The 2 reasons why gardening seems complicated but isn't...

Reason 1 - Cheating the seasons

Learning how to stock a garden seems like a much more complicated process than it actually is. The main reason for this is simply that keen gardeners like to cheat the seasons. They use greenhouses to start things early, potting on, hardening off, bringing in ‘tenders’ to over winter with protection. Which is all fine, if you enjoy it. However, it’s not necessary. Not at all, in fact.

If you forget about trying to bring things on early and let just let the plants respond to Mother Nature and flower in their own time then you can relax and skip all the complicated stuff. You don't need to cheat the seasons just use plants in a successive way. Ie. bulbs for spring colour, perennials and annuals for summer/autumn colour, some evergreens for structure and greenery in winter. Plant them once, give them a haircut once a year, water if thirsty and you won't need to do any 'cheating of the seasons' palaver and you will have a beautiful garden.

Pots, seeds, greenhouses, propogators, potting on, hardening off - no thanks!

Reason 2 - Thrift

If you have the time, energy and equipment you can fully stock your garden in one year for a fraction of the price of buying plants by growing everything from seed. A lot of work, satisfying actually, but a lot of work nonetheless. Thrifty gardeners also learn to divide plants when they are mature enough to create extra 'free' plants and they propogate meaning to cut small bits off plants and grow them on in pots to create more plants. There are different methods for this depending on the plant group. Its all wonderful stuff, nature is so amazing, but it is a commitment of time and the main problem for our gardens these days, is that they are owned by busy people. We have enough stuff to do and also need to drink wine and watch Netflix.

Looking after the garden with its weeding and grass cutting becomes like outdoor housework and just another chore on the list. No wonder we are going down the low maintenance, fake turf, hard landscaping option at the expense of our precious bees.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for cutting out the boring bits of gardening. It’s not only possible to have a garden beautiful in all seasons, well stocked and low maintenance - it’s easy! Honest.

Stick with all year bloom and we will teach you all the cheats and shortcuts.

A patch of earth we can call our own is not only a luxury, it’s a privilege.