An old Chinese Proverb says “If you want to be happy for ever, make a garden.” Everyone has their own likes, or dislikes in planning a garden. Formal and victorian style gardens have gone out of fashion long ago. A rose garden can still also look very formal, but if one introduces climbing roses, on an arch, or trellis work, or a few rustic steps with a shale pathway, it will enhance the garden and make it look more natural.

A garden layout should be planned with care and made to become an extension of the house. The lawn should be planted up to and against the house and steps of the veranda, connecting the two together. A paved, or brick pathway can be laid from the veranda to the driveway, to prevent people’s shoes from getting wet in the rainy season, or from heavy dew. This can also be laid next to the house.

A garden without shrubs and trees can look very dull, empty and uninteresting. The trees will give height, colour and an artistic effect to one’s garden lay-out. Shrubs such as a purple Magnolia, or Gardenia growing next to the side of the house, will hide the hard lines of the building.

If your house is north facing and has some corners that are protected, you can plant, Brazilian Glory Bush, Hibiscus, or Poinsettia, as these will be protected against the wind and frost.

With an east facing house, one can plant dainty Lemon-Verbena, French, or England Lavender, English Lilac and sweet-smelling Daphne against these walls.

Making good use of the shade on the south side of the house, one can plant Hydrangeas, and Fuchsias. Hardy wintersweet-Rhododendrons can also be planted, as long as the walls are not lime-washed.

The west facing side gets the heat of the late afternoon sun, so Hypericum and Escallonia are hardy plants and will enjoy this spot against the house. There are many other shrubs that will survive growing on the west side, as long as they protected from the cold winds.

Creepers, or climbers can also be grown up against the sides of the house, to hide large areas of blank wall, especially with double-storeys and outside pipes. These could be either Begnonias, which are very popular and pretty when in bloom, the lovely reddish-purple Mexican Blood-Trumpet, or Begnonia Cherere (Phaedranthus Buccinatorius), or the Wisteria, which looks spectacular when in flower and creeping up the wall.

People fear that planting next to the side of the house will cause dampness and cracking of the foundations, but most modern houses these days are damp-proofed.

If you are still worried about the moisture aspect, you can construct a narrow pathway, about 1m wide, sloping away from the walls of the house. The shrubs and grass will eventually cover the path, or dig down and provide drainage, by placing rubble under the bed, so that the water will be absorbed well below the foundations of the house.

A lawn that stretches for a good distance from the house gives one a tranquil park-feeling effect. Flower beds should be planted at the far edge of the lawn, with a backing of shrubs, wherever  there are vacant patches.The leafy shrubs will make a lovely how, with a combination of different colours, from the flowering plants.

Flower beds that have lots of colour should be positioned on the edges of lawns, bordering driveways, or pathways and never in the middle of the lawn. Shrubs that are planted together, must be planted in such a way that each one is an individual specimen of beauty and can be seen easily. 

Two things that are very important when planting shrubs, are the width and height when fully grown, and secondly, one must not plant shrubs more than 2 rows deep, as the back ones will be hidden.

If the shrubs are grown too closely together, they will not get the light and air they require, to grow into healthy plants. The size of the shrub determines whether it can be planted near the house, or not.

Along the perimeter of the garden, one can plant shrubs in front of one another, as long as they are “staggered”. This form of hedge will give one more privacy and also save on the expense of a concrete wall. The best would be to plant ever-green trees, or shrubs on the outside and deciduous trees facing the house. This will prevent gaps in winter, when the latter lose their leaves.

The ground between, or in front of these shrubs, or trees can be used for planting perennials and shade loving plants, such as Agapanthus, Fox-gloves, or Thalictrum,  as well as the smaller fuchsias. The edges of the garden will then have lots of colour and be a focal point of the garden.

In a small garden, where space is limited, one should not use the same shrub too often, as a variety is far more attractive. Tall slim trees, or shrubs are far more beneficial, as they will hide telephone poles, neighbour’s roofs and give you the privacy you want. Shrubs can also be planted in such a way, as to separate different levels, or parts of the garden. 

With a little thought and careful planning of your garden layout, there is no reason why you can’t have the stunningly attractive garden, that you always wanted. Draw the proposed layout on a sheet of paper first and then start with the easiest areas.

If you are going to be doing any landscaping, you simply have to read this book. Master the art of landscaping and save a ton of money. It is full of useful information. If your home’s landscape is designed properly, it will be a source of enjoyment for your entire family, it will enhance your community and it will add to the resale value of your property.

Landscape design involves much more than just placing trees, shrubs and other plants on the property. It is an art, which deals with conscious arrangement, or organization of outdoor space, for human satisfaction and enjoyment. In “The Homeowners Guide To Landscaping,” you will learn how to organize and develop your yard for maximum use and pleasure. Create a visual relationship between the house and the site and reduce maintenance to the minimum To find out more, go here  http://dersalsites.com/lscap/  

Sally Robson is a South African Internet marketer, who together with her husband Derek, have a vision of empowering all fellow South Africans and other non U.S folk, to have equal opportunity and success on the internet, by overcoming the many obstacles facing them. They have started a string of sites, resources, courses and articles, as part of Dersalsites. Sally has a passion for gardening. For more articles and advice on gardening topics, visit Sally at: http://www.dersalsites.com/sallysgardeningtips/ 

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