Choosing the right roses for your garden

There's an enormous selection of roses that you can grow in your home garden. With such a large selection to choose from, your decision may seem more like a difficult task than the fun that it should be. In order to make this process easier, there are a few important factors that you should consider prior to choosing your roses.


Color

How will the color of your roses effect your garden? Look at different catalogs, as well as your neighbors' gardens, to get an idea of the colors you like best.

While the color of your roses might not seem very significant, you should consider the colors of other plants and flowers that your roses will share the garden with. Will the assortment of colors look nice, or will they clash? For some, color-arrangement is a priority; while for others, it's no big deal.


Size

In addition to color, the size of the roses you choose is very important. Consider the height of your roses at full-growth. If the roses grow fifteen feet in height, will they look unattractive in your garden? Remember, the size of roses vary. While some roses may grow up until eight feet, other can grow up to twenty feet in height.

Measure the area of your garden prior to choosing the roses you want to plant. Compare your width and height measurements with roses you're looking to purchase. Your roses should have an ample amount of space to grow as well as plenty of exposure to the air. If you only have a small amount of space to dedicate to roses, you may want to consider growing miniature roses. These roses do not take up a lot of space and are easy to plant and care for.


Climate

Although height is an important factor in your rose garden planning, choosing the right roses for your particular climate zone is just as important. In order for your roses to grow healthy and mature, they have to be adjusted to your climate. For example, if you live in an area where it snows six months out of the year, you'll want to make sure you purchase roses that can withstand cold temperatures.


Maintenance

How much time are you willing to spend maintaining your roses? Do you live to be in the garden, or are you more of a low-maintenance type? There are several types of roses which are very high-maintenance. Although they will look beautiful in your garden, they will require a lot of your time. The classification known as "Modern Roses" are very beautiful, long blooming, and highly fragrant, however they are very high maintenance and are prone to disease.

The rose classification known as "Old Garden Roses", on the other hand, have been bred to be very disease-resistant and require less maintenance. "Old Garden Roses" blooms for several months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful scent. The bad news is that people with strong allergies to fragrances will have a terrible time around them. If that seems like it will be a problem for you then consider any of the variety known as "shrub roses". They are also disease-resistant and long blooming, but do not produce as strong a scent.

If you're new to gardening and want to try your hand at growing roses, landscape roses may be your best option. These roses are easy to care for and disease-resistant. They'll look stunning just about anywhere. If your garden has trellises, you can add several climbing roses as well. Although climbing roses look very similar to landscape roses, climbing roses have been trained to grow upward like vines. They're a beautiful touch to any home.

Planting potted roses, how to do it right

It wasn't too long ago that no serious rosarian would even consider having a potted rose on their property except for, maybe, last minute emergencies where they had run out of space but couldn't resist buying just one more plant.

Times have changed and potted roses have a place in the lives of condo and apartment dwellers, city slickers who live in areas where there isn't a tree in sight, and anyone who has a spot on their lawn or garden in need of the beauty that only a rose can deliver.

Not all roses are good candidates for growing in pots. The following varieties have been found to do best. Feel free to try any variety that you want, even climbers, and see how they make out.

* All that Jazz
* Ballerina
* Blush Noisette
* Bonica
* Cecile Brunner
* Clotilde Soupert
* Green Rose
* Gruss an Aachen
* Hannah Gordon
* Hermosa
* Katharina Zeimet
* Mrs. Oakley Fisher
* Peace
* Perfume Delight
* Precious Platinum
* Sea Foam
* Sexy Rexy
* Souvenir de la Malmaison
* Stanwell Perpetual
* The Fairy
* Valentine
* Whiskey Mac

Planting potted roses is a relatively easy task as long as you do your planting in the spring after any chance of a frost is long past. If you live in a warm climate zone, then hold off planting until autumn when the ravages of July and August are far behind.

When you're ready to plant, choose an appropriate sized container with drainage holes. Make sure that the container has enough room for your plant to grow without having to transplant frequently.

Fill the container with garden soil that has some compost or organic fertilizer mixed in.

Dig a hole that's a bit bigger than the root ball, knock the rose loose from its shipping container, and plant it.

Dig a shallow trench or moat around the base of the plant to hold water, and water well.

Potted roses are susceptible to the same diseases as garden roses are, and they require feeding, pruning and all of the other rose care basics. Potted roses aren't less work or responsibility; they are simply more space-saving than a regular rose garden. Don't treat your roses as if they were ordinary potted plants or you will lose them.

People are constantly asking if they can grow potted plants indoors. The answer is: "Maybe, but it's a risky proposition." That's because roses need high humidity and a lot of direct sunlight. High humidity conditions do not usually exist inside of most air-conditioned homes. However, if you live in a hot, steamy area, and you don't have air conditioning, then you can probably get away with it as long as you pick a sunny spot.

Of all the rose varieties that are likely to survive indoors, miniature roses are your best bet. Miniature roses are actual roses that have been bred to grow into small and compact plants with equally small flowers. They do very well in pots and are quite beautiful.

If you're willing, go ahead and experiment. You've really got nothing to lose and you just might discover a whole new aspect of rose gardening!

Accentuate your garden with rose trees

Looking for a colorful way to make a grand statement? If you like to putter around in the garden, then do what the nobles of the past did and surround your home with rose trees. Doing so will definitely add an air of elegance to any landscape.

Rose trees, also known as Rose Standards, differ from rose plants or rose shrubs in that they are actually cultivated to resemble a tree. A rose tree consists of a long, slender cane, 32 – 36 inches (about 1 meter) in length, void of any foliage from which an abundance of rose flowers literally burst forth. The 'tree' is created by making two grafts: one at the top of the central cane to support the hybrid tee, grandiflora or floribunda and one at the bottom, at the rootstock.

Miniature rose trees are created in a similar manner, the difference being that the central cane measures only approximately 24 inches. Whether regular-sized or miniature, the end result is a unique rose that has the shape of a lollipop.

To endure the weight of the grafted rose on top, the central cane usually must be staked. Staking is especially important in areas prone to wind. Another problem with rose trees, besides the usual pests and diseases that plague all roses, is the sun. The cane part of the tree rose is especially susceptible to sun scald.

During the winter months it's difficult to protect rose trees from the cold. With regular roses, all that's required to prepare for winter is a layer of mulch around the base. But with the rose tree, to be protected from the cold, mulch must be placed all the way up the cane. The only way to accomplish this is either by relocating the rose tree during the winter, or by engineering a container made from wire mesh to surround the cane that can be filled with mulch.

Besides the seasonal care, growers have to diligently prune rose trees to achieve the right look. The central cane should never be pruned, only the flowering top part. How you prune will depend on the type of rose that sits atop the cane so know the right way before beginning. Improperly pruned roses, regardless of type, are more prone to diseases. And with the rose tree, it can cause an uneven distribution of weight that could break the stems.

You'll find several different species of rose trees. The newest to hit the market is the 'double decker' rose tree that produces two layers of flowers. One is on top, as you would normally expect to see, and the other layer begins closer to the ground although this layer is not considered ground covering. Yellow Ribbons Double Decker is a beauty. Another popular rose tree is the 'weeping' tree where arched rose stems overflowing with roses cascade towards the ground. The Roseberry Blanket Weeping Tree Rose produces large-sized fuchsia blooms.

