Oxfordshire Limited Edition – July 2019

June 2019 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition| 101

HOWTOCREATEYOUR
PERFECTGARDEN
Sortingoutyourgardencanbeadaunting
prospectforthegardennovice.Butjusta
littleTLCcanreapbigrewards.Followthese
tipsandsoonyou’llhavebloomingbeautiful
outdoorspace.

GETTHINKING
Whatkindofgardendoyouwant?Doyou
wanttogrowvegetables?Flowers?Perhaps
youworkalotandneedsomethinglow
maintenance?Startdrawingupideas–you
canuseanapplikePinterestorvisitrhs.org.
ukforplentyofinspiration.

CHOOSEYOURSPOTWISELY
Thekindofplantsyoucangrowwillbe
largelydependentonthehabitat–whattype
ofgroundareyouworkingwith?
Almostallvegetablesandmostflowers
needaboutsixhoursoffullsuneachday.
Spendadayinyourchosenspotandwatch
howthesunmovesacrossthespace.Itmight
receivemoresunthanyouthink.

IMPROVETHESOIL
Likeskinandmakeup,youwillgetbetter
resultsifyouprepyoursoilbeforeplanting.
Youcanimproveyoursoilinseveralways,but
oneeasyandsimplewayisorganicmatter

• addatwo-tothree-inchlayerofcompost,
  leaves,drygrassclippings,oroldmanure.
  Ifindoubt,getasoiltestdone–local
  gardeningcompaniescanarrangethisforyou.

PICKINGYOURPLANTS
Doyouwantall-yearblooms?Ora
stunningsummer?Again,plantchoiceswill
largelydependonhowmuchtimeyoucan
spendonyourgarden.Easygrowplants
forbeginners:Annual:cosmos,marigolds,
impatiens,geraniums,Calendula,sunflowers,
andzinnias.Perennials:Russiansage,lamb’s-
ears,black-eyedSusans,purpleconeflowers,
phlox,pansies,anddaylilies.Vegetables:
lettuce,peppers,tomatoes,andcucumbers.

‘Timbernowadaysis

treatedtoincreaseits

weatherresistance,soit

willhavelongevity’

HOMES INTERIORS

L