Saturday, October 6, 2007

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.

No comments: