1. The "hard landscape" plan

(its easy!)

 

Hard landscape components would typically include:

• Fences
• Hard-standing or drive way
• Drains (lift manhole cover and note depth and direction of pipes)
• Cables (i.e. TV, telephone, electrics)
• Power points
• Taps (again note the direction of pipe travel if you can)
• Permanent structures you would not consider moving (i.e. garage or established pond)

 

Also make a note of:

• Typical wind/ rain direction
• Compass points - North, South, East & West
• Where the sun rises and where it sets
• Lines of sight from windows and doors into the garden
• Soil type and whether acidic or alkaline

 

More than just mud

Soil test kits cost just a few pounds and are widely available from garden centres. However, for the purposes of your plan, it is enough to note what you know right now. Is the soil thick like clay or powdery like sand? For the more experienced gardeners, can you tell from the plants that grow well whether the soil is likely to be acidic or alkaline?

 

Soil primarily comprises three ingredients and there is usually no major variance from one end of the garden to the other. These ingredients are:

 

• Clay
• Sand
• Silt

 

This is very important as the proportion of each determines the quality of soil in your garden. The type of soil is classified as either:

 

• Acid
• Alkaline

 

Different plants excel in each type of soil. We will look at how to improve soil in more detail further on.