magnolia black tulip

Are you a bit tired of your garden? Just moved in and not loving the previous owners taste? Neighbours have planning permission for a double story house next door? Decided it’s finally time to really dedicate some time to the garden to create your own oasis that you’ve always dreamed of?

Lets get that ball rolling.

Here is our rough guide to how to plan out your garden.

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First up, decide what you need the garden to do. This might mean giving your kitchen window a little privacy, cast some shade onto a paved area, or to be pretty as a picture out your lounge room window. Identifying the needs in your garden at the start will mean the end result will do exactly what you need. From the list, create an order of priority. Unfortunately, just like in life, you can’t have everything you want in a garden. Decide on what you simply cannot compromise on, then shuffle around the remaining ideas to work around this.

Get inspired is the next thing on the to do list. Whether you like to walk the streets and snap photos of things you like or scroll through Pinterest (check out ours here) find a few images that show the sort of vibe you want to go for. That way, even if you don’t know the names of the plants or the words to describe them, you have images to fall back on. And like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Be mindful that not every plant you like the look of will be suited to your garden, or even sometimes available. But a good nursery person will be able to suggests an alternative that will work in your climate and chosen garden style.

Then it’s time to look at the site.

Take measurements of the area with a measuring tape. It’s much better to take the time to do this properly at the start, than to have to come into the nursery multiple times trying to work out how many plants you will need. If looking to plant trees, work out how much height and width you have for a canopy.

Take note of anything that might impede roots (paying, pipe work).

It’s also important to have a clear idea of how much light the plants will get. You need to consider aspect, surrounding trees and built structures.

Now it’s time to hit the nursery.

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Here at The Tree Shop we like to take time to walk our customers through a number of design and planting options, working out a planting scheme they love and that will thrive in their garden. We can simply fill in the blanks of a design you already have but we are equally as happy to suggest some ideas our own. Our staff have years of industry experience and are keen gardeners themselves. They are there to make sure that you get to create the garden of your dreams!

The final decision sometimes takes a few visit to the nursery but in the end you know you have created a garden with your own hands, and as the years go by, this will be something to be proud of.

If you are looking for a hand to design your own garden you can call in and see us in the nursery 7 days a week, or call or email us.

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