Important steps to take before starting a garden | Garden Design | Gardening Australia

Whatever sort of garden you have planned, it’s worth taking a step back and considering an overall plan before you get started. Take the time to observe the surrounds and get to know the site - this helps you decide what to plant and where. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe Draw up a basic plan with the house and the features that you want to keep. You can measure it properly or just step it out. Think about the main factors that affect how and where plants grow: - Sun: Think about how the sun moves across your space, and how that changes in different seasons. Where can you sit in the sun and where can you enjoy some shade? Plants will also need different amounts of sun, with veggies and fruit trees needing at least six hours a day. It’s good to have herbs in a sunny spot near the house. You can always add a pergola with climbing plants to create some more shade. - Terrain: How flat is your land? If it’s sloping, do you need retaining walls or simply a few steps? - Water: Consider how water falls to the lowest spot - is flooding an issue? Can you use these low spots to grow thirsty plants instead? - Soil: There are basic tests you can do to check how much sand or clay is in the soil, to get an idea of how well it will drain and hold nutrients. Testing for pH will also help you make the right plant choices. This can vary in different parts of your garden, so take a few different samples. When you’ve considered all these elements, you can start to think about how you move around the site. What parts do you need regular access to for the water meter, to reach the front door, hang out washing, or put out the rubbish bins? Do you need more paths? Different styles of paths and paving create a different feel, from straight and formal to twisting and picturesque, so bear this in mind, too. Sightlines - do you need to block out fences or neighbours or do you want to enhance a particular view? When you have all this information, you can enjoy the creative fun of planning your perfect garden. Filmed on Gadigal & Bidjigal Country in Bronte, NSW ___________________________________________ Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia's leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content. Watch more: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gardening-australia Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gardeningaustralia Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gardeningaustralia Web: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening ___________________________________________ This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation YouTube channel. Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC's Online Conditions of Use http://www.abc.net.au/conditions.htm (Section 3).