Even though Rose Standards require more attention, the attention they'll get when they're established and in full bloom is well worth the effort. They'll add height to your garden and bursts of vibrant color throughout your landscape.

Simple steps for a simple-maintenance lawn

No matter how weed-infested or bald an existing lawn has become, it will take less effort to improve it than to create a new lawn altogether. However, if you prefer quick results, or if you have no lawn to begin with, you will have to start from scratch.

Laying cultivated turf is the quickest way to create a lawn, but it is relatively expensive. Turf will thrive anywhere except in heavy shade or on poor soil. Turf is grown in huge paddocks and can contain weeds, although the better producers will make every effort to prevent this. The price of turf varies with the type of grass wanted and it should be laid in spring or autumn when the soil is warm and moist.

The cheapest way to create a new lawn is to sow seed. But you will have to wait several months after sowing before you can use it. Sow cool-season grasses in early autumn, warm-season grasses in spring -both will be established and ready to use by summer. Choose the right seed for your situation and buy from a reputable supplier. If you can, ask some local gardeners for advice about which grasses are ideally suited to your area.



Holiday tips

• Do cut the grass shortly before you leave home.
• Do arrange for your grass to be cut while you are away, especially if you are gone for more than two weeks.
• Do 'top' long grass on your return with a line trimmer or rotary mower. If you cut long grass down to its lowest level in one go, it turns yellow, so make sure that you set the blades as high as possible for the first cut, then mow again a few days later. Don't apply fertilizer for six weeks before you go on holiday.
• Don't water the lawn in summer because it will suffer even more if the weather is dry when you are away.

About rose classification

Although there is no one set of "official" classification system of roses, there are many different popular rose classification schemes that are employed throughout the world. The most popular of the systems in use has been proposed by The American Rose Society in cooperation with the World Federation of Roses. Although this classification system is not the only one in use, a large majority of internationally established societies have adopted this scheme for classifying roses.

According to the American Rose Society, there are three main groupings of roses: the Species; Old Garden Roses; and Modern Roses. Species Roses, the origin of every other rose class, are commonly referred to as "wild roses." These "wild roses" are easy to identify, as they normally have five petals, are once-blooming, and are generally thorny shrubs or climbers. Several popular Species Roses include: Cherokee Roses, Dog Roses, Gallic Roses, French Roses, and Redleaf Roses. Species Roses can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, as they flourish in temperate climates.

Unlike Species Roses, which existed millions of years before man walked the earth, Old Garden Roses are identified as a major class of roses recognized before 1867.

Most Old Garden Roses bloom once per season, usually at the arrival of summer. Old Garden Roses occur in a variety of shrub and vine sizes. Although colors vary, Old Garden Roses are typically white or pastel in color. These "antique roses" are generally preferred for lawns and home gardening because they are easy to care for. Several groupings of roses are classified as Old Garden Roses including: China, Tea, Moss, Damask, Bourbon, Hybrid Perpetual and Noisette roses. Many "antique roses" have a strong sweet scent, which makes them very desirable.

Old Garden Roses are the predecessors of Modern Roses. Any rose which has been identified post 1867 is considered a Modern Rose. This group of roses are very popular. The Modern Rose is the result of cross breeding the hybrid tea with the polyanthus. The colors of a Modern Rose are lovely, rich and vibrant. Most of the roses found in this class flower repeatedly when cared for properly. Perhaps that is why horticulturists find this class so attractive. The most popular roses found in the class of Modern Roses are the hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora. Although Modern Roses are adored by florists and gardeners, they do not adapt well to colder environments.

After a rose has been classified according to the three main groupings, a rose can then be further classified by color, scent, growth habit, ancestry, date of introduction, blooming characteristics and size. It is very difficult for horticulturists to classify every rose, especially the hybrid roses which often seem like a grouping of their own. While there has been much debate on classifying roses, the American Rose Society appears to have the most functional system for these stages of classification. Perhaps this is why the American Rose Society's classification system has been adopted by so many rosarians the world over.

Design tips for easy-care lawn

A grass lawn takes effort to establish, but keeping it in top condition is where the real work lies. If you want a lawn, but don’t have time for a lot of fiddly maintenance in spring and summer, following these simple steps will reduce the workload of lawn care.

Two or more small lawns take a lot more maintenance than a single larger lawn. Not only do you have more edges to trim, but corners on smaller lawns will be tighter, which makes for awkward maneuvering with the lawnmower. If you have a large lawn in the back yard and a small one in the front, you could ease the burden by replacing the front lawn with a surface such as gravel or paving.

The shape of a lawn influences the amount of time needed each week to keep it looking tidy. The most efficient lawn shape for mowing is a circle. You can start at the outside and keep mowing in ever-decreasing circles until you reach the centre, without having to stop and turn sharply at all. A large, kidney-shaped lawn has sweeping curves that can also be mowed without the need to stop and turn, but avoid complicated curves, which are fiddly to trim. A square lawn is less time efficient, but is the best choice for a formal garden.

The more obstacles in a lawn, such as beds and trees, the longer it will take to mow. Having to duck under an overhanging tree or mow around a shrub will slow you down. Do not use a line trimmer around a young tree, because the line may cut into the bark and injure the trunk. If plants cascade over the edge of the lawn, put down a 'mowing strip' of bricks, reducing the need to tidy the lawn edges.

If you have several trees in the lawn, incorporate them into a single island bed to reduce the amount of edging. Discourage weeds by underplanting with ground-cover plants and mulch any bare soil. If you want a specimen tree, you can also lay a bed of gravel around it or leave a drift of long grass to grow underneath.

Restoring a neglected grass lawn

Regular mowing keeps grass growing thickly and prevents weeds from getting established. To rescue an overgrown lawn colonized by weeds, cut back the long grass in either spring or autumn using a line trimmer or a rotary lawnmower with blades set high, at 5-8cm. For a large area, hire a powered scythe or get in a contractor for the first cut. Then feed the neglected lawn with a lawn fertilizer.

Mow regularly, deciding what height you want your lawn and mowing each time it grows 1-2 cm more than this. By cutting the lawn by less than 2 cm, you won't need a grass catcher, because these short trimmings will sink into the lawn quickly, returning nutrients to the soil. Longer trimmings will tend to stay on the surface longer and look messy, although they won't do any real harm unless piled thickly. In early autumn, use a lawn rake to remove dead stems and moss, aerate with a spiker to allow air into the soil for better root growth, and apply a lawn fertilizer.

Weeds
Regular mowing kills upright weeds. Flat, rosette-forming or creeping weeds such as chickweed, clover, dandelions, bindii and paspalum, go unharmed under the mower. The fastest remedy is to apply a combined liquid weedkiller and lawn food in spring. Remove individual rosette-forming weeds by applying a spot weedkiller for lawns, or dig out by hand, ensuring you pull up all the roots.

