Home >> Do-It-Yourself >> Choosing Landscaping Plants

Choosing Landscaping Plants

Before making the journey to selectplants for your garden make sure youhave a clear idea of where you aregoing to plant them, the type of soiland the aspect of your garden. Read thelabel and examine each plant beforeyou buy it to make sure it is right forthe spot you have in mind. Buying thewrong plant could waste a wholegrowing season.

Always check the plant's label forinformation about final height andspread - and how many years it willtake to grow to full size - and ask forhelp if the label doesn't tell you. Thenconsider the situation you have inmind for the plant and whether thefully grown specimen will he in scaleand in keeping with its surroundings.

Be sure to check when the mainseason of interest is, or whether theplant has the added bonus of a secondone. The plant has not yet beendiscovered which can be interesting inall four seasons of the year, but manyevergreen variegated plants, such asElaeagnus x ebbingei 'Gilt Edge', docome close to it. This shrub has brightgolden-yellow markings on leaveswhich are retained on the plantthroughout the year and do not easilysuccumb to weather damage. Cotinuscoggygyia 'Royal Purple' is a tall,handsome shrub that, though leaflessduring the winter, has fluffy pinkflowers in summer and rich plum-purple leaves throughout the springand summer, which turn it dazzling redcolour in autumn before they fall. Thesmall, upright flowering cherry tree,Prunus `Amanogawa', produces massesof soft pink flowers in spring and aspectacular show of colour in autumn,as the leaves turn to fiery reds, orangesand yellows, making the tree resemblea bright flame.

Any plant should earn its keep andrewards you for your efforts, butnowhere inure so than in a smallergarden, where space is at a premium.

Before makingthe journey to selectplants for your gardenmake sure you have aclear idea of where you are going to plantthere, the type of soiland the aspect ofyour garden. Dwarfconifers are a goodchoice in a smallgarden as they willmature withoutbecoming a danger to nearby buildings.

Site preferences

Every plant has a preference for theideal conditions it needs in order togrow well, whether it is hot or shady,acid or alkaline, dry or damp, and mostwill have the greatest of difficultygrowing in the wrong position.

Many conditions can be modified, atleast to sonic extent, to extend therange of plants which can he grown.Improve the drainage of a localized wetspot, for example, by incorporatingsharp sand or gravel into the soil, andby adding organic matter, such as well-rotted farmyard manure, to encourageworm activity. Dry areas will alsobenefit from the addition of organicmatter, which will hold moistureduring the vital summer months. Theuse of a mulch will also reduce theamount of moisture lost by evaporationand reduce competititm from weeds.

Acidic conditions can be modifiedby the addition of ground limestone orchalk, to raise the pH. It is difficult tolower the pH if the soil is alkaline,however. Flowers of sulphur will havesome effect on alkalinity but thedifference is only very slight and youwill have to repeat the treatment everyyear. On the whole, it is better tochoose plants that will thrive in yoursoil rather than labouring to change itspH, which may involve a lot of effort for little reward; indeed a great range ofplants will not mind a slight alkalinity.If your soil is alkaline, you would hebest to stick with growing acid-loversin containers, and this can he verysuccessful and suitable for many ofthem. Many fascinating and attractiveplants also enjoy growing in acidicconditions, so choose wisely and watchyour plants thrive.

Other Do It Yourself Articles:

