This is a subject that we need to consider now before we establish too much in the garden. Our lifestyle is changing all the time.

Preparing the garden for the period in our life when time is precious or when we will not have the time, energy or strength to cope with a lot of gardening. You may have plenty of time to spend in the garden NOW but what happens when children are added to the family unit.

I have set out some subjects for you to ponder over to help you before you start planning or rearranging the garden.

GROUND COVERS

Make sure that the plant only grows to the width and height that you need. This will save a lot of constant pruning in the future and rubbish to dispose of.
Choose rockery plants that can be easily controlled.
Small soft stem plants can be pruned with light cutting tools and will save a lot of aching hands.
Select plants that are hardy and will thrive during the hot weather.
Check with a garden expert on the best type of plants to grow in your area.
Try to avoid permanent ground covers with thorns.
As we become older our skin becomes thinner and tears easily.
Do not plant suckering types that can over run the garden bed.
We tend to plant ground covers that multiply at a fast rate to fill small borders or narrow garden beds in a short time.
Keep the weeds under control now before the plants become established.
Weeds will starve new plants from water and fertilizer. Perennial weeds need to be removed before their roots entangle with the ground cover plant roots.
It is harder for us to get on our hands and knees and tend the garden once our bodies start to age.

HEDGES AND TOPIARY

HEDGES.
Many people when they start a new garden in their later years will plant fast growing hedge plants. This may be ideal for someone in their early years, but fast growing hedges need pruning a lot more than a slow growing variety. Plant advanced types that are slower growing to cut down on the time spent in the garden. Select small 1m -2m growing shrubs so you will not have to stand on ladders in the future.

DO NOT SELECT :-

Plants that are fast growing and need a lot of pruning to keep special shapes.
If you live a very busy social life and have a limited time to spend in the garden, then this section is for you.

Large tree types
Tall growing Pines, Pittosporum undulatum and large growing Ficus need to be trimmed a lot more than smaller types of growing shrubs.
Thick heavy wood types.
These shrubs and trees need heavy pruning gear and strong hands and arm to keep in control.

SELECT:-

Fine foliage plants.
These are plants like Pittosporum Screen Master, Diosma, etc that only need light pruning tools.
Slow growing types that need less pruning.
These are shrubs that only make six to eight inches of growth a year.

SHRUBS

FAST GROWING SHRUBS NEED LOTS OF PRUNING
It is not alway best to select tall, fast growing shrubs when they need to be kept to a smaller height. Sometime in the future you may not have enough time to keep them pruned to size.

NEAR WINDOWS
Fresh air and natural light is very important for health in the home or office. Deciduous shrubs planted on southern and eastern windows will not block out the winter light. Plant small evergreen growing shrubs underneath the windows if you do not want to shut out the natural sunlight.

AGAINST WALLS AND RETAINING WALLS
Remember root growth can cause damage to the foundations.
Save costly removal with the right size shrubs planted in the first place.

EASY TO CONTROL
Select plants that only need pruning once or twice a year.

PLANT NATIVES
Native plants bring the birds into the garden and can help control insects.

TREES

Check the size of the tree that you wish to buy will not grow taller than you want in the future.
The cost of removal of large trees in the future could be very expensive.

Decide where a swimming pool or garage might be added to the garden in the near future.
It is easier and cheaper to build a shed or dig a swimming pool if there are no large trees, shrubs or walls in the way when bringing in large machinery.
Deciduous trees near windows.
Trees are ideal to shade windows and walls during the hot weather and let sunlight through during the cold months.

DISTANCE FROM:-
Homes,
Do not plant trees close to the house, gutters, drains etc until you know the habit of their root system.
Keep trees that have fruit or berries away from roofing gutters.
Paving,
Before digging into the ground make sure you know where the plastic pipes, power cable and plastic drainage pipe are.
Neighbours,
Plant trees well away from the fence line so there will be no overhang of branches in the future.
Sewer
Check where the sewer pipes are before trenching in the ground or planting new large growing trees.

WALL PLANTERS

KEEP THEM LOW ON THE WALL AT EYE LEVEL
Easy to check on moisture content of soil.
You don't need to stand on a ladder when planting.
It is easier to see weeds as the begin to grow.

SELF WATERING CONTAINERS
will save on going out side in the heat and watering every day.
Keeps humidity around the plant.

USE A DRIP SYSTEM
Make it easier for a friend to water when you are away on holidays, set up a drip feed for watering baskets and wall planters..
Better still connect the system to a tap timer.

SEEDLINGS

For those people living in a flat or a home unit where there is very little or no garden available, grow some of your favourite vegetables or flowering annuals in pots.
Gardening is an ideal way to get your exercise out in the fresh air, with the added bonus of having a healthy, rewarding hobby. Most of your enjoyment will come from watching the produce grow, like Tomatoes ripening, Cucumbers growing bigger every day or Bean and Pea pods forming. Encourage young children to join you in the garden.