Moss
When moss or algae appear in a lawn it's usually a sign that the soil has become waterlogged and, if there are trees nearby, the area may also have become too shady. There are products you can apply that will kill the moss or algae, but they will reappear unless you address the underlying problems in the affected area. In shade, thin out the branches of overhanging trees or replace the lawn with shade-tolerant ground-cover plants. For waterlogged soils, correct poor drainage if possible. In boggy, old or heavily used lawns, scarify and aerate the turf in autumn, then brush in two bucketfuls of river sand per square meter without burying the grass. This treatment may need repeating every few years.

Bare patches
On poor, thin grass or a lawn that gets heavy wear, apply a ration of lawn food in spring and another in early autumn. Repair any bare patches in spring or autumn. Prick the soil with a fork to loosen it and sprinkle on seeds of the same type of grass, or returf the area.

Other lawn problems
Your lawn may have slimy patches or areas that look like overlapping green platelets: this is liverwort, which you control in spring with a liquid moss killer. For dollar spot - small, dead patches in grass - spray promptly with a lawn fungicide.

The right tools for your rose gardening needs

Like any job you tackle, the work is always much easier if you arm yourself with the right tools. Before heading out to your rose garden, make sure you bring along these basic rose gardening tools.

Pruners
A good pruner is one tool that you will use almost daily. There are two types of pruners on the market. One is called an "anvil" pruner, and the other is called a "bypass" pruner. An anvil pruner has blades that meet on top of each other. Bypass pruners have blades that pass each other like scissors do. Always use bypass pruners so you don't crush your canes and stems.

Loppers
When your rose garden starts to mature there will come times when this will be an indispensable tool for cutting back old, thick canes that are too much for a set of pruning shears. If you are just starting your rose garden, save your money as you won't need this for a few years.

Long-Handled Shovel
Choose a lightweight model with a strong handle. Shovels with fiberglass throats are good choices. Spend a few extra dollars and get one with a padded handle as it will save you lots of blisters as the years go by.

Wheelbarrow
Avoid the temptation to buy the cute garden "carts." You are going to need a real wheelbarrow. As your gardening addiction, I mean hobby, takes off there will be no end to the things you will be hauling in and out of your garden. Some of those things will be very heavy and you'll be glad that you have a real wheelbarrow to help you.

Gloves
"You can complain because a rose has thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have a rose." - Tom Wilson

The rose garden is no place for thin, wimpy gloves. Unless you enjoy feeling the thorns pierce your skin, opt for leather work gloves with those big, fold-down cuffs.

Kneeling Pads
Some people prefer the big 8"x15" water-resistant pads with handles, while others prefer strap-on knee pads. The kneepads are more convenient because they move when you move, but the one-size-fits-all knee cups may not work for you. In that case, the pad will suit you fine.

Short Garden Digging Fork
This tool is indispensable for turning and loosening soil in small patches. Choose a good quality model with steel forks and a sturdy handle.

Watering Wand
Great for watering potted roses and for giving your other roses a good root soaking. Choose a model with a quick shutoff valve on the wand itself, and a quick release fitting for the end that plugs into the hose. Spend the money to get a model with brass fittings instead of plastic. It will last years longer.

Garden Rake
These are the rakes with the sharp steel teeth that you use for leveling and smoothing beds. Choose one with a sturdy handle and steel tines.

Leaf Rake
You'll use this tool a lot for cleaning up clippings, leaves and other garden debris. You may want to buy both a "regular" size rake, and one of the smaller "child size" rakes for pulling debris from tight quarters.

You shouldn't have any trouble locating a source to purchase these basic rose gardening tools. Your local garden supply store likely will stock these tools, or if you don't mind purchasing gently-used items, check out area yard sales for your gardening supplies. Have fun!

Preparing your roses during the end of autumn

The months of November and December can be an awkward time for many rosarians. While the growing season is coming to and end, the winter hibernation season has not yet begun. Some of us just don't know what to do with ourselves or our rose bushes during this period of time.

Because your bushes are not yet in hibernation they still require some attention from you. Water continues to be a prime need, so make sure that the soil around their roots continues to remain moist. Give them a good soaking as need be, but, as always, don't over-water.

Water is an important part of your roses' winter survival requirements and properly hydrated roots will help them stay protected when the cold weather arrives.

Stop all pruning and deadheading activity so you do not encourage new growth. You should have stopped applying organics last month, and you don't want to apply any more fertilizer now either. Your goal is to keep your roses healthy while, at the same time, encouraging them to begin the process of going into dormancy.

Continue spraying at least once each month to combat black spot. Spider mites are still active during late autumn so keep your eye out for them. Spritz your blooms and foliage with water whenever you see signs of infestation. Aphids are also active now, so have a bottle of soapy water ready to send them packing.

Pick off any diseased leaves and rake away any fallen leaves from your rose beds. This not only improves the appearance of your garden, it also removes any disease residue which may be still on the leaves.

This is also a good time to prepare your new rose holes and rose beds for next year's growing season. They will have time to "mellow" over the winter season and will be ready to accept new bushes in spring.

Begin the process of piling mulch around your more delicate varieties such as "St. Patrick", "Color Magic", "Oklahoma" and "Signature". Your hardier varieties can wait until next month. See our "Winter Gardening" article for mulching tips.

You worked hard all season to keep your roses healthy and beautiful. If you did everything right, you were probably rewarded with waves and waves of beautiful blooms. Your hard work is almost over for the year, but don't neglect your roses during these important final months.

Choosing the right ground cover for your garden

A lawn may seem the perfect way of covering most of the ground in your garden, but if you want to reduce the time spent on garden maintenance there are various options to consider. For example, where a well-kept, 'bowling green'-style lawn might require 100 hours of maintenance a year, a similar area covered by a tough family lawn which contains hard-wearing buffalo or durban grass would claim about 50 hours of your time. If the area were covered in ground-cover plants or a wildflower meadow, however, you would need to allow only about 10 hours to maintain it. Gravel would take less than 5 hours of raking and weeding each year, while paving could cut maintenance time to almost nothing.

To create low-work garden like this in a cooler climate, combine split-level decking with borders of easy-care shrubs, such as Acer palmatum and non-running bamboo underplanted with hostas. Cover bare soil with mulch.

Although a completely paved garden would be very stark, you can achieve a satisfying overall effect by combining paving with a small, carefully designed lawn, and low-maintenance borders, beds and ground-cover plants. Or combine paving with a range of other surfaces and containers to construct an easy-care, courtyard-style garden.

The main benefits of grass are that, if kept trim, it looks good for much of the year, requires little skill to maintain and is an all-purpose covering for most situations. Paving, bricks, stones and gravel do not need so much maintenance, but may be less appealing than a well-kept lawn. Decking is more interesting, but more expensive.

Grass is troublesome when growing conditions are not ideal: even if you put in many hours of extra work maintaining the lawn, the result is likely to be disappointing. In deep shade, for example, the grass will struggle to compete with shade-loving weeds and moss, especially if the ground remains wet for long periods. Either replace the lawn with a hard surface or plant the area with a mixture of shade-tolerant ground covers and perennials, including native violets - or, in cooler areas, bluebells, or a carpet of moss or baby's tears (Soleirolia). Where the grass does not thrive in a hot, sunny spot, a herb lawn of thyme or chamomile is a low-maintenance alternative, although it must not be an area that is often walked on.

