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| Index- Wildflower Gardening Web Index |
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Getting Started: Wild
flowers
for a new garden
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New gardeners in new
gardens should not spend money on expensive plants until the shelter belt,
drainage, soil conditioning and design are finished. |
| When we buy a new house and take over a new
garden we are faced with a number of challenges. At Design By Nature
we believe that the first step is to convince ourselves that those
challenges must be faced in a low maintenance, wildlife friendly
manner. Therefore these are the following steps that we recommend:
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| "At Design By Nature, we design by nature
because we ask what is nature doing on the site. We don't impose our
ideas until we fully understand what nature is doing" |
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Create your own
new style
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Now decide on the priorities you need for your
new garden. Here are a few that we think are universal:
- The clothesline.
- Sheds, bike lock-up's and fuel storage.
- Dry surfaces and fast draining spaces for patios
- Soft ground cover such as lawn
- Trees, shrubs and flowers
- Fruit, vegetables and herbs
- Scent, texture and architectural plants
- Species that flower over a long period and species for every
season.
- Plants that have a specific function such as thorny hedges for
security which also feed the birds.
- Areas ear marked for the future like Greenhouses, conservatories and
garages.
Every area can be linked to feeding or sheltering wildlife and be
designed so that your garden is beautiful.
The amount of maintenance you are prepared to put into your garden over
the years should now be decided on. Wildlife gardeners tend not to want to
work in the garden and prefer mixtures and species that require one cut a
year.
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Design By Nature has a range of species ideal for the new
garden. Most importantly our species whose roots will dig deep down
into the soil and open it up, provide nitrogen and attract the first
wildlife to your garden. See mixtures MM01, MM06, MM07, MM08, MM08,
MM10 And WL02. |
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new gardens, grow perennial plants close to
the house in small manageable beds. Over the years you can divide
these and spread them out throughout your garden. True to our style
at Design By Nature we always start at the back door. Work out in
all directions and stop when it gets too much. At that point we let
the fairies take over at the bottom of the garden and give it over to
real wildlife.
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"Sandro, I hope you're not asking me to spend loads of money on
my new garden?"
"No, In the early years you need to invest only in the structure
of final trees and shrubs and a few packets of wildflower seed. Keep
your cash for carpets, furniture and the mortgage.
Its a waste
off time planting expensive species when the soil is not ready and the
wind still howls around the corner. That is why wildflower
mixtures are ideal for carpeting the new garden, they are instant,
flower all summer and are low cost per metre squared"
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Index- Wildflower Gardening Web Index
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