Whether your garden is small or large it should be both practical and attractive and able to be maintained within your capabilities or your budget. Up here on the range we are incredibly lucky to be blessed with rainfall and beautiful soil. Because of these lush conditions plant growth is often prodigious and this in turn creates the change in gardens that is both natural and inevitable.
I almost always think that when it comes to gardens the adage “less is more” should be heeded. Rely on clean lines and defined edges and resist the urge to plant too many different plants, especially if your garden is small. Often a strategically placed accent plant will provide a focus and by giving your plantings enough space you will avoid a cluttered look.
That’s not to say that some of my favourite gardens aren’t in the cottage style. This summer I have finally enjoyed flowers on my echinacea that I planted from seed 18 months ago. They are planted in between roses and irises but during winter die back to allow annuals to provide colour and interest.
Although it sometimes seems that things never stop growing, now is the perfect time to invest some time and energy into your garden. At home we are cleaning up the rampant growth, deciding what should stay and what should go, summer pruning roses for autumn flushes and planting seeds for winter vegie crops. It’s a relief that the grasshoppers have all but gone and I can finally get some coriander to grow again. We’ve also got lots of compost to spread around and have a weekend planned very soon to get a couple of trailers of pea straw onto the gardens. Then I’ll make jars and jars of pesto to use up the basil as we weren’t expecting quite so many seeds to germinate. The cooler mornings and evenings make a refreshing change and are ideal for starting on projects, or perhaps just for sitting in your garden and enjoying the fruits of your labour. For Consultation – Restoration – Maintenance Design Ph: 0408 034 570
Sarah Stirling … new garden columnist for the Hinterland Times
Sarah Stirling is a qualified horticultralist who has worked for several years in award- winning gardens in Melbourne and Toowoomba.
She was awarded 1st and 2nd prizes in the Carnival of Flowers Competition, Toowoomba in 2005-07. With her husband David, she runs Stirling Horticultural Services and her busy schedule means she doesn’t get nearly enough time in her own garden. Ph: 0408 034570 E:stirlings@hotmail.com
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