How to get the most from your gardening
Most people have a basic “common sense” approach to gardening, with a little knowledge and masses of good intentions. At Garden Graft you will have fun in learning, drawing on your own experiences and joining the pieces of the gardening jigsaw. You will be encouraged to look at the whole planting procedure from where to buy plants, which plants to buy and why, how you prepare the soil and choose the correct compost and/or mulch to add to the planting site.
Garden Graft will guide you through building upon existing skill sets, helping you to achieve balance and taste in your design for a perfect place to relax. Garden Graft enables you to understand the strong links between a happy outdoor environment and your wellbeing.
Together we will look at introducing “edibles and ornamentals”, potager gardening techniques and how to use the colour wheel to harmonise the space surrounding your home. We will draw on established designers and plantspeople such as Christopher Lloyd, Vita Sackville-West and Piet Oudolf , and learn how you can break the rules in a fun and thrilling way.
Garden Graft, as your own “Personal Gardening Guru”, will guide you and inspire you to use all five senses in creating the best possible space for you and your family to grow, learn and have fun together in mother nature’s playground.
Sight
Your visual skills will be enhanced by new ways of looking at what surrounds you in your everyday environment. You will define colour, tone, shading and the mixing of hot colour to bring plants forward, or cool pastel shades to harmonise with soft planting.
Smell
Your choices of flower fragrances, aromatic foliage and scented tree or shrub bark can amaze your friends and draw your children into exploring your garden. The flowers of Cosmos atrosanguineus have both the colour and scent of a rich Peruvian chocolate. The bark of the evergreen Escallonia has an exotic spicy fragrance and the flowers smell of sweet coconut.
Sound
By selecting the right kind of fencing, plant choices and ornamentals, you can introduce a wide range of sound variation into your garden borders. A more open fence will allow breezes to gently agitate your shrubs and Bamboos so they shimmer in the light. Tasteful wind chimes can add music to your outdoor home. Small Japanese water features can add the effect of gently trickling water to enhance your garden soundscape.
Touch
Plants can have a wide variety of textures to respond to growing conditions and moisture retention. The silver leaves of Convulvulus cneorum feels like silk and the leaves of Ballota psuedodictamnus feel just as soft as ear lobes. The ubiquitous annual Geranium has hairy leaves whereas the trailing variety has waxy leaves. Some perennials will feel like a two day old beard and others will feel as smooth as a baby’s bottom!
Taste
There are many poisonous garden plants so always know what you’re about to eat and, if in doubt, consult an expert.
The flowers of the day lily Haemerocallis look exotic and are superb for finishing the top of a salad. They taste of sweet lettuce and are a real delight. The unprepossessing Stevia rebaudiana gives the game away with its common name of Sugar Leaf . This herbaceous perennial from South Africa has attracted many of my sweet toothed friends and they always make it a definite “port of call” upon return visits.