about 6feet. Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushy growth. Small plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in summer.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture with extra peat moss mixed in. Once plants are in Sin pots topdress instead.

Special points
Water less in winter. Destroy any mealy bugs you may find.

Billbergia Nutans (Queen's Tears)

These plants have tough leaves with toothed edges. There may be many plants in the same pot, as production of offsets is prolific. 1 luring the main flowering season, May to June, the foliage is interspersed with trailing, bright-pink bracts. These bracts open to display the small yellow, green and purple flowers. Billbergia nutans are best displayed at eye-level as feature plants.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
The leaves reach about 2 feet in length. Spread depends on the number of offsets produced. Small plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks during spring and summer.

Potting
Repot every spring using bromeliad potting mixture. Once plants are in 6in pots topdress instead.

Special points
The rosette of leaves should be cut away at the base after flowering to allow the offsets around it to develop.

Begonia 'Tiger Paws' (Eyelash Begonia)

The common name of these plants derives from the short, coarse hairs which grow around the edge of each lopsided, heart-shaped leaf. The attractive foliage is bright lime-green in color, marked with a bronze-red pattern which gives the leaves a patched or blotchy appearance. The stalks are also speckled with red and arise from a rhizome which creeps across the surface of the potting mixture. Mass these plants together in a basket or mix them with other foliage plants.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
These plants grow to about Bin in height with a l foot spread. Small plants are offered for sale all year.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks during spring and summer.

Potting
Repot every spring using an equal combination of soil-based potting mixture and leaf mold. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger plot, topdress instead. Discard the plant after several repottings.

Special points
Stand plants on trays filled with moist pebbles to increase humidity. Protect from powdery mildew by supplying adequate ventilation.

Begonia Semperflorens-cultorum (Wax Begonia)

A profusion of white, pink or red flowers begin blooming in spring and continue well into the winter. Single- and double-flowered varieties are available. They are best treated as annuals and discarded when flowering has finished. Group them together in shallow containers or mix with colorful foliage plants in light, well-ventilated rooms.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
These plants never reach more than l foot in height when fully grown. They are offered for sale in spring as seedlings and for the rest of the year as mature plants.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer.

Potting
Repot as needed, perhaps two or three times during summer and autumn, using a mixture of half soil-based potting mixture and half leaf mold or coarse peat moss. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Special points
Protect from powdery mildew by supplying adequate ventilation.

Begonia Rex-Cultorum (Painted-leaf Begonia)

Also known as "rex begonias", these are among the most handsome of the species, grown for their beautifully colored leaves rather than their flowers, which tend to be insignificant. The heart-shaped leaves, which can be up to 1 ft in length, bear striking patterns made up of variations of red, black, silver and green. Leaf texture also varies: some hybrids have smooth leaves; this one has a rippled or pimpled surface.

Mini-climate
Warm, shady.

Size
These plants can grow up to 1 foot in height with a 3feet spread. Young specimens 2-3 inch high are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer.

Potting
Divide overcrowded clumps and repot in spring every three years using peat-based potting mixture in a shallow container.

Special points
Water less in winter. Destroy any powdery mildew you may find.

Similar-shaped species
Begonia masoniana has a deep-red, cross-shaped pattern on its pale-green leaves.

Begonia Foliosa Miniata (Fuchsia Begonia)

These delicate-looking plants have small, oval leaves with a glossy texture. The leaves are borne on long, thin stems which begin to arch over as they get longer. Small, waxy, succulent-looking, shell-pink flowers appear in clusters between autumn and spring. They need some kind of support if they are to be seen to best effect. Display with green foliage groups in an informal setting. They can look good if allowed to trail from a hanging basket.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
Begonia foliosa can grow to about 3 feet in height, with a spread of about 20 inch. Pinch out growing tips to maintain bushy growth. Small plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer once every two weeks during flowering.

Potting
Repot every spring using an equal-parts mixture of soil-based and peat-based potting mixture. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Special points
Water less in winter.

Begonia 'Elatior' Hybrids (Elatior Begonia)

These plants flower for most of the year. The large, roselike flowers range in color from deep red, through pink to yellow and white, They are best treated as annuals and discarded when flowering has finished. The foliage is usually pale green but plants with deep-red foliage are sometimes available. As their flowers are quite large they can be displayed as specimen plants or grouped together in a shallow pan. Begonia 'Elatior' hybrids do best in light, well-ventilated rooms.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
These plants are usually erect with a maximum height and spread of 14-16 inch. Small bushy plants are offered for sale from mid-spring to early autumn.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer.

Potting
Repot two or three times during summer and autumn using equal parts of soil-based potting mixture and leaf mold or coarse peat moss. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Special points
Protect from powdery mildew by supplying adequate ventilation.