Once established, a gravel garden featuring drought-tolerant plants such as blue grass (helictotrichon), iris, phorium, pinks and sempervivum needs little care other than debris removal.

Heavy wear is a common reason for a poor-quality lawn. If constant trampling is the problem, you could put up a barrier, such as a small, linear shrub bed, to prevent people taking short cuts across the lawn. If the route between the back door and a washing line is creating worn tracks that need regular repair, install a hard path or sink a row of stepping stones. Protect the turf from rough treatment by children or pets by reinforcing it with stiff, plastic mesh with 3cm holes or by creating a special hard-wearing play area.

On banks and slopes that are tricky to mow, use evergreen ground covers. They can be low and spreading, such as Convolvulus sabatius or Chinese star jasmine (Trachelospermum), or taller, such as cistus or Indian hawthorn. Plant them in sufficient density to smother any weeds. For extra weed protection, grow them through mulch matting.

Ground cover - Doing it right for easy maintenance

By simplifying the shape of your lawn, removing obstacles and adding easy-care features, you can cut mowing time. A radical solution is to choose a non-grass surface that requires little maintenance.

The traditional ideal of a lawn is a manicured, close-cropped expanse of grass that covers the 'floor' of the garden. Its big drawback, from the busy gardener's point of view, is the time that such a lawn takes to maintain. Even in a small garden it is easy to spend an hour or more each week from spring to autumn cutting grass, emptying the grass box, disposing of clippings and trimming lawn edges. And even in winter the jobs will still need doing occasionally.

By simplifying your garden's design and using the right lawn products and equipment it is possible to reduce the workload and increase the enjoyment you get from keeping a lawn. But there are exciting alternatives to traditionally cropped grass. A different ground covering can mean far less work and still look good, particularly in places where grass grows poorly, such as in shade or in dry, sunny sites. For areas that suffer heavy wear, gravel or paving would be better options, while in parts of the garden that are rarely walked on you could lay a decorative flowering feature which will not need cutting.

Weed control on your driveway

A properly laid driveway should have had all weeds removed during excavation for the foundations, and additionally may incorporate a weed-proof membrane. If weeds do appear in driveways, deal with them at once so they don't have time to set seed; most seedling weeds can be pulled out easily. More established ones will succumb to suitable weedkillers, or can be controlled organically with a fatty acid spray, boiling water, or a flame gun - though these treatments will need repeating regularly. Weedkillers with a lasting effect are the most labor-saving.

Tips for rose care in early autumn

September and October are your rose's finest hour. If you have faithfully followed suggestions at GardeningShortcuts up to this point, you should start to see full, colorful, magnificent blooms as your reward.

Your work isn't quite through yet, however. While fall is the best growing time, you also need to start thinking about the coming winter months.

Your bushes are working hard to produce blooms which will delight you and make you proud. They need a lot of water to fuel the process. Continue watering deeply and do it as often as is needed to maintain growth. If you are going to be showing your rose blooms then watering daily is fine as long as you do not use too much.

Keep applying water-soluble fertilizers until the end of September, and don't be afraid to use some of the commercially available bloom-boosting fertilizers. You can recognize these because they will have a large number in the middle of their formulation. Stop all fertilizing activity at the end of October so your bushes will be able to begin the journey into hibernation.

Conditions are still good for blackspot and mildew to form, so continue with your spraying program right through the end of October.

You can cut roses for bouquets through the end of October without harming the bush. If you want to let rose hips form, then just remove the petals of your spent roses.

This is also a great time to start planning next year's garden, so visit the web and start ordering catalogs to read throughout the winter. Order your new roses early while the best selections are available. Rose growers know the best time to ship your new bushes according to your climate zone.

Your roses in the summer heat

Heat is one of the worst enemies that roses face, and the months of July and August can be scorchers. Not only are your roses at risk of heat damage, but the accompanying humidity breeds insects and fungal diseases.

Here's a look at what we can do to keep our roses beautiful and healthy until the cooling days of autumn arrive.

Make sure that your roses have all the water that they need. Remember to water from the roots and not from the top to avoid fungus development and to make sure that your bushes can drink their full.

Water daily when the temperature is at or above 90F. Pot-grown roses may need to be watered twice per day. Avoid watering during the hottest times of day to guard against excessive evaporation.

Spray fungicide on a weekly basis to keep these humidity-born diseases at bay, and cut back canes and foliage which show any signs of infection.

Apply light feedings of fertilizer at least three times per week. Don't over-fertilize as this will cause burning.

Apply 2 to 3 cups of organics weekly, and stop applying your organics during the last week of August.

July and August are prime times for spider mites who thrive in the heat and humidity. Spritz your foliage and buds with water on a regular basis to show these pests that they are not welcome on your roses.

Now is not the time to fall behind on your deadheading chores. Your canes need all of their strength to support new growth, so pay careful attention.

Start cutting back your roses in the latter part of August so they will be ready to produce those huge autumn blooms which are right around the corner.

Trim the stems and branches that are trying to grow toward the center of the bush. This not only increases air circulation, but it removes prime breeding grounds for spider mites and helps to reduce the appearance of fungus infections that thrive in hot, moist areas within your bushes.

If you are planning to exhibit your roses in any of the fall shows, you'll need to carefully time your cane pruning activities in order to allow enough time for recycling to occur.

Here is a chart of the most common recycling times for selected species. Soil condition, temperature, bush health and other planting and growing conditions may cause these times to vary widely, so use this chart only as a guideline.

Slow recycling roses, such as "Uncle Joe", "New Zealand" and "Touch of Class" require 50 to 60 days to recycle.

Medium slow roses, including "Crystalline", "Elizabeth Taylor", "Peace", and "Olympiad" will require 50 to 54 days.

Your average varieties, which include "Color Magic", "Double Delight", "Gold Medal", "Nicole", and "French Lace" only require 45 to 49 days.

Fast varieties, like "Altissimo", "First Prize", and "Fragrant Cloud", will need 40 to 44 days.

"Dainty Bess", "Playboy", "Playgirl", and the other very fast varieties will recycle in just 35 to 39 days.

Easy maintenance front yards with spaces for cars

A car parking space doesn't have to be purely functional: it can also look attractive. The golden rule is that the larger the parking area, the greater the need will be to break up the monotonous appearance of paving. This can be done in several ways: by introducing a variety of textures and colors; by using more than one paving material; by creating a single central bed, either circular or elliptical, which is positioned so that cars can easily drive right round it; or by adding ornamental edging or clusters of containers.


Easy-care driveways

Solid construction is vital for an area regularly driven over by vehicles. You will need at least 15cm of firmly compacted road base for the foundations. The surface material you choose depends on the look you want to achieve and how much time is available for maintenance. Because of its soft appearance and versatility, gravel is good for large areas and those that are curved or have an irregular shape. It is cheap and easy to lay, and its natural color and texture blend well with most building materials, architectural styles and surroundings. The crunching sound made by walking on it also acts as a good burglar deterrent. However, to look smart, gravel needs occasional raking and weed control. It also needs a firm edge to stop stones from 'creeping' into other areas.