SOIL TYPE
To have seedling beds full of abundant flowers or healthy growing vegetables it is important that the soil is rich in organic structure.

SOIL PREPARATION
To prepare the basis for your garden bed turn the soil over, dig into the ground some slow release fertiliser, mixed with some compost and work well into the soil. Then start planning for your favourite annuals or vegetables to be planted.

ALLOW THE FLOWER BEDS TO SHRINK IN THE FUTURE.
They can be replaced with small shrubs, Rockery garden, Herb garden or a small lawn area with seat.

VEGETABLE GARDENS
There is nothing like fresh grown vegetables straight from your own garden.
The main advantage of growing your own vegetables is the cost of vegies today, flavour, and the fact that they can be picked fresh direct from the garden when you need them. Enjoyment comes from picking fresh Tomatoes straight from the bushes or Cabbages cut straight from the garden.
Growing vegetables can be simple and easy with plants like:- Tomatoes, Cabbage, Lettuce, Silver Beet, Broccoli, Capsicum, Peas and Beans.
So why not start a vegetable garden today, or even start a children's garden?

CREATE A VEGETABLE GARDEN THAT IN THE FUTURE CAN BE TURNED INTO A LAWN AREA OR CAN BE PAVED.
The area if paved would make an ideal place to grow vegetables in tubs or pots.

SHADE PLANTS

SOIL STRUCTURE
Preparing the garden bed before planting is a must.
For growing plants in shade see our Fact sheet on growing Camellias.

If you are planting under trees and there are is a lot of heavy root growth, it might be best to plant the area with ground cover plants and place some large pots on bricks scattered around, planted with medium size growing plants. Use a good potting reliable brand of potting mix.

PLANTS THAT LIKE A LOT OF SHADE.
Only plant heavy shade lovers where they receive full shade all the time,
If the position under the tree is too dark, light can be increased by trimming of some of the branches on the lower part of the trunk.

SEMI-SHADE LOVING PLANTS CAN BE PLANTED UNDER DECIDUOUS TREES.
Many people plant Hydrangeas in full sun and build covers over them during the summer. This type of work load can be be prevented by growing Hydrangeas in tubs or in the ground underder deciduous trees.
Shrubs like Gardenias, Camellias, Azaleas, etc., do not like heavy dark positions so they are best planted under deciduous trees.

MAKE SURE THAT AN EASY WATERING SYSTEM IS SET UP.
Lay out a simple watering system (connected to a tap time) with mist sprays for ferns and a drip system for the shrubs in the ground, hanging baskets or pot plants.

PONDS AND WATERFALLS

CLEANING LARGE PONDS.
Design your pond to be large enough to hold fish but not too large that it takes a good part of the day to clean it.
EASY TO REACH AND CLEAN PUMP AND FILTER.
Place the pump and filter close to the edge of the pond so that when cleaning the filter you do not have to get into the water.
FISH KEEP OUT MOZZIES.
It is pleasant on a hot evening to sit alongside a pond that has running water, but you and your guests do not want to be attacked by a mass of mozzies. Place fish in the pond to feed on their lavae.
DO NOT PLANT LARGE POND PLANTS THAT NEED TO BE DIVIDED EVERY YEAR.
Beware of the temptation of planting large growing Papyrus or Bullrush grass in your average size pond. They will take over and the whole pond area will need constant maintenance.
DO NOT PLANT LARGE GRASSES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO DIG UP ONCE THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED THEIR ROOT SYSTEMS.

WALL FOUNTAINS

They can bring a small garden to life and attract birds to the area with the sound of running water.

SUPPORT FOR WALL FOUNTAIN.
The walling or fence shold be strong and stable and should be held firm in place by strong holding bolts.
Try and place the wall fountain near a tap for easy filling or connect it to your drip watering system from the garden..

KEEP LOW ENOUGH TO CHECK ON WATER LEVEL AND TO CLEAN.
Connect to a timer to save going outside and turning the power on and off during the winter months.

RELIABLE PUMP AND FILTER.
Use a reliable pump and filter to keep the water clean and cut down on maintenance.

LAWNS

SOIL PREPARATION
This is the base of the lawn structure and the most important part of the lawn area to be developed to have a succesful, long lasting lawn.
See our Fact sheet on planting lawns.

DOUBLE WASHED QUARRY SAND.
If the soil is very heavy, work into the base soil to a depth of 15 cm double washed quarry sand. This is applied before placing the top final loam.
POP UP SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.
Try and establish an automatic watering system before or after planting a new lawn.
BORDERS.
Use straight edges or large curves as lawn edging, this will make cutting the edges a lot easier.

RUNNER LAWNS. (COUCH)
These type of lawns need more attention because of the strong growth of the turf and cutting the edging needs a lot more effort.