Beaucarnea Recurvata (Ponytail)

These are most bizarre-looking plants, having a ponytail-like tuft of narrow, green leaves sprouting from the top of a fat or long, woody stem. The swollen base adds to the unusual appearance of the plants, which are ideal for displaying in a modern interior and will thrive in any centrally heated room.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
These plants reach a maximum height of 5feet with a spread of 2ft. Small and medium sized plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every month during summer.

Potting
Repot every three or four years in spring using soil-based potting mixture. They thrive in small pots.

Special points
Can easily be killed by overwatering.

Aucuba Japonica ‘Variegata’ (Spotted Laurel)

Also known as "Japanese laurels", these plants were much used by the Victorians in their shrubberies and greenhouses. The modern hybrids are more cheerful, having leaves strongly variegated with yellow. They can be used in window-boxes and in cool rooms as they tolerate a certain amount of neglect, poor light and drafts.

Mini-climate
Cool, filtered sun.

Size
These plants can reach 3-4 feet high. Plants of about 8 inch high are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer once a month in summer.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. Once plants are in 8 inch pots topdress instead.

Special points
Clean leaves regularly. Plants can be put outside in summer.

Asplenium Nidus (Bird's Nest Fern)

These plants have shiny, apple-green fronds arranged in an upward-spreading rosette at whose base is a circle of young leaf fronds. These slowly unroll from the fibrous core of the plant. Large specimens are too bold in shape to display with other ferns and look best either arranged on their own, or included in a mixed group of large-leaved foliage plants.

Mini-climate
Warm, shady.

Size
The fronds can reach 1 ½ foot long. Young plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer once a month.

Potting
Repot in spring using fern potting mixture but only when a mass of roots appears on the surface of the potting mixture. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, root prune instead.

Special points
Stand plants on trays filled with moist pebbles to increase humidity.

Aspidistra Elatior (Cast-iron Plant)

As their common name suggests, these plants will tolerate a certain amount of neglect. They were much used in Victorian days as specimen plants, but despite these associations, Aspidistra elatior can be used to great effect, either massed together or grouped with other, smaller plants. They are ideal plants for filling difficult, darker spaces.

Mini-climate
Cool, filtered sun.

Size
These plants have a maximum height and spread of 3 feet. Small plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer.

Potting
Repot every three years using soil-based potting mixture but only if the roots have completely filled the existing pot. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Asparagus Setaceus (Asparagus Fern)

Asparagus setaceus have light, feathery foliage made up of tiny branchlets on wiry stems. Taller growing kinds may be trained up thin canes to form a delicate column shape. Trained around east- or west-facing windows they can give a charming "cottage" effect. They can also be included in fern groups in a hanging basket.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
These plants can produce stems up to 4 feet long. Small plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer, and once a month in autumn and winter.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Similar-shaped species
Asparagus asparagoides is a vigorous climbing vine with leafletlike branchlets up to 2 inch long. Asparagus falcatus is similar but has sickle-shaped spines on its stems.

Asparagus Densiflorus ’Sprengeri’ (Emerald Fern)

These plants have arching stems which begin to trail with age. Each stem is covered in tiny branchlets, giving the plants a delicate, fernlike appearance; in fact they are not true ferns but related to the lilies. Use them to soften the outline of arrangements, or group with true ferns in a hanging basket. They thrive in most conditions and have a fresh, informal look which makes them suitable for most settings.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
The stems can grow up to 3 feet in length. Small plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer, and once a month in autumn and winter.

Potting
Repot in spring using soil-based potting mixture but only if the roots have completely filled the existing pot. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Special points
To keep plants in a decorative state for as long as possible, faded stems should be cut out as they appear.

Araucaria Heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine)

Also known as "Christmas tree plants", these are at their best when four years old. Because of their starkness, they seldom look well mixed with other plants, but a most striking effect can be created by grouping several of these conifers together to give a Japanese look.

Mini-climate
Cool, filtered sun.

Size
Araucaria heterophylla are slow-growing: a ten year old plant rarely exceeds 6 feet in height and 4 feet width.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer.

Potting
Repot every two or three years in spring using soil-based potting mixture. Once plants are in 9-10 inch pots topdress instead.

Special points
Water more sparingly during the winter rest period.

Aphelandra Squarrosa 'Louisae' (Saffron Spike)

These are dual-purpose flowering and foliage plants. For about six weeks the plant has unusual flower heads of overlapping yellow bracts. When flowering has finished, pinch off the dead blooms, then use as a foliage plant. The leaves are large and glossy and marked with large, white veins. Mix with plain-leaved plants for a contrasting display in a modern living-room.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
Aphelandra squarrosa 'Louisae' grow to about l foot in height with a similar spread. Plants already in flower are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every week from spring to early autumn.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. Once plants are in 6 inch pots, topdress instead.

