Herb & Vegetable Gardening

In my recent article on herb and vegetable gardening, one of the options I suggested was making a raised bed in order to plant your edible garden. The latest copy of SA Garden (South African magazine) shows some wonderful examples of how you can do this, very easily with wood, logs and other items. See pictures/ article for inspiration.....

To read my previous article on "Growing your own Herbs and Vegetables " click here

Stone & Gravel in the Garden (2)

Garden 9 months after completion.

I recently wrote on how the use of gravel and stone in the garden is considered a water-wise thing to do. Today I continue in that theme, but will use an example of a garden that we have worked on.

Here we have a garden corner which was technically abandoned and in dire need of attention, not to mention the waste of space, and the fact that this area was eyesore - overlooked by bedrooms. The idea was to design this "garden room" in such a way that it would not only be appealing to the eye, but could be put to use as well, whilst being waterwise and easy to maintain in the long run.

Before

As the shape of the space was difficult to start with - a meandering path runs next to it (see pics), to create interest we decided to work with the curves and create a circular bed of gravel in the centre of the "workable space", with plants surounding approxiamtely two thirds, and the open aspect being in the direction of the remainder of the garden

The planting was kept simple, with a variety of white flowering plants (Star Jasmine, Iceberg Roses, White Agapanthus) and a wall of Johannesburg Gold on one wall and Viburnum sinesis on another - these will eventually form two "green barriers" which will create a feeling of depth in that space. In the centre we placed a concrete table and two benches.

After

The end result: a wasted space turned into something that not only can be used, but looks appealing from all angles. The choice of plants for the most part are waterwise i.e. not requiring copious amounts of water, and since they flower at different stages, there is interest in that area at multiple stages during the summer months.

Further reading: see my previous entry on the use of Gravel and Stone and also click on gravel, stone ,waterwise tabs for more articles.

For more on Naturally Inspired Projects go to our website: http://www.naturallyinspired.co.za/

Making a Grand Entrance

We all know the importance of first impressions, in this instance though, I am referring to the entrance to your property. In South Africa, certainly, this is often a wall and pavement garden, and beyond that some garden space leading to the front door, but in no way is the entrance garden limited to these aspects. Essentially though, it really doesn’t matter what that “entrance” or “first impression” area is, the point is, that this area is attractive and serves as a positive introduction to you and your home.

More often than not, the outside wall or garden gives a glimpse of what the interior of the property is like, in simple terms, if the pavement or entrance garden is unkempt and untidy, normally the interior of the property will be the same. If the outside wall or entrance area, gives an indication of a theme such as Ethnic, Rustic, Georgian, Tuscan or other (most often by virtue of the style and colour of the wall or garden area), then this leads you to believe that the interior will follow suit. And in most cases, where proper planning and thought has occurred, it does.

Whilst I am not advocating that you spend a fortune on your pavement, exterior walls or entrance, I am suggesting that you look at those areas with a critical eye and assess what can be done to improve the “first impression” value, and also how through the use of appropriate materials, trees, shrubs, annuals, pots, trellises, rock, gravel, paint, etc. etc. etc. you can create a glimpse of what’s to come, i.e. what the inside of your home is likely to look and/ or feel like.

If your wall or fence is looking worse for wear, have it repainted or plastered (where appropriate), or have a paint effect applied, plant a creeper or climber. Introduce pots, or a reasonable planting area, that is manageable, low maintenance and water wise – by this I mean, ensure you select the type of plants carefully, so as to avoid wasting money in the first instance, and in the second, spending copious amounts of time, watering or maintaining this space. And always, before doing anything else, assess the amount of light in the area, as this impacts the types of plants you decide to introduce. The keywords are simple, effective, low maintenance and waterwise.

The pictures illustrate a few examples of entrance gardens/ areas, taken around the streets of Johannesburg. Note how simple, how effective these entrances are, but also how you can almost tell by looking at these pictures what the interior of the property will look and feel like.

So take a look at your entrance area and assess what you can do to improve it. First assess, then plan, and check what you already have that can be reused. If you’re stuck for ideas, as always, contact me.

G

Pictures: Gena D Photography - various sites around Johannesburg, South Africa

The Use of Gravel and Stone in gardening

As the world becomes more sensitive to the environment and water usage, it requires gardeners and garden designers alike to become more creative in how to deal with these real issues. One method of conserving water, is through the use of gravel and stone in garden design and layout.

See article on : http://www.gardenhomedesign.co.za/blog/?p=205 for more details.

G
Picture: Gena D Photography