New garden? 5 important things to consider before you get growing

Whether your new garden is well established or a piece of bare earth, these fundamental factors will shape the way you garden and help you decide what to grow.

1. SUN

The amount of sun your garden receives during the day will dictate what you are able to grow and where. This will change through the seasons. Give yourself time to study how the sun moves and which areas of the garden receive sun and for how long.

You can then plan your plantings to suit full sun, shade or part shade. You will also be able to see where you will most need shade in summer and plan structures and tree plantings accordingly.

Vegetables, herbs and many bulbs and annuals need at least six hours sun a day, preferably more. But there are plenty of options for shade as well; it’s all a question of the right plant in the right place.

2. SETTING

Your garden should be in harmony with the architectural style of your house, as well as the climate and natural environment. Think green, think sustainable.

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3. SOIL

This is the key to a flourishing garden. The ideal airy, crumbly balance of sand, silt and clay, rich in organic matter and microscopic life, is rarely found in South Africa. Our soils tend to range from slippery coastal sands to powdery silt to heavy clay, from mildly acid to fiercely alkaline.

All kinds of soil will benefit from the addition of as much compost as you can pile on. And “piling on” is the key phrase here. The old way was to dig the compost in to at least a spade’s depth, but many soil scientists now recommend simply spreading a thick layer of compost on top and sitting back (hooray — but with really hard ground it’s still a good idea to loosen the surface with a pick or a fork). The earthworms and microorganisms in the compost gradually work their way down, aerating the soil and steadily improving its quality — provided you keep piling it on.

In addition to compost there are many relatively new and organic ways to encourage plant growth. You can invest in a worm farm and use the castings or tea as plant food. You can apply pelleted manure, kelp, guano or rock dust.

And when you plant you can add mycorrhizal fungi or other inoculants. These are present in most soils in nature and help roots absorb nutrients.

All these supplements are designed to feed, maintain and improve the life of the soil, rather than the old way of simply feeding the plant itself via chemical fertilisers.

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4. WATER

Aim to plant a garden that will survive largely on rainfall — and to retain as much rainwater on your property as possible. Make sure that it flows in the right direction and does not wash away your compost and topsoil.

Capture runoff in storage tanks and via drainage into the ground. Water quality is also important, as brackish water will restrict planting and watering dramatically.

5. TIME

Gardens can’t be rushed; you need a year to study the light, get the feel of the place and let your ideas develop.

In an established garden especially, you need to experience four seasons. There may be all sorts of things you can’t see and many delightful discoveries ahead: spring bulbs, bare trees, hidden shrubs that will surprise you in spring or autumn with flowers or leaf colour, berries and fruit.

It is possible, though, to have a virtually instant garden without committing yourself to an elaborate plan that you might regret or wish to change later. Trial and error are part of the process; mistakes are inevitable but they don’t have to be expensive.

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Here are a few things you can do right away:

• Tackle weeds and alien plants.

• Roll out a thick layer of compost over bare ground.

• Lay out provisional paths with bark chips.

• Lay or plant lawn grass for a play area next to the house. Make it a simple strong shape — a rectangle, circle or half-moon, which you can change later once you’ve worked out your overall design. Avoid kikuyu grass — it’s thirsty, high-maintenance and horribly invasive.

• Buy a raised box frame or two for temporary beds, herbs, vegetables and flowers.

• Put up bird feeders and a bath.

• Sow masses of annuals.

• Plant screening plants along your boundary if necessary.

• Invest in a few suitable perennials and bulbs like agapanthus - money in your garden bank. They will provide fast returns, multiply steadily and can be lifted and moved as your plans change, which they will.