Anthurium Andraeanum Hybrids (Flamingo Flower)

The exotic flower heads consist of a bright scarlet bract encircling a tail-like flower spike. They last for several weeks and can appear at any time between February and July. When in flower, several plants grouped together make an attractive display; when not in flower, the leaves harmonize with those of other tropical plants suitable for shady spots.

Mini-climate
Warm, shady.

Size
Small plants are offered for sale, although they can grow to 2 feet in height.

Feeding
Feed every two weeks with standard liquid fertilizer.

Potting
Repot every spring using a mixture of one-third soil-based potting mixture, one-third coarse peat moss, and one-third coarse sand. Once plants are in 7 inch pots, topdress instead. Cover exposed roots in peat moss.

Special points
Water less in winter. Stand plants on trays filled with moist pebbles to increase humidity.

Ananas Comosus Variegatus (Variegated Pineapple)

These plants are prized for their stiff, spiny leaves which curve gracefully outward, giving them a symmetrical shape. When five or six years old they produce striking pink flower heads, followed by a pink fruit which is unlikely to ripen and be edible. Large plants displayed in an urn suit formal interiors.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
These plants grow to a maximum height of about 3 feet with a spread of up to 6 feet. Fruiting plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks during spring and summer.

Potting
Repot in spring every two years using bromeliad potting mixture. Once plants are in 6-8 inch pots, topdress instead.

Special points
In direct sunlight, a rich-pink hue enhances the variegation of the leaves.

Similar-shaped species
Ananas bracteatus striatus is the variegated form of the wild pineapple and has boldly striped leaves which become pink if grown in bright light.

Ananas nanus is much smaller with plain, dark-green leaves and produces small, inedible fruits. It can be bought in fruit in a 4 inch pot.

Gardens in dry, free-draining soil

In free-draining soils you can grow a range of plants that are not happy in moist conditions. Since rain soaks through fast, you can dig and cultivate the soil almost at any time - even after heavy rain, when clay is too boggy to work on. However, with excessively free-draining soils, such as sand or gravel, it can be a time-consuming chore to keep plants moist. There are several solutions - choose naturally drought-resistant plants, improve the soil so that it retains more moisture or install an automatic watering system. Free-draining soils can run short of certain nutrients because they are soluble and are literally washed away.

Choosing drought-tolerant plants
When drawing up a planting scheme for dry soil in sun, include a good selection of drought-proof, self-seeding flowers, such as Californian poppy, coreopsis, evening primrose {Oenothera biennis), gaillardia, Livingstone daisies, nasturtium and native everlastings. If you leave self-sown seedlings to grow where they come up, you will not have to water them. If you transplant seedlings, no matter how carefully, the roots will be disturbed, so they must be kept watered until they are established. Even pot-grown, drought-tolerant plants need to be watered for the first few weeks after transplanting.

Many tender perennials are drought tolerant, such as gazania, mesembryanthemum, osteospermum and pelargonium. If you want to grow non-drought-tolerant bedding plants in dry soil, dig into the soil well-rotted organic matter or water-retaining gel crystals - usually used in hanging baskets - to help the soil to hold water. To grow fruit and vegetables on dry soil, build a deep bed filled with compost and install a watering system.

Improving dry soils
When preparing a dry border for planting, add organic matter to improve the water-holding capacity and nutrient content of the soil. In problem sandy or chalky soils, which are particularly 'hungry', dig in organic matter in autumn, and then each spring apply 140g per square meter of any complete plant food, or use a rose fertilizer and mix it into the soil.

For very thin soils, where there is rock just below the surface, you will need to increase the depth to obtain water retention. Mix good-quality topsoil with the top few centimeters of garden soil, incorporating well-rotted organic matter as you go, to increase the soil's depth. Plant in autumn or spring and keep the new plants watered. Before planting, soak the root-ball of each plant. After planting, apply a 5cm mulch of well-rotted organic matter. If you do not have time for regular soil improvement, restrict your choice of plants to the more drought-tolerant types.

Some more tips for dry soil

• Choose drought-proof plants.

• Conserve moisture by mulching in spring when the soil is moist.
  

• Mulch problem soils twice a year, in spring and autumn.
  

• Build a deep, no-dig bed if you want to grow fruit and vegetables.
  

• Don't try to grow a conventional grass lawn. Instead, create patches of green with a herb lawn using thyme or chamomile.
  

