Plants and positioning

We often hear the phrase Right Plant - Right Place and this could be quite misleading. When you enter a garden centre the plants are positioned ( especially in spring / summer ) in a way that will attract you to them, there colour, shape and size, and you will start to see them at a particular point in your garden, probably a specific focal point as you leave the house.

That may be okay for some plants but many plants struggle because they are in the wrong position, its probably nothing you have done wrong at all, its just the conditions. Some plants don’t like windy areas, wet areas, type of soil, to much sun, to little sun ( may affect flowering ) the list goes on.

So, before you buy the plant research it, check it out, is my garden in the right position, do I have the shade it needs, will it get enough water, it all matters for the health of your garden.

Camellias, Azaleas, Rhododendrons all dislike strong morning sun, Acers are not partial to cold winds, and if your planting trees into a lawn make sure you lift a good foot of lawn around each tree to let the water penetrate otherwise the roots will dry out before it can show you its glorious foliage and colours.