| Austrian Blind | Buffet Party | Buying Plants | Ceiling Decorating | Choose Paint Brush | Choosing Floor Coverings | Choosing Your Own Flower Arrangements | Choosing Landscaping Plants | Choosing Themes | Christmas Decoration Ideas | Cleaning Tip | Container Gardening Ideas | Cooking Methods and Choice of Nuts | Cooking Tip | Cornice Window Treatments | Covering Floors | Cusion Materials | Daily Household Chores | Decorating Rooms | Decorative Art Painting Technique | Decoupage Equipment | Decoupage Ideas | Dinner Table Etiquette | Display Lighting | Diy Soft Furnishing Hot Tips | Do It Yourself Wood Storage | Door Repair | Double Glazing Windows | Draught Proof Door | Dried Fruit Loaf | Dusting Tips | Easy Cushion Embellishments | Emergency and First Aid | Fabric Repair Holes | First Aid Survival Guide | Fish Varieties | Fitting Shelves in an Alcove | Fixing Electric Fan | Flooring Repair | Floral Displays For The Home | Flower Arrangement Center Piece | Flower Arranging | Flower Arranging Tips | Flower Bathroom Decor | Flower Decorating | Flower Drying | Flower Drying Equipment | Food Safety Guidelines | Free Standing Shelving | Fresh Flower Arrangement | Fruit Preparing | Garden Floor Plan Designs | Garden Gravel | Gardening Finishing Touches | Garden Lighting Ideas | Garden {aving | Gilding Equipment | Gilding Techniques | Grass Alternatives | Handsewing | Hanging Doors | Hanging Picture Frames | Picture Hanging | Healthy Diet Plan | Home Appliance Repair | Home Improvement Budget | Home Interior Decorating | Home Ligting | Homemade Christmas Decorations | Home Safety Awareness | Home Safety Checklist | Home Security | House Cleaning Tips | Household Tips for Laundry | Housekeeping Tips | How to Make Bed Linen | How to Make a Wreath | How to Make Icing | Herbs and Spices | How to Decorate a Table | Candle Decorating | Decorating Tip | House Plant Care | How Do I Pick A Good Vacuum Cleaner | How Do You Decorate a China | How to Increase Livable Space | How to Antique Furniture | How to Build a Pergola | How to Decorate Glass Ornaments | How to Decorate Lamp Shades | How to Decorate My Home | How to Dress a Bed | How to Build a Storage Box | How to Choose Ceramic Tile | Lawn and Garden Care | How to Build a Closet | How to Create a Beautiful Outdoor | How to Install Cabinet Hinge | Patio Ideas | Window Dressing | Dried Flower Arranging | Using Herbs | Kitchen Gardening | How to Install Vinyl Floor | Create More Space in the Home | Stain Removal | Home Insulation | How to Fit a Door | How to Fit Dado Rail Upstairs | How to Make Curtain Valences | How to Make Roman Blinds | How to Organize Space | How to Plan a Party | How to Prepare to Paint House | How to Prune Trees | How to Recycle | How to Sew a Box Cushion | How to Use a Paint Brush | How to Use Fresh Ingredient | Hydroculture | Ideas On How To Set Up Contract For Home Improvement | Illness and Child Care | Indoor Plant Display | Installing Crown Moulding | Home and Interior Garden | Ironing Tips | Kitchen Lighting | Kitchen Organize Tips | Landscape Garden Design | Last Day Before Holiday | Lawn Weed Control | Laying a Foam Backed Carpet | Laying a Woven Carpet | Laying Carpet on Stairs | Laying Floor Tiles | Laying Hardwood Flooring | Laying Vinyl Tile | Low Maintenance Plants | Hanging Mirror | How to Make Curtain | Textile Patching | Moving House | Napkin Folds | Outdoor Safety | Paint Effects | Painting Doors | Wallpapering Tips | Paperhanging Tools and Equipment | Party Planning Ideas | Pet Safety | Planning Your Garden | Plant Decoration | Plant Potting | Plaster Wall Repair | Preparing For Paperhanging | Preparing Garden Soil | Preparing Surfaces For Covering | Preparing Wood Floors | Proper Table Setting | Hanging Wallpaper Border | Removing Old Finishes | Repairing Furniture | Household Appliance Repair | Rose Center Piece Flower Arrangement | Save Energy at Home | Sesame Seed Bread | Soft Furnishing | Soft Furnishing Hot Tips | Soft Furnishing Sewing | Solid Wood Floor Installation | Stamping Equipment | Stamp Making | Stem Cutting | Stencilling Equipment | Storage Organize | Storage Shelving | Stripping Old Wall Coverings | Table Flower Decorations | Tiling a Wall | Tiling Tools | Tools and Equipment for Furnishings | Type of Houseplant | Using Colour Pattern and Texture | Using Cushions | Wall Decorating Ideas | Wallfixings | Wallpainting Ideas | Wallpapering Ceilings | Wallpapering Corners | Wallpapering Stairwells | Wall Repair | Watering Plants | Well Equipped Kitchen | Window Dressing Ideas | Window Repair | Wood Embellishment | How to Use a Sewing Machine | How to doWall Tiling | How to Install a Door | How to Fit a Curtain Pole | How to Fold a Napkin | How to Make A Round Bolster Cushion | How to Make A Stencil | How to Make Couch Cushion Covers | How to Make a Table Cloth