Beautiful gardens in wet, sticky soil

In soil that stays wet, the roots cannot take in air because the air spaces within the soil are filled with water. The roots then 'drown' and rot, causing plants to die. Some plants, however, are specially adapted to life in wet soil, particularly bog-garden plants and those that grow in shallow water along pond margins. Some border plants are also happy in permanently moist soil that is not waterlogged, such as astilbe, canna, hosta, lobelia, lomandra, monarda, patersonia and schizostylis.

In a garden with a problem wet area, a common solution is to use the site to build a pond. However, the wet spot will often dry up in hot weather. Adding a liner will not help since in very wet weather ground water will rise up under the liner to make it balloon up, pushing out planting baskets. The best solution for a naturally damp spot is to use it for moisture-loving perennials, digging in lots of well-rotted organic matter to help it stay moist even in dry spells.

Plants for clay soil
Once established, many trees and shrubs like clay soil, but they can suffer from waterlogging in winter, so plant them on a slight mound. The best trees for clay soil include Callistemon 'Dawson River', coachwood, Monterey cypress, red-flowering gum and silky oak. Clay-loving shrubs include aucuba, chaenomeles, dogwood (Cornus), elaeagnus, eriostemon, hydrangea, Indian hawthorn, oleander, philadelphus, shrub roses, salix and viburnum. On improved clay, many perennials will also do well, including agapanthus, astilbe, euphorbia, hellebores, hippeastrums, hosta, rock lilies and Swan River daisies. For planting under deciduous trees, daffodils, snowdrops and primula are good companions. Annuals and tender perennials are slow to get away on cold, clay soils, so, in frosty areas, they need to be confined to con­tainers until later in spring.

Improving clay soil
Clay can make a good garden soil if it is improved, which need not be hard work. Don't dig deeply because this can bring to the surface infertile, yellow or blue subsoil. Improve the soil by digging in a barrowful of well-rotted organic matter for each square meter and a 5cm layer of grit, river sand or fine gravel to one spade's depth. These materials are cheapest when bought from a landscape supply company. Don't use building sand because the small particles make it pack down too closely, and it contains too much lime. Mulch with organic matter in spring and summer.

If you have wet soil but you want to grow plants that need good drainage, such as herbs, rock plants and some perenni­als, you will need to build a raised bed that is wide and deep enough for the soil not to dry out too readily.

Allamanda Cathartica (Golden Trumpet)

These climbing plants produce bright, buttercup-yellow flowers over a period of many weeks during the summer. The oval leaves which are carried on long stems are a glossy dark-green color. If grown in a conservatory border, or in a tub, Allamanda cathartica can be trained to cover a wall. For the smaller room, they can be grown in pots and trained over a wire framework of any shape.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
These plants are fast-growing and can attain a maximum height and spread of 7 feet. They should be cut back by as much as two-thirds in winter. Small plants are offered for sale in summer.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in summer.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. If you don't want to move an older plant into a larger pot, topdress instead.

Special points
Water less in winter.

Aglaonema Crispum ‘Silver Queen’ (Silvered Spear)

The beautiful foliage of these plants is green only at the margins and main veins; the rest of the leaf is silvery-white and cream. As plants age they lose some of their lower leaves and develop a short, trunk-like stem. They are excellent as part of a bold, leafy arrangement, particularly if contrasted with dark-green foliage plants.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
Aglaonema crispum 'Silver Queen' reach a maximum height of 3 feet with a spread of about 2 feet.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer once a month from spring to autumn.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. Once plants are in 6 inch pots, topdress instead.

Aechmea Fasciata (Urn Plant)

When three or four years old, these plants produce a drumstick-shaped inflorescence which rises from the center of the rosette. This flower head comprises many spiny, pink bracts through which peep short-lived, pale-blue flowers. Display large plants as specimens, or grow small plants on a dried branch covered with sphagnum moss. Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
The leaves of these plants reach 2ft long and the flower spikes grow 6in above the leaves. Small plants grown from offsets and mature plants are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with half-strength standard liquid fertilizer once a month in spring and summer. Apply feed to the center of the rosette as well as the roots.

Potting
Repot in spring using bromeliad potting mixture but only if the roots have completely filled the existing pot. Once plants are in 6 inch pots, topdress instead. Special points Keep the center of the rosette filled with fresh water.

Gardens in the cool and shade

In deep shade, where even weak shafts of sunlight do not penetrate, very few plants will grow. As a general rule, if the shade is too deep for you to read comfortably, then it is too dark for plants. However, a certain amount of shade provides ideal conditions for some plants that will not grow happily elsewhere. Ferns, hostas, impatiens and periwinkles (vinca) are all shade lovers. If they are grown in too much light, their leaves will scorch and their flowers fade fast, or the whole plant may shrivel up and die. However, not all shade-loving plants need the same degree of shade - some need full shade, others only shade from strong, midday sun and others dappled shade - and many of them grow in more than one type of shade.

