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Guide to Building	back to home... Welcome to the Home Warehouse, Using the menu below, you will find an in-depth list of service providers and products within your area. These trusted Companies are the best in their areas of expertise and offers quality workmanship. Guide to Gardening - below we will cover Garden Tools Assessing you Garden The importance of Light Researching light levels The importance of water Bog garden If your soil is too extreme Test your garden's drainage Check the height of your water table Soil The most important Garden Tools Some of your tools will be in constant use, so when you buy your tools, look for the name Lasher as their products offer quality workmanship, ease of use and reliability for years to come. Basic tools for cultivating - Spade Fork Rake Hand Trowel Hand Fork Deadheading & Pruning Secateurs Long handled Pruners Pruning Saw Shears Garden Hose Watering Can Mower Wheelbarrow Stiff Broom Sprayer for feed or weeds Gardening Gloves
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You wouldn't dream of moving into a house without taking a look at the area. It's the same in a garden. Before you can grow anything, you need to know what sort of conditions you have. Then you can choose plants that are suited for them. There really is no need to waste money on plants that will hate your environment. You'll need to know what sort of soil you have, how much light there is and the prevailing weather conditions. Is it a windy site, a particularly cold one or is it sunny and sheltered? Assessing your garden Just like you, your garden is unique and has character. It is this character, a distinctive set of conditions that work together, which determines what you can grow successfully. Understand your garden's character and you're well on the way to becoming a blossoming gardener. We'll look at the following range of conditions and show you how to discover what they are in your garden: Light Moisture Temperature Wind Soil type The importance of light Put bluntly, plants die without sunlight. Sunlight is the 'engine' that powers growth - a process called photosynthesis. In the wild (which is where most garden plants come from) light levels vary. Being cunning little chaps, different plants evolved to thrive in different levels of light. Clearly the amount of light your garden gets will have a big impact on what plants grow well. The overall amount of light received depends on aspect, the direction your garden faces. Use a compass. South-facing gardens get the least light and can be damp North-facing gardens get the most light East-facing gardens get morning light West-facing gardens get afternoon and evening light Researching light levels As the sun moves through the sky, light levels change. Spend a sunny summer's day in a deckchair watching the sun, noting down the following: Areas that are in full sun all day Areas that are in shade for about half the day Areas in permanent shade And remember, that glass of wine is only a thirst quencher and all in the name of good gardening! Plants need water Just like you, plants need water. There must be a constant supply because plants are like giant wicks. Water is sucked from the soil by roots, drawn up the stem and lost through the leaves. The amount of water in the soil is influenced by: Local annual rainfall Time of year Soil type Aspect The water table - the point in the soil at which water drains away Shady or south facing corners often have damp soil Plants have evolved to take advantage of variations in moisture content. So on wet soil you can plant a bog garden and grow moisture-loving plants; on free-draining soil you can create a gravel garden full of drought-tolerant species. Bog garden An area that is often linked to a pond, where marsh and other moisture-loving bog plants can be grown. A punctured buried liner will keep the soil permanently damp, but it will also prevent it from becoming too waterlogged. If your soil is too extreme? Improve moist soil by digging in lots of bulky organic manure. To dry it, install a drainage system. On free draining soil, improve moisture retention by digging in bulky organic manure (wonderful stuff!) or installing an irrigation system. Be patient though, as this won't happen overnight. Test your garden's drainage Dig a number of holes about 30cm (1ft) deep at random points across the garden Fill with water Leave to drain away naturally If it takes more than 24 hours to disappear, drainage is poor Check the height of your water table Dig a 60cm (2ft) deep hole at the lowest point Watch it for a couple of days in winter (when the water table is at its highest) This will show you at what point plant roots will be in standing water - important since many drought-tolerant species die if they have 'wet feet'. Soil Soil is far from dull stuff. It is made up of humus (organic matter) and three different types of particle: clay, silt and sand. It provides a plant with an anchor for its roots, its water and its nutrients. It's worth checking if the topsoil layer is only a few centimeters thick, subsoil can cause problems: If it's clay - water logging in winter If it's sandy or chalky - dehydration in summer But don't despair, reach for the 'old faithful' - (well-rotted) bulky organic manure - and you can improve things greatly.
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