Spring garden preparation mistake costing you time and money

There’s no season that gets gardeners excited quite like spring.
Not only does our hard work pruning and planting seeds and bulbs start to pay off with colourful blooms and new growth, there are so many more plants available for our gardens.
And sunny, warm weather makes it so much more appealing for spending time outside.
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All this gets green thumbs so keen to get started that we forget to consider budget, time and energy.
”I think the biggest mistake that people make that get wrapped up with the excitement of the oncoming spring is over committing to too much garden,” Kath Meier, landscape designer from Virtual Landscaping Design Australia and Hunter Landscape Design + Construct tells 9honey Living.
“People want a beautiful garden filled with beautiful spring blooms so they go crazy at the nursery and buy as many plants as they can. However in reality they don’t have the time to look after the amount of garden they have envisioned. So they are evidently setting themselves up for failure and will be disappointed with the result and will often brand themselves as a non-gardener.”
Instead Meier suggests planning a small garden that you know you’ll have time and energy to care for.
She encourages gardeners to “be absolutely honest” with yourself about the size of garden you can realistically look after, even if it’s just one pot or a planter.
“A small beautiful garden will be much more rewarding than a big ugly mess,” she says.
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When choosing plants for spring gardens don’t just look at ornamental plants, edible options like herbs and fruit trees look stunning while also serving a practical purpose.
“Plants like rosemary and blueberry can make great hedge plants. And the scent from bushing past a rosemary plant is enough to make the mouth water for a hearty roast lamb dinner and a blueberry hedge will give you privacy and fruit all in one,” Meier says.
“Herbs like mint love moist soil so are great for those hard to plant out places like around a shady tap or drain. Try an edible border with plants like lettuce and kale. They look great and can be harvested throughout the season.
“Fruit trees can be a great addition. Dwarf trees are a great addition to a feature pot. Or if you want to get really creative try an espalier fruit tree. Citrus, apples and stone fruit make great espalier. You can either start from scratch with the guidance of internet research or get a head start with one from a nursery that has already started.”
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But every gardener knows that as much as they try to look after their plants the weather has a huge impact on the look and health of a garden.
Frosts are still possible for parts of Australia and the increasing unpredictability of weather means an early heatwave is not out of the question.
Apart from keeping an eye on the weather, Meier recommends trying plant covers that can protect from heat and frosts and considering plant placement.
“Plant placement is important as there are some plants that will survive light frosts and warm weather if placed in the correct spot. So if you are planting these types of plants consider the placement of them.
“Protect plants from frosts by placing under eaves or in patios under cover. Enduring plants that may be affected by heat are planted on the eastern side of a building or under mature trees and shrubs or in complete shade if they like shade.”
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