On a plant label, 'shade' can mean good light but no direct sun, except weak evening, early morning or winter sun - many ferns will flourish in this position. 'Light shade' means that the plant likes light, but not direct sun. 'Partial shade' usually means that the plant needs sun for part of the day; for example, gardenia and Japanese anemone both enjoy a few hours of sun but prefer shade in the middle of the day. Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), azaleas, japonica camellias, clivia and native violets prefer the dappled shade found under a light tree canopy - such as that of an open gum tree - where rays of weak sunshine are able to break through. Although few flowering plants thrive in this situation, you can add colour by growing brightly toned hydrangeas, impatiens and fuchsias in containers.

Beneath big deciduous trees, shade is very deep in summer and the soil is dry and impoverished because the trees take up all the moisture and nutrients. The ground will also be full of tree roots so there is virtually no soil in which to plant. In cool climates, the best solution is to mulch the ground deeply and to plant spring bulbs - such as daffodils, jonquils or bluebells -that flower and complete their life cycle early, before the trees come into leaf.

Another testing type of shade is year-round, deep shade with dry soil, along a passageway or under evergreens, for example. Plants that tolerate this include Hovea lance-olata, mondo grass and several mintbushes (Prostanthera). In deep shade with damp or wet soil, grow tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica).

In shade on a boundary, go for Aucuba japonica, Eranthemum pulchellum or aspidistra and, to cover the ground and suppress weeds, plectranthus, Indian strawberry (Duchesnea indica), or Ajuga reptans.

For sunny gardens under the hot sun

Sun-loving plants need exposure to direct sunlight to keep growth compact and to ensure good flowering. Insufficient light makes them grow weak and spindly, and may stop them from flowering. Check the label on the plant before you buy it for advice about the correct growing position, or consult reference books for further detail.

Some plants will grow in a wide variety of situations. Their label may say 'grows in sun or light shade'. When a label says 'for a sunny situation', for example, on conifers and fruit trees, the plant must be in sun for at least half the day. Plants which prefer to have sun all day long will have 'full sun' on the label: for example, herbs, rock plants, grasses and roses need to be in a north-facing position, away from shade-casting trees, walls or other features.

Some plants will scorch if the weather is very hot, so the label may indicate full sun is needed except at midday, when the sun is at its hottest. Shade only at midday is not easy to find - ideally place the plant where a rock, container or tree trunk provides temporary shade at this time of the day. Alternatively, take a chance and plant in a spot with all-day sun, but make sure that the soil stays moist, or position the plant where it gets afternoon shade.

It is easier to choose plants that suit a particular site, but you could, if necessary, alter the site to suit particular plants. To provide shade, you could plant trees or shrubs, or put up a structure such as a bamboo screen or a pergola with climbers trained over the top to filter the light. A few plants - lilies, clematis and flannel flowers, for example - grow best with their roots in cool shade, and their stems and flowers in sun. Create shade at the base of the plant either by growing shorter, ground-cover plants, or by putting large pebbles over the soil surface or clustering planted pots around the base.

The soil at the base of a sunny wall is often dry and impoverished, but some plants, such as Amaryllis belladonna, winter iris (Iris iinguicnlaris) and Nerine bowdenii, flourish in this situation. Also try other drought-tolerant plants, such as crassula, Helichrysum angustifolium, sempervivum, Senna artemisioides or many of the euphorbias, including Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii. For a wider range of plants you will need to improve the soil by adding well-rotted organic matter. You will then be able to use the bed to grow climbers or wall shrubs, and sun-loving tender perennials or bedding plants less tolerant of poor, dry conditions. For spring bloom, hippeastrum and Californian poppies will enjoy this situation.

Adiantumraddianum (Delta Maidenhair Fern)

These ferns have delicate, pale-green fronds borne on black, wiry stalks. They mix well with both foliage and flowering house plants and are useful for softening the outline of arrangements. They are also attractive on their own. Small plants can be planted in terraria.

Mini-climate
Warm, shady.

Size
Adiantum raddianum grow to 1 foot in height with a similar spread. Plants of all sizes are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer once a month during spring and summer.

Potting
Repot in spring using fern potting mixture but only when a mass of roots appears on the surface of the potting mixture.

Special points
Stand plants on trays filled with moist pebbles to increase humidity.

Similar-shaped species
Adiantum raddianum microphyllum has minute, dark-green, wedge-shaped leaflets. Adiantum hispidulum is very small and has fingerlike fronds.

