Planting Ideas

A well-tended garden or yard offers you a personal outdoor space to connect with nature. | PHOTO: RO_KA/UNSPLASH

GROW A FOREST

For this top trend at the RHS flower show, the idea is to create a small oasis of mixed layers — perennials as ground cover, then shrubs, climbers, trees and so on — to mimic the diverse plant species in natural forests. “This is one of the oldest forms of gardening, practised by Indigenous people in many places in the world,” says Straub. “A shrub layer, herbaceous perennials, ground cover and climbers coexist with the trees, creating diverse habitats for many living beings.” Size doesn’t matter here; you can plant your forest in a tiny plot.

COLOUR YOUR WORLD Blocks of colour are dramatic and eye-catching. Plant similar hues together to design your own garden colour wheel. “Lush shades of purple, green and blue achieve a stunning crescendo of colour,” notes Straub. In spring, for example, he suggests planting lots of bulbs — say, a mixture of tulips, alliums and Camassia. “This will initiate a colourful firework of textures and fragrances.”

GET WATER-WISE

At Chelsea, many designers focused on plants and trees that can tolerate the dramatic and unpredictable swings, from droughts to flooding, that much of the world is experiencing. Alder trees, for example, are swamp-tolerant and their roots are able to absorb some toxic heavy metals. Straub advises doing some research as to what benefits certain trees and plants can bring to your microenvironment in terms of water absorption and retention. “This can ease the burden on urban sewer infrastructure while creating livable garden spaces and sustainable environments with positive consequences for people, plants, soil and water.”