Gardens are constantly changing, and not just because of the seasons. Gardens evolve due
to climate changes, technological improvements and trends. Ten years ago, most preferred
manicured gardens. Now, it is seedheads and grasses galore, weeds are welcome, and
being pollinator friendly is essential. ‘Naturalistic’ gardens are all the rage. If you are looking
to improve your garden, make changes and possibly introduce one of these trends, now is
the time to plan. I am going to tell you why and what you can be doing.
Magazine articles will say that December is the time to plan for the year ahead. However, I
would argue that now is the best time. Summer is the month you probably spend the most
time in your garden, especially if you are a fair-weather person like me. For those who
contact me just after moving in I will tell them to wait at least one Summer, if not the year
before changing anything in their garden. You often have a much better idea of how you use
the space, where you sit the most and what is important to you. Make notes of this and then
enact the changes though the Winter months.
For a good landscaper, you can expect a lead time of 6 months. The same applies to garden
designers, who will not appreciate been contacted in May and being told you want the
garden ready by June. If you want your garden ready for Summer next year, now is the time
to be hiring. Landscaping is best done in the Winter months as you won’t be using your
garden as often, thereby minimising disruption to your everyday life. Autumn to Spring also
marks the planting seasons. Any bulbs, plants, shrubs and trees you want to relocate in your
gardens or add I would always do during these seasons. Meadows, great for pollinators,
prefer being planted in Autumn and trees and hedging are often cheaper because they are
available in a bare root format.
During Summer, I would recommend taking lots of pictures at different times of the day,
creating a record which will assist you with any changes you want to make. This will make it
easy for you over Winter when plants have died back, to identify what exists in terms of
colour and location; what does well and what needs improving. By taking photos of the light
and how it changes it will provide you a record of your garden’s conditions, thereby assisting
you with plant selection. You could go one step further and take a photo every month to
really understand how your garden evolves throughout the year. A garden designer will be
very grateful to receive these pictures.
As a designer, I always love it when clients come to me in Autumn with their plans. Allowing
enough time to really understand your garden before carrying out any changes, whether that
is through maintenance, design or landscaping, makes a huge difference to the overall
result. Certainly, it will lead to a well thought out garden, that works for you, which looks
good throughout the year and features lots of well-established plants. Summer is the ideal
time to plan for the year ahead.
Published in the Bumblebee Conservation Members Magazine
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