Achimenes Grandiflora (Cupid's Bower)

Also known as "magic flowers", these plants have hairy, upright, green or red stems and dull-green leaves which are also hairy. Flowers can be pink, purple or yellow in color, with white throats. The flowering period lasts from summer to autumn. These are very useful infill plants for an indoor window-box.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
Achimenes grandiflora grow to about 1'/ aft in height. Small plants are offered for sale in spring.

Feeding
Feed with phosphate-rich liquid fertilizer at one-eighth strength when watering during the flowering period.

Potting
Repot every spring using an equal-parts mixture of peat moss, coarse sand or perlite, and vermiculite. Divide older plants every spring.

Special points
Do not water in winter.

Abutilon Hybridum 'Canary Bird' - Flowering Maple

These are pretty, woody plants which can be trained when young. They have maplelike leaves from whose leaf-joints come the bell-shaped flowers. The flowers of the hybrids are red, pink, yellow or white. Abutilon hybridum 'Canary Bird' are long-lasting, making them suitable for use as feature plants, especially in front of a window.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
They can reach a height and spread of 3 feet in three years. Pinch out growing tips to maintain bushy growth.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in summer.

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. Once plants are in 10 inch pots, topdress instead.

Special points
Water less in winter and cut back any untidy stems in spring.

Similar-shaped species
Abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii' has green and yellow variegated leaves and flowers which may be composed of one color, two colors or two shades of the same color.

Getting to know your own garden

By putting plants in the right place, you will be gardening with nature rather than fighting against it. In the long run, this saves a lot of time because you will not need to replace unsuitable plants later. For instance, if conditions are too shady, some plants will grow tall, weak and leggy and may refuse to flower. Or, if they are in too much sun, their leaves will scorch and develop brown, translucent patches. To ensure that you choose the right plants for your garden, collect information about the soil and general local growing conditions. If you are new to your area, get further details, such as the annual rainfall and the frequency and severity of frosts. If there are no frosts, find out how cold it gets in winter and what you can expect in summer. Contact local gardeners to find out what grows well in your area.

Plants usually have labels indicating where they grow best. Reference books are also helpful. For example, a plant label may indicate that it needs soil that is 'moisture-retentive, but well-drained'. This means that it needs ground containing plenty of humus (decomposed organic matter) but which is never waterlogged. If your soil has little humus, you can dig in well-rotted organic matter, such as manure or compost. To make clay soil more free-draining, dig in well-rotted organic matter and grit.

To help you to decide what to plant where, draw up a rough plan of the garden and mark in the position of the house, any large trees and buildings, and which direction is north. Then mark which parts of the garden are in sun or shade, and are dry or damp.

Once you have drawn the plan, use the descriptions of acid and alkaline soils on the opposite page to identify the type of soil you have and choose plants suited to these conditions. Look around your area to see what is growing. If acid-loving plants, such as azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and pieris, are growing well, the soil is most likely acidic. But if the soil looks pale to white and some slants have yellowing leaves, your soil may be somewhat or quite alkaline. To be sure, use a soil-testing kit to do a pH test.

Acid soil - Woodland plants tend to like moist, humus-rich soil combined with light, dappled shade. Many, including camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas, require acid soil conditions (pH5-6). Slightly less acid conditions (pH5.5-6.5) are liked by some vegetables, including beans, broccoli, cabbages, potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes, as well as some fruit, such as apples, blueberries and raspberries. The majority of garden plants thrive in neutral soil or in ground that is slightly acidic or slightly alkaline.

Alkaline soil - Usually based on chalk or limestone, alkaline soils are jften described as 'hungry' since microbes break down organic matter raster than under neutral or acid conditions. This means that you will need to add more organic matter to alkaline soils than other soil types :o improve their water-holding capacity and nutrient content. There :s no quick or cheap method to make alkaline soils more acidic.

Gardening case study 3 - Letting in the light

Anne and David Fenwick are in their forties with one son aged 12. They like to spend time in the garden at weekends, and their son and his friends spend a lot of their free time in the warmer months playing outside.

David Fenwick works in the sales department of a local manufacturing company and often works late in the evenings. Anne works part-time at a bank and is home by mid afternoon. Although their medium-sized 9 m x 21 m back yard faces north, the sun is kept off the garden for most of the day by large neighboring trees. Apart from the trees, the garden consists mainly of overgrown flowerbeds around the edges and a patchy lawn in the middle. The Fenwicks want a garden that is easy to keep tidy and able to withstand ball games, because their son likes to practice cricket on the lawn. They also want somewhere private and pleasant to sit and relax and an informal pond that attracts wildlife, which will give their son an interesting environment to enjoy.

The Old Garden
Overgrown trees and shrubs, and a threadbare lawn make this garden look neglected and uninviting. The trees also keep the sun off the garden for most of the day, making it difficult for other, non-shade-loving plants to flourish.


Deciding Their Priorities

How much time?
4 hours on average each week.

Essential ingredients?
Easy-care borders with year-round interest; a water feature to attract wildlife; a secluded patio; and a low-maintenance, hard-wearing lawn.

Likes and dislikes?
They like relaxing in the garden and using the patio area on warm summer evenings. Anne is also interested in the creative use of plants. Dislikes include anything that steals a lot of time at weekends, such as lawn mowing and weeding borders.


The New Garden
This simple, open shape gives plenty of room for ball games. To maintain privacy, the trees have been kept, including the apple tree and eucalyptus, but overhanging tranches thinned to allow more light into the garden.

Shrub Borders
Heavy pruning has rejuvenated existing easy-care shrubs. New shrubs need only an occasional pruning. Gaps are filled by ground-cover plants and bulbs.

Paved areas
The patio has been extended to seat the whole family. A raised area at the other end of the garden provides a second viewing point.

Easier watering
Containers are grouped to make watering more efficient and simple.

Wildlife pond
A pebble-edged pond with natural planting attracts wildlife.

Lawn Area
To eliminate annual repairs, the grass has been reseeded with a hard-wearing seed mix.

Mowing Strip
Paving slabs around the edge of the lawn cut down the time spent mowing and edging, and double as an all-weather path.

Using modern techniques for gardening

Gardening techniques are constantly evolving. Each year, dozens of new developments make it possible to garden more efficiently or with better results. The easiest way to keep up to date is by subscribing to a gardening magazine. Choose one that regularly features new products and techniques, and that has an extensive small ads section at the back. This is the best place to find manufacturers of new or specialized products, which are often only available by mail order.

Many new products and techniques can save hours. For example, mini-plants called 'seedlings', or the larger 'bloomers' or 'potted color', will allow you to raise the latest and best plant varieties with¬out having to grow them from seed. This saves time and avoids the expense of having to buy specialized facilities, such as seedling trays or a propagator, to raise seedlings.

Vegetables can also be bought as small plants, and you can eliminate a lot of hard work by growing them using the no-dig bed system. Instead of spending time spraying with pesticides, you can protect your crops from pests by covering them with fine, insect-proof mesh (fly wire), or by using biological control.

Elsewhere in the garden, you can almost eliminate weeding by planting through mulch matting covered with gravel or bark chippings for a decorative, low-maintenance finish. You can also avoid watering your pots by hand, one of the most time-consuming summer tasks, if you mix water-absorbing crystals into the potting mix before planting. Power equipment makes light of heavy work such as digging. You don't even need to buy and look after machinery - hire it when you need it, or pay a professional to do the job for you.

Even shopping for the garden has been made more convenient. Garden centers offer a basic range of plants, but you will have to buy from a specialist nursery if you want something a little unusual. Nurseries are increasingly selling by mail order and going 'on-line' so that you can look up suppliers of unusual plants and place orders on the Internet. Information on the websites should tell you whether the plants you want to order are suitable for your climate, give their mature size and tell you if they have any special maintenance needs.

Gardening case study 2 - Planning a garden with a swimming pool

Pat and Robert Lariccio run a clothing store, partly operated from their home, which is in a warm, sub-tropical climate. They have two children aged 10 and 13 and, although they love the idea of a garden, have irregular hours to spend on maintenance.

The Lariccios have just had a pool installed, both for the children to play in and because they would like to entertain friends and business associates on the poolside patio. They want to landscape the area using plants that will disguise the raw fencing, tolerate being splashed occasionally with pool water, and create a relaxed, summery look. They do not want plants that will cast shade on the pool or continually litter it with leaves or debris. Neither Pat nor Robert is an experienced gardener, and they have limited plant knowledge. They are more interested in a pleasing finished result than in a showcase of plants that would take time and advanced gardening skills to maintain.

The Old Garden
Forming a 'U' shape around the pool, the beds vary in width from a little over 1 m to about 4 m. There are some existing palms, including two large Canary Island date palms right against the fence. These were probably bird-sown; they must be removed, or they will grow until they dislodge the fence and damage the retaining wall.


Deciding Their Priorities

How much time?
An average of 1 hour per week.

Essential ingredients?
Plants that are lush and colorful in summer and green all year. Must be able to withstand splashing and must not be spiky or invasive. Easy care.

Likes and dislikes?
They like palms, fragrant flowers and leafy plants with an elegant habit. They don't feel confident about plants with special pruning or other needs. They don't want to have to spray regularly or have any timetabled tasks.


The New Garden
Several varieties are planted in mass groupings. None will overhang or shade the pool. The narrow beds are suited to an automatic watering system.

Informal Groups
Mix of white-flowered gaura and fountain grass softens the line of the pool fence and blooms for months.