A variety of paving materials helps to break up the appearance of this driveway. A curved raised bed filled with evergreens and mulched with gravel keeps the workload to a minimum and makes access straightforward.

Gravel allows water to drain through it naturally, but hard paving materials must be laid with a slight slope for efficient drainage. Pavers are durable, clean and practical. Traditional sets are small, cube-like, usually granite blocks that are very hard-wearing. Concrete is comparatively inexpensive, but may look austere, although companies specializing in pattern imprinting can produce a decorative finish. Other options include asphalt and exposed aggregate.


Planting in driveways

At the edges of the driveway, plant tough plants, such as ground-covering juniper or creeping thymes, which will survive an occasional clipping by a car tire. Many ornamental grasses and sedges are suitable for this position too: bronze-colored Carex comans and white-striped Carex oshimensis 'Variegata' add evergreen foliage that cascades over the edge of the paving. For a shady drive, choose hardy ferns such as Doodia aspera or tough mondo grass. In a central bed choose robust, low-growing plants, such as Ajuga reptans 'Multicolor', gazania or Grevillea 'Poorinda Royal Mantle'.

Spring turns to Summer and your Roses need care

By now you have already been captivated by the first blooms of late April and you're filled with anticipation over the wave of blooms which are yet to come. This is the beginning of the season that we wait for!

Begin your deep watering program
In early May, heavy rains could still be left over from April. If that's so, then adjust your watering schedule accordingly. Otherwise, maintaining the correct moisture level is an absolute necessity.

Although Roses don't need as much water as other plants do, they prefer a root soaking rather than watering their blooms and leaves. Of course, over-watering can cause mildew and related fungal diseases to appear so be careful.


Start your deadheading program
Deadheading your rose plants results in an extended blooming season. Simply cut back a few branches with outward-facing buds that have more than five leaflets.

This is also a good time to enhance the overall appearance of your bushes by removing any faded blooms.


May is the start of the organics season
Once your roses have produced their first flush, it's time to apply the organics. Organics, including blood, fish, alfalfa, and cottonseed meal are an excellent food source for roses as is seaweed and wood ashes. Rinse seaweed in fresh water before using.

This is also the right time to start working on your soil amendments by applying compost and manure, shredded leaves, and grass clippings freely and abundantly.


Summer Pest Control Issues
Insects and diseases will be trying to get off to a good start this time of year as well. You can nip them in the bud, no pun intended, by recognizing and counteracting the effects of these common rose threats.

Aphids
These green or brown-colored insects form small colonies and suck the fluids from your roses. While their presence is often fatal to your roses, treatment is simple and effective. Just spray them with a mild soapy water solution.

Black Spot
This fungal disease can be recognized by the black spots that appear on the foliage. This condition is caused by incorrect watering. First prune away the affected foliage and discard the clippings in a trash can. Do not leave them on the ground around your roses. Next, start soaking your roses at the roots rather than watering from overhead.

Canker
This fungal disease causes the canes to turn black or brown before dying. Canker usually forms while the rose bush is under winter protection. Prune back affected canes to below the canker spots and discard the canes in a trash can.

Midge
These are maggots which bore into your roses and cause the buds to turn black. Prune out and discard the affected buds in a trash can.

Rust
This fungus disease can only be treated with a commercial fungicide. Symptoms include an orange-color powder which gives the disease its name. Rust is usually the result of mild, wet winters which allow the fungus to thrive when it would normally be killed.

Spider Mites
Initial infestation becomes evident when the foliage starts to turn a dull red color. As the infestation increases you will begin to notice small webs. Treatment is as easy as spritz the mites, as well as the affected areas, with plain water.

Trouble-free plants for the easy maintenance front yard

The need for low-work planting is greater in the front yard than in the back. You want a planted area that provides easy access for you and your visitors, rather than dense plants that will require constant trimming and pruning. Aim for a welcoming appearance and easy care.

Plants also need to be tough and capable of recovering quickly from damage. Children may take short cuts over the beds; cars and trucks may pass by, belching their fumes; dogs may trample on beds; and pedestrians may throw their litter into shrubs.

Good companions – Rosa ‘Golden Jubilee’ and Clematis ‘Vyvyan Pennell’ – add color to a cool-climate wall in early spring.

The most suitable plant candidates are also those that need no regular pruning - they must thrive without pampering. Remember that plants with prickly stems or leaves, such as Grevillea rosmarinifolia, may help to deter intruders, but they make picking out rubbish more difficult. For the design of a front yard to work well, the plants need to have additional functions. Some are needed to guide visitors up to the main access to the house, and possibly to and from a side garage or a car parked in a driveway. Possible candidates are a low, evergreen hedge of Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' for a sunny site, or Japanese box, with its neat, glossy foliage, for a more shady location.

Scented shrubs are also well placed to mark the main entrance, to greet people before the doorbell is answered. An easy-care shrub rose, such as the deep yellow Rosa 'Graham Thomas', or choisya, gardenia, luculia, mintbush, osmanthus or philadelphus would be ideal.

Choose a style of planting that fits in with the message that you want to give the world. Include easy-care plants already featured in the back yard to provide unity of design to your garden. The dramatic forms of architectural planting, such as phormium, philodendron or yucca, are particularly suitable for town gardens. Cottage-style planting may be better for a rural location, using easy-to-grow, self-seeding annuals and perennials, such as Californian poppy, agapanthus, cosmos, love-in-a-mist and Japanese anemone.

Don't forget to add a vertical element for impact. Choose a small tree with more than one season of interest such as a crepe myrtle: it has delightful late summer flowers, colorful autumn foliage and very attractive bark in winter. Avoid trees which grow very large or those with water-seeking roots, such as willows or pepper trees.

Rose gardening tips during early spring

If you live in an area where you can start seeing the promise of spring in late March or early April, then you're an "early spring" rose gardener. However, if you live where March and April bring the season's best skiing, then just keep waiting out old man winter until your turn at spring arrives and then follow the tips in this article.

Early spring is a time of great activity in the rose garden as you prepare for the beautiful buds that will be sprouting almost any day. Here's a summary of what needs to be done in order to prepare your roses for the tough growing season that lies ahead.

If you covered your roses with dirt or other protective winter coverings, your first step is to gently remove the protective materials so you can introduce your dormant bushes to the warming spring sun and gentle rains that lie ahead.

Before beginning your spring pruning activities, cut back any dead and damaged canes that did not survive the winter. Be sure to clear away any debris and residue from around the bushes as well.

Prepare the soil to nurture your plants by adding some organic compounds. You can either buy pre-packaged organics from your favorite garden supplier, or you can mix up your own recipe using composted manure or mushroom compost, or any of the usual meal blends which can include alfalfa, cottonseed, fish or blood meal.

Work your soil with a spade or other tool if it has become too compacted during the winter or if you notice standing water after watering your plants. Roses require well-drained soil to thrive.

After soil preparation is done you can plant any new additions to your garden including container-grown roses.

Next it is time to begin your fungicide spraying regiment either immediately or, if you prefer to wait, approximately 14 days after you complete your pruning. Opinions on the best time differ. The choice is yours.

Remember to rotate through different fungicides during the year to prevent any fungi from becoming immune to any one product.

Don't use any pesticides unless you see evidence of damage, but remember to keep a sharp eye out for aphids which are as much a sign of spring as April showers are. Hit them with a blast of water to remove them, or apply insecticide in a mister to the affected areas.

Imagine how hungry you'd be if you just woke up from a long winter hibernation! Well, your Roses are hungry too. The best way to coax them from dormancy to budding is to feed their little bellies now and every other week through the remainder of the growing season. Water well after feeding!

There! Your rose garden is ready for spring, but your work is far from over. If spring is near then summer can't be far behind. Read our future posts to learn how to prepare your roses for the coming heat.

Easy maintenance lawn care all year round

EARLY SPRING
Cutting height in early spring depends on the type of grass you have. Warm-season grasses, such as buffalo, couch or kikuyu, which are not yet growing strongly, are cut high. Cool-season grasses, such as bent and tall fescue, which are still growing strongly, may be cut moderately low.

MID SPRING
Lower the cutting height for warm-season grasses; start to raise it for cool-season grasses. Apply lawn food or a combined weedkiller and fertilizer. Remove any weedkiller-resistant weeds by hand.

LATE SPRING
Mow regularly and, every third mowing, leave clippings on the lawn to act as an organic mulch. Rake to spread any piles of clippings evenly over the lawn.

SUMMER
Mow and edge as necessary. Water deeply once weekly or allow the grass to brown off - it will recover with the next rains.

EARLY AUTUMN
Aerate compacted areas. Rake out thatch using a hired de-thatching machine. Reseed or returf bare patches.


STARTING FROM SCRATCH
For an average-sized lawn of 50 square meters, allow a weekend to prepare the ground and a day to lay the turf. Lawns from seed require the same preparation; sowing takes a couple of hours. Paving will take an additional day to lay and is a heavier job. Gravel and ground-cover plants take the least time to set up.

Your roses in winter - plan well, and they'll make it through just fine

Winter is a time of rest and purification for your rose garden, but it can be a time of disaster as well if you fail to take the proper precautions.

While "old garden roses" and own-root species are generally hardy enough to make it through the winter unscathed, the more fragile varieties, such as hybrid teas and budded roses, can have a rough time if they aren't well protected.

Preparing for the ravages of winter should start way back during the rose selection process. When you're browsing online and printed catalogs, or admiring the selection in your local home and garden store, be sure to select varieties that are capable of withstanding the coldest winter temperatures that your geographic region is capable of dishing out. If possible, refer to your area "hardiness zone maps" before you buy.

The key to having your roses survive the cold of winter is to force them into total dormancy. Stop applying fertilizer by mid August, and stop dead heading and cutting flowers after the beginning of October. Allow hips to form to further promote dormancy.

In extreme cold areas, your goal is to keep the plant frozen throughout the winter and to prevent them from entering freeze / thaw / freeze cycles repeatedly. With that in mind, don't cover your plants too early. Wait until the first hard frost has struck and the leaves begin to wither and fall. This is a good time to remove ground foliage and other garden debris from around the plants that may contain diseases and insects that will hibernate during the winter and return to feed on your roses in the spring.

Take a few minutes to prune back the taller roses before you begin covering the plants for the winter. Avoid doing a thorough pruning as you'll want to cut back the dead and diseased canes come spring. This is also a good time to tie the canes together to protect them from being damaged by the howling winds of winter.

"Hilling" is a very common winter protection method. You simply pile a loose and well-drained soil or compost around and over the rose bush until you reach a depth of approximately 10-12 inches. Be sure that whatever soil or compost material you use has no excess moisture in it. You want to have only cold and dry soil for a winter covering.

Once the soil mound has frozen completely, you can cover it with leaves or hay, or evergreen branches.

Healthy roses, protected by clean and well-drained soil or compost, have a very good chance of surviving the winter season if you take the time to properly prepare them.

Once you have put your garden to bed for the winter, take some time to clean and sharpen your tools and put your shed or garage back in order so you'll be ready for spring.

As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, you'll be ready to sit back in front of the roaring fire and start ordering next year's roses from your favorite catalogs and web sites.

Watering your plants

In the wild, water appears as rain, mist or fog and is taken up mainly by the root system. Plants in the home are reliant on us to meet all their watering needs. Water is essential to all plants; without it they will die. The length of time this takes may vary from one day for young seedlings to several months in the case of a succulent plant, but death will always occur eventually. Water acts as a transport medium, in the way blood does for animals, and it is also essential for the process of photosynthesis, which supplies the plant's food. Water from the potting mixture is passed by the roots to all parts of the plant, carrying with it the nutrients vital for the food-manufacturing process. It charges stems and leaves and makes them sturdy and plump (turgid); without it they cannot stay erect. Any shortage of water results in stems and leaves becoming limp and drooping, flowers fading quickly, and buds falling before they can open. A temporary drought often means that leaves shrivel and turn brown at the edges and the tips, making the plants look unattractive.


When to water

Knowing when to water can be difficult but, as a general rule, you should water potted plants when they need it. This may seem to be an over-simplification, but it is accurate. The real problem is to judge when that is. Drooping leaves and limp stems are obvious signs that more water is needed, but you should not wait for such an advanced stage to be reached. There are more subtle signs: some plants' leaves take on a paler, translucent look when water is needed; on others, the flower buds dry and shrivel. Each plant has its own watering needs, dependent on its size, its natural environment and, most importantly, the time of year; actively growing plants need a lot of water, the same plants can manage with much less during the winter rest period. Never water routinely just because someone tells you to water every so many days. It is far better to test the potting mixture first, as this will indicate whether or not the plant needs watering. "Weighing" the pot in your hand regularly can also give an indication of the amount of water in the potting mixture; a mixture that is saturated with water weighs more than one that is dry. This method is reliable, but it takes a little practice to gauge whether or not the plant needs water, and is not always practical with larger plants in bigger pots. Moisture gauges are available which record on a dial the exact moisture content of the potting mixture. Readings such as "wet", "moist" or "dry" can be seen at a glance and allow you to act accordingly. Quite simple small indicator "sticks" or probes can be bought which are pushed into the mixture and change color according to the moisture content. Generally, play safe and, if in doubt whether to water, wait a day or two before making the decision. This is because, though both under-and overwatering can cause damage to plants, overwatering is probably more usually fatal.

Pesticides and your garden

All types of pesticide are labeled as to their contents and the pests or diseases they should be used against. Always follow strictly any specific instructions, such as the dilution ratio.


Contact insecticides

Insecticides are most commonly applied in liquid form as a fine spray, so that they hit the pest directly and, with luck, kill it quickly before it has time to multiply. These "knock­out" sprays work on contact, affecting the insect's respiratory system or otherwise destroying it.

Most sprays have an unpleasant smell and should not be inhaled. Take plants to be treated out into the garden or on to a balcony, as good ventilation while spraying is essential.

Some insecticides are poisonous to animals, birds and fish, and need careful handling. Others may not be suitable for particular plants. The label should warn you of this.


