Garden Care and Maintenance

www.gardencareandmaintenance.co.uk

"No matter how you plan your garden, it is a creative tool that allows you to express yourself physically, mentally and spiritually."

[click here to see more pictures…]

Additional Garden Maintenance Information and
Free Garden Care Guidelines...

So, you've decided to take up gardening and turn your back yard into an eco-friendly garden? There are many factors you need to decide before you actually get to work with your garden. The first thing to ask yourself is "What do I want the garden for? What type of garden will it be? Is it for lazing in? Entertaining in? Pottering in with a cup of coffee in one hand and a trowel in the other? Growing flowers or food or food and flowers?”

Plan to create an eco-friendly garden as your own private place to relax or entertain. Make it a special place where great memories are made with family and friends, an outdoor extension of your home where you can have informal barbeques or, on a grander scale, weddings or such like.

True life is in the magic of a garden; its growing flowers, plants and trees and the wildlife attracted to them. It is so exciting to have your own space to plant and cultivate these wonderful forms of life. Once you have experienced the satisfaction of watching something blossom to its full potential in an environment you have provided you will be hooked!

And that’s only the beginning! Anything is possible. In this series of diy gardening articles you'll find your gardening hobby reflecting the aspirations of hundreds of people just like you.

If you really want to enjoy your garden the best advice I can give to you as a new gardener is to do all things with moderation. Keep in mind that too little and too much of something is not healthy. This is the most valuable advice one can have in gardening.

Once you’ve decided what type of garden you want you need to choose its location. Choosing the garden's location within your yard is one of the more important things to decide and will be determined by things such as how you will water it, how much shade or sunshine it needs, etc.

You’ll want to choose a location that will provide an ideal climate for the plants in your garden. If you do an online search for the plants you've selected then you'll find a plethora of sites informing you about the perfect conditions for their growing. After this, it's just a matter of finding the most shaded or most sunny spot in your yard.

By the way; with global warming being in our consciousness, we now tend to make more of an effort to be eco-friendly when planning new projects. Fortunately, a little knowledge and enthusiasm is enough to save you having to hire expensive professional help.

Preferably you have designed your garden to be low maintenance that doesn't require care on a daily basis and requires little effort to keep looking good. Much of the pleasure in having an eco-friendly garden comes from enjoying clean fresh air and the gentle exercise derived from doing your own maintenance. Of course, the right garden tools make the job easy.  

There are basic essential garden tools required for a low maintenance garden that will be able to deal with most garden maintenance tasks. Since you will be using them for many years, it is worthwhile investing in decent quality as available online, or take a trip to your local garden store.

The garden should have grass, plants and trees that are sturdy, long lasting and relatively self sufficient and also pleasant to look at. Trees and grass are ideal for converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, providing a clean healthy atmosphere: A rich area of grass, whether lawn or a small wilderness patch prevents soil erosion.

Ask any good gardener and they will explode any myths that an amazing garden grows out of planting a few random plants here and there. No! To have an attractive low-maintenance garden, it all starts with a design in your mind.

You need to take account of the style and function of your simple garden. If you are having a lawn, for the purpose of easy maintenance, get rid of all excessive weeds and insects. Eco-friendly pesticides will discourage garden pests and insects. Be generous with fertilising the grass – five or six times annually.

A little research and planning will save you endless work in the long run. Begin by choosing what variety of plants you want to have around your home and where you want to plant them. Take into account what the plant’s needs are, i.e., soil type, drainage and sunlight. Low-maintenance means slow growing plants that do not require constant trimming.

You may want to have an organic vegetable garden, a herb garden, fruit trees, berry bushes, etc., in your eco-friendly garden. There is very little can compare with the joy of gathering harvest from your own vegetable garden and eating it fresh! Add a selection of herbs and some tomato plants and you are growing a feast to delight a king.

Create your own compost from kitchen waste, adding paper and cardboard to the mix. If you have comfrey or nettles, add to the compost as they enrich it and speed up the process. Using your own compost in your own vegetable garden is hugely satisfying.

The main thing to bear in mind when planning a rock garden is the type of plants you will use and what their needs are. Plants that look natural in a rocky surrounding are mountain growers, used to living on well drained slopes.

Flowering plants add colour. Creepers cover unattractive walls and for the smaller areas, attractive potted plants add beauty. Plants suited to your climate will be easier to grow. Use fertilizers and pesticides sparingly; make sure they are that are eco-friendly, free of harmful chemicals.

To capitalise on nature, draw up a plan. An open area, whether lawn or paved, gives a spacious appearance. A pond or fountain may provide a focal point – water adds a sense of tranquillity.

A water garden gives your home that quietly distinctive appearance. In Japan, it has long been used for its mood enhancing properties. The well designed water garden always attracts admirers who pause to enjoy it. Find that perfect spot to locate and construct your water garden.

The well designed water garden always attracts admirers who pause to enjoy it.

Don’t you just love how a garden reflects your personality? We make our gardens unique and eye catching. A beautiful elegant garden fountain is set off perfectly in a well kept garden. It can look so stylish and classy. There is a wide variety of fountains to choose from or you could create your own personal design. For practical as well as aesthetic reasons, it is wise to have a solid, well-constructed fountain.

When new, the fountain is immensely pleasing to the eye and it may be your pride and joy but novelty can wear off and other things demand your attention... Your garden fountain will need to be kept clean. Dirt gets trapped in the filter pipe so keep an eye on that so as not to damage the pump.

When you are in a beautiful garden, you feel at peace. There is a saying “You are closest to God in a garden.” Now I don’t know if that is true or not, but one does have a sense of wonder and completeness when nature is cultivated and tended in a garden.

The trick is to allocate a small amount of time to garden maintenance on a regular basis – and your garden stays clean and inviting. So, see here are some easy garden tips to keep your shed, pond and patio looking brand new...

Arrange your plants well, choosing the right plants to thrive in your garden. Understanding nature is an art. Fortunately for the novice help is easily available to get your eco-friendly garden looking and feeling beautiful.

One more thing you should know, creating a back yard eco-garden that aligns well with nature will bring in lots of favourable changes in your environment. This will help you breathe fresh air throughout and keep you healthy and fit as well. Imagine with all the backyards turning to environmentally-friendly gardens, it would make a world of difference. Thus, it is rightly said, ‘cleanliness begins at home.’ If you care to clean and maintain your eco-friendly back yard garden, it's sure to make mother earth proud of you!