Minimal maintenance
The frangipani, palms, begonias, calathea, ctenanthe, impatiens, lollipop plant, maranta, zebra plant and evolvulus need only a spring and summer feeding and regular watering.

Palms
The slender bangalow and bamboo palms, underplanted with pygmy date palms, give the pool a tropical backdrop; they have non-invasive roots and do not cause litter.

Color
Tropical perennials such as calathea, ctenanthe and maranta thrive under palms. Blue-flowered evolvulus cascades down retaining walls.

Bright Boundary
The fence is disguised by tall members of the ginger family -hedychium and dichorisandra - and canna lilies. No problems with pool water.

Designing out the workload

Most gardens are never designed at all. Instead, they evolve over many years, as their owners add new ideas - or find room for impulse buys of anything from plants and planters to ponds and gazebos. Many people buying a house 'inherit' someone else's garden which, though ideal for the previous owners, is not right for their lifestyle. Whether you want to create a totally new garden, or simply to adapt your existing one, good design can appreciably lighten the workload.

Your 'garden diary' will probably highlight several areas where a minor design 'tweak' could save hours in the long run. For instance, if you have an average-sized lawn which takes more than an hour to mow and trim round the edges, something as simple as smoothing out sharply curved borders could knock 15 minutes or more off your weekly schedule straight away. Over an entire gardening season this is the equivalent of reducing the workload by a whole day.

It can take a lot of time to make design changes. To decide if a change is worth making, you will need to balance the time spent on setting up the design change against the time saved by implementing it. Work that can be done in winter, when mainstream gardening jobs dry up in most climatic zones, is particularly worthwhile. For instance, if each autumn you have to reseed bare patches in the lawn where people wear a path to get to the shed or back gate, a few hours spent in winter sinking stepping stones a stride apart into the grass will mean that you never need to reseed the patches again.

Not all time-saving design tips are cheap. For instance, converting a small, fiddly front lawn to ground-cover plants grown through mulch matting under gravel will be an expensive, though attractive, way to eliminate the need to mow. But if the alternative is to pay someone to keep the garden tidy or to spend large amounts of time and money on controlling weeds, the initial outlay may look like better value.

The biggest time saving, however, comes from careful planning when adding a new feature. For instance, when building a pond, you can save hours of clearing out fallen leaves in future years by positioning it away from deciduous trees. Also, the correct choice of plants for your climate will mean they grow better and are easier to look after. For additional ideas, visit libraries, watch TV programs, read books and look through magazines. By planning carefully from the start you will be able to avoid problems later on.

Gardening case study 1 - Paradise for my plants

Danni and Michael Clarkson work full-time, and they don't get home until late most evenings. They are gardening enthusiasts, but their work and family commitments -they have two young children - mean they have little time for regular garden upkeep.

The Clarksons prefer the creative side of gardening, especially designing new features and planning new planting, rather than more mundane tasks, such as mowing and weeding. At weekends they enjoy walks in the country with their children and visits to specialist nurseries and plant fairs to look for plants for their temperate climate. They also attend the big flower shows in order to absorb new ideas and find unusual plants. Danni and Michael have a small back yard, so they want to make maximum use of the space available and still have an area where they can sit and relax. They are environmentally aware, so avoid using chemical sprays in the garden.

The old garden they want to transform is their small 10 m x 5 m yard to make an interesting garden filled with their favorite plants, but without creating more work than they can handle. They do not want to keep the lawn, which is full of weeds and has bare patches where the grass has died.


Deciding Their Priorities

How much time?
Only 3 hours a week on average. Some weeks no time at all.

Essential ingredients?
A flexible design that can be easily adapted to accommodate new plants. An attractive but easy-care area for eating and relaxing in the garden.

Likes and dislikes?
Both like scented plants and colorful flowers, especially purple ones. Danni also wants some plants that she can cut and use in indoor arrangements. Chores include mowing, weeding and watering flowerbeds.


In the new garden, they have reduced the workload by getting rid of the lawn and replacing it with low-maintenance materials and by mulching borders to prevent weeds.

Outdoor living
A semi-circular gravel area in front of the French doors is used for relaxing on warm evenings and at weekends. Containers filled with scented, creeping herbs add to the atmosphere.

Easy access
An attractive stepped path made from a variety of low-maintenance paving materials sweeps up and around the edge of the patio and disappears invitingly out of sight behind the lush borders.

Boundaries
A range of colorful, easy-care climbers, including clematis, lapageria, maurandya and an ornamental vine, mask the fencing, making the garden seem bigger than it really is.

Borders
Densely planted shrubs, bulbs and herbaceous plants, and a generous layer of organic mulch keep the soil moist and prevent weeds from growing.