Systemic insecticides

Systemic insecticides work in another way. They are taken up by the sap - either from the potting mixture or through the leaves - and the sap-sucking or leaf-chewing insect is poisoned. Some stay as a thin film on the surface of the leaves, killing the insects that eat them; these are often called "stomach insecticides". Systemics can be applied in a number of ways: they can be watered on to the mix, sprinkled over it in the form of granules or pushed into it as a "pin" or "spike". They can also be sprayed on to the foliage of plants: the active ingredients work their way into the sap and circulatory system of the plant and poison pests taking them in. All systemics are relatively long-lasting and they can kill "newcomers" (pests that arrive after the application of the chemicals), whereas contact sprays only affect insects through direct contact.

Some insecticides combine both the knock­out effect and the long-term systemic coverage. Vary your insecticide from time to time to avoid the possibility of resistance build-up.

Chamaedorea Elegans 'Bella' (Parlor Palm)

These plants have dainty, deeply divided fronds arching from the central stem. The fronds are fresh green when young and darken with age. Mature plants produce small sprays of tiny, yellow, beadlike flowers. They thrive in the warm, humid conditions of bottle gardens and terraria.

Mini-climate
Warm, filtered sun.

Size
Chamaedorea elegans 'Bella' is a dwarf species, reaching a height of about 3ft after several years, with a spread of 1 1/2 feet. Young plants are offered for sale.

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

Potting
Repot in spring using soil-based potting mixture but only if the roots have completely filled the existing pot. Once plants are in 6-8 inch pots topdress instead.

Special points
Water less in winter.

Similar-shaped species
Chamaedorea erumpens forms a clump of slender stems, knotted at intervals like bamboo and with sections of bare stem. They can grow to about 6-8 feet in height.

Capsicum Annuum (Christmas Pepper)

An increasingly popular plant bearing brightly colored fleshy berries which appear in autumn and remain decorative for 8-12 weeks. The most familiar berries are orange-red in color but white, yellow, green and purple-berried varieties are also available. They are best treated as annuals and discarded when the fruiting has finished. They make colorful displays and are striking massed together as a table decoration.

Mini-climate
Warm, sunny.

Size
These plants are at their best when at 12-14 inch height and spread, and fruiting plants of this size are offered for sale.

Feeding
Feed with standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks in the fruiting season.

Potting
Repotting is unnecessary.

Special points
To keep plants in a decorative state for as long as possible, stand plants on trays filled with moist pebbles to increase humidity.

Campanula Isophylla (Italian Bellflower)

Campanula isophylla produce clusters of delicate-looking white or pale-blue flowers in early August and continue flowering until November. The flowers are normally so numerous that they completely hide the pale-green foliage. They are best treated as annuals and discarded when flowering has finished. These are useful plants for massing in hanging baskets or window-boxes. They look good in conservatories or informal rooms.

Mini-climate
Cool, sunny.

Size
The slender stems reach a maximum length of 1ft. Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushy growth. Small plants are offered for sale in summer.

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

Potting
Repot every spring using soil-based potting mixture. When plants are in 5 inch pots topdress instead.

Special points
Mist-spray plants in hanging baskets daily during summer and autumn.

Focal plants that look good

For a simple yet aesthetic front yard, choose plants that look good from inside and out. Here are some easy-care varieties. The trees can be used singly, while most of the other plants need to be grouped to create impact.

Small trees
Acerpalmatum 'Blood-good' Bauhinia variegata, Callistemon 'Harkness', Cordyline kaspar, Eucalyptus erythrocorys, Gordonia axillaris, Myoporum laetum, Plumeria rubra and Sophora microphylla.

Easy-care shrubs
Berberis darwinii, Chaenomeles x superba, Choisya ternata, Crevillea 'Ned Kelly', justicia brandegeana, Nerium oleander, Osmanthus delavayi, Pachystachys lutea and Weigela florida 'Variegata'.

Perennial plants
Agapanthus praecox, Bergenia cordifolia, Calathea makoyana, canna, Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii, Iris pallida 'Variegata', renga-renga lily, Salvia leucantha, Stokesia laevis.

Grasses, sedges and bamboos
Bambusa multiplex 'Rivierorum', Carex gaudichaudiana, Fargesia nitidia, Miscanthus sinensis, Ophiopogon japonicus, Pennisetum setaceum, Shibataea kumasasa, Stipa semibarbata.

How to work on a sloping site for a garden...

Many front yards have a gradient, which makes mowing a lawn impractical. A low-maintenance alternative is to carpet the slope with easy-care ground-cover plants. Alternatively, you can create a rockery on the gradient. Embed rocks into the slope or, especially if the gradient is steep, terrace the slope by creating a series of low retaining walls with plantings in between. A terraced garden may be expensive and time-consuming to have built, but it allows easy access for maintenance and can be linked by shallow steps. Terracing can also create the illusion of space by combining open areas, for example linking gravel with planting beds.

When building a terrace, keep the retaining walls as low as possible and do not attempt to build a wall taller than 90cm - call in an expert instead. Clear weeds with a glyphosate-based weedkiller, then allow any soil added to the terraces to settle for a few weeks. Before plant¬ing, top up with extra soil to form a gentle slope leading back to the bottom of the terrace above.


Making a rockery

Rockery plants need an open, sunny site and good drainage, although the soil should not be particularly rich. If your soil is 'heavy', with a high clay or silt content, improve it by digging in grit or river sand. If the subsoil has poor drainage, dig out the top 30cm of soil, put in a 15cm base of rubble or road base, and then a 5cm layer of river sand followed by 10 cm of topsoil -hard work, but your efforts will be rewarded'.

When choosing stones to embed in a rockery slope, select the natural stone of your region, especially if natural rock is a feature of your area. Otherwise, common stones for rock gardens include limestone, which weathers quickly but is not liked by acid-loving plants, and sandstone, which comes in attractive colors. Other materials include driftwood, slate - which comes in grey, green and purple - and, if you can get it, tufa, which is lightweight and good for a small rockery.


Choosing rockery plants

Choose plants that are easy to establish, but not invasive. Along the top edges of the wall, plant prostrate alpines or small succulents so that they tumble over to soften the hard structure.To prevent alpines and succulents rotting at the base, plant shallowly with 3cm of the rootball above soil level and mulch with about 5cm of pea gravel or stone chippings. This will also conserve moisture during dry spells, control weeds and ensure that your plantings blend attractively into the rockery.

Creating your beautiful gravel garden

A simple design is the key to keeping down the workload in your front yard. Gravel gardens can provide the ideal solution - easy-care plants that grow through mulch matting topped by a 5cm layer of gravel. Not only do the natural color and texture of a gravel garden help to set off plants to their best effect, but the 'fluid' nature of the loose materials used is ideal for covering an area of an irregular shape. And don't stop at just plants in gravel; also consider non-living items with an intriguing character, such as large stones, rocks, empty containers, pieces of slate or driftwood.

Gravel garden care Several materials are available for gravel gardens. The most usual are: water-worn stones - called pea gravel if particles are small; true gravel, which is stone crushed to a gravel size; or more jagged stone chippings, which are available in a wider choice of colors - in tones of grey, yellow and red, and even in white.

A gravel garden will need regular raking, however, to restore an even spread of the material used, and to remove dead leaves and other plant debris collected on the surface. If mulch matting is not used, apply a path weedkiller as a once-a-year treatment to kill weeds and prevent weed seeds from germinating, but use with care because the spray can drift to affect nearby ornamental plants as well. Avoid sweeping down the debris from paved areas onto the gravel because this will only contaminate it and encourage weeds. A gravel garden will also need topping up every few years. Make sure that the new material blends with the existing one.

The best plants provide all-year interest and don't shed lots of leaves or petals. In a sunny site, select a Mediterranean-style planting of grey- or blue-leaved plants that thrive in hot, dry situations. Choose colors that contrast with and complement those of the gravel. For example, a gravel with strong yellows would go well with green or orange, as provided by a red-hot poker or Leonotis leonurus, or with the sky-blue flowers of agapanthus or the purplish-blue of lavender. Grey stone chippings, on the other hand, suit white, vivid green and steely blue plantings, with a dab of crimson red.

A gravel garden in a shady spot will have a completely different ambience. Easy-care plants for such a location could include bergenia, box and ferns with different textures and colors, as well as larger, architectural plants such as Mahonia aquifolium and Begonia coccinea. Allow moss to creep over the gravel to give a natural look.

This low-maintenance gravel courtyard with deep borders is filled with deciduous and evergreen foliage plants chosen for their texture, colour and shape.

Creating impact Focal points are best lined up from main viewing points, such as the front door or a downstairs window. For a corner of a larger area or in a small, city front yard, a tall bamboo, a bushy evergreen, a small tree or an empty decorative container could form a central attraction. For contrast, mulch with pebbles or stones - possibly adding a meandering 'river' of larger pebbles or slate of a contrasting color for extra interest - and plant with pockets of easy-care bulbs, such as Cyrtantluis mackenii and Algerian iris, for an early display.

Gravel is especially suited to seaside gardens, blending with the environment's tough, small-leaved, often grey or olive-green plants. Able to be left untended, it is perfect for holiday homes.

Simple designs can be the most striking in appearance. In this oriental-style garden, clipped box is combined with gravel and paving for an effective yet genuinely low-maintenance finish.


What to include

• Do repeat groups of the same plant to create a sense of unity throughout the garden.

• Do choose a few big, bold plants, with a strong shape, to use as focal points or special features - but remember to use them sparingly.

• Do plant creeping plants near the edge of the gravel garden to create a natural appearance.

• Don't underlay gravel with stone chippings of a different color or shape, because they will rise to the surface with time and look ugly.

Design options that make an entrance

Most front yards need to be functional and easy to look after. All too often, however, this leads to a stark, uninviting area that is low on interest for much of the year. A well-designed front yard combines the practical considerations, such as direct access on wide paths, while being pleasing to the eye. Many people make the mistake of treating the front yard like a replica of the back yard, with a big lawn and a narrow perimeter planting. The result is dull and, because the lawn is never used, the valuable land is wasted yet still needs maintenance.

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.


Covering the ground
The traditional way of filling space in a front yard is to grass it over. However, this is not necessarily the best or most attractive way of covering the ground. Mowing is a time consuming job that you must face up to every week in summer - and on top of the mowing there's the edging, weeding, feeding and watering. If you never use this part of your property because it's not private or because you'd prefer to do your relaxing in the back yard, then why not replace the lawn with ground covers, flowers, shrubs, even some paving, or a combination of all of these? You'll get a better outlook from inside the house and a more interesting approach to the house from the outside. You'll also save a lot of time because there's no way that densely planted ground covers, flowers and shrubs demand the maintenance that lawns do. There are plenty of easy-maintenance alternatives to a lawn and you'll find that, as a bonus, any natives that you plant will attract birds, which will help control insects for you.

Paved areas
If you lay a hard surface, such as pavers or bricks, you will need only to give it an occasional sweep and maybe an annual treatment for moss and algae if it is situated in damp shade. Gravel is cheaper and easier to lay at the outset, but you will have to control weeds and rake it every now and again to level the surface.

Mix together different finishes so that the paved area doesn't look too stark, but keep the number of finishes to no more than three, otherwise the design will look bitty and complicated. Or use different finishes to demarcate different areas. For example, hard-wearing bricks or clay pavers for the parking area and lighter-colored paving slabs for the path to the front door, or paving slabs placed as stepping stones in gravel to show visitors the way to the main entrance. Paving within planted areas can give access for pruning and weeding, as well as creating the illusion of space among groups of evergreen plants.

Adding plants
For impact, use only a few varieties of shrubs and perennials and mass them together. This works better and is easier to look after than having one of everything. It makes choosing plants easier too, because you have to select only a few varieties. For a simple, striking feature, choose a tree or shrub with a strong, sculptural shape and plant it in a prominent position, perhaps in a bed of gravel. It's often said that planting close together will provide you with instant ground cover, thereby suppressing weeds, but for plants to grow properly, they do need space to expand. Too close a planting means you will have to pull out some of your plants later, to allow the remainder to develop. Better to space them properly in the first place and suppress weeds by mulching all bare ground with a thick layer of lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch. Add more mulch as needed - your aim is to never see bare earth. Before adding new plants, find out the very best low-maintenance options for your climatic zone.

Combine plants so they produce bold areas of color in simple patterns that are easy on the eye - that means planting three or five of one variety next to another group of three or five of another variety. Avoid filling your garden with plants that all flower at the same time, or you will have a single season of interest and nothing for the rest of the year. The front yard is a good place to use plants with a striking appearance such as yucca and phormium, or lush foliage such as philodendron, because they don't depend on fleeting flowers for their impact. And do plant at least one tree in the front yard - but keep its ultimate size in mind when positioning.

Secure boundaries
The fence is an important feature in most front yards. It defines the edge of the property, as well as providing security and privacy. There are many low-maintenance options, depending on the style of garden and how much time you can afford to spend looking after them. Security can be an important issue when planning a front yard, but often it depends on where you live. Some people avoid dense shrubbery in the front, fearing burglars will hide behind it; others prefer the privacy and anonymity screening shrubs provide. If you worry about security, good lighting puts the spotlight on loiterers and the crunching of gravel provides warning of visitors arriving. Even a garden gate will create a psychological barrier to your garden, especially if it is kept closed.

Planning your yard garden entrance

Making plans

• Do draw a scaled plan on graph paper to decide the positioning of essential features.

• Do use fences, walls, trellis or shrubs to screen the garden from neighboring properties or the road.

• Do confirm your property line (with a surveyor if necessary) before erecting a new boundary, and check for council regulations.

• Do use bold plantings, strong focal points and sweeping curves to create the best impression.

• Don't have a complicated design. A simple layout is usually the most effective and the easiest to achieve.

This tropical entrance garden (above) is made colorful and memorable with an unusual mass planting of bromeliads and related tillandsias - even the trees are hung with them.

A vine-covered arch makes an authentic and charming entrance to a traditional cottage. This one uses potato vine (Solanum jasminoides), which is rarely without flowers.


Time saver
If you create a new front path from river stones or pebbles, bed them in concrete so that weeds cannot grow up in between. This saves you having to spend precious gardening time on weed control in the future.