Creating a new garden

Houseblocks were once cleared of vegetation before building, but in these ‘greener’ days there are quite likely to be some trees left. Be careful not to keep trees that you may really like but which may also become too large and very costly to remove if retained.

Some existing features that might at first seem to pose a problem may be turned to good use. For example …

• A natural depression can become a pond, a bog garden or the ideal spot for a future swimming pool.
• A rocky outcrop may be harder to remove than to transform into an interesting rock garden.
• A shady corner where many plants might fail could be the perfect place for a shade-house, a shed or a secluded glen of shade-loving plants such as ferns.

Lawns consume much of the water applied to our gardens and you may decide, after consideration, that you don’t really need a lawn in your garden plan. Without a lawn, you need make no investment in mowers, fuel or pop-up sprinkler systems, and are saved from the lifelong chores of mowing and maintaining a lawn.

Lawns can be replaced with drought-resistant native grasses or ground covers. Hard paving can be used as a more durable substitute for lawn where entertainment areas are needed.

Of course, if you want a lawn there are many things that can help make them more water efficient. Check out the Water saving lawns section to find out more.

Try to design the planting of your garden so that plants with similar watering needs are grouped together and can be watered simultaneously or in succession on the same system. This allows you to tailor your irrigation specifically to the types of plants that you are watering. Some areas, such as mulched ornamental beds, can be planned with no watering in mind, while other areas, such as the vegetable garden or the lawn, can have their own independent irrigation systems.

If excavation work is carried out during the construction of the house, try to persuade the builders to put the topsoil aside so that it may be used for garden beds.

Virtually any soil, either clay or sandy, can be improved and made useful over time. All soil types will be improved by adding organic matter, and clay soils will also benefit from the addition of sand to improve drainage. Otherwise if the soil is in really bad shape you may need to add a layer of good topsoil, preferably a weed-free loam from a good landscaping supplier.

The acidity of your soil, expressed as pH values between 1 (acidic) and 14 (alkaline), should be checked. This is easily done with chemical indicator kits or electronic devices available from garden centres. Most plants are happiest growing in a neutral soil with a pH level of about 7. If the soil is either highly alkaline or acidic, plants should be selected that grow best in those soils. This is a better approach than trying to constantly monitor and correct the imbalance, as soils always revert over time to their original pH level.

The amount of drainage required on a new garden site will vary enormously from block to block. If your soil is high in clay and does not drain well naturally, some underground drainage may be necessary, particularly on level rather than sloping sites which drain naturally.

Drains should be installed under newly installed lawns to carry away the excess from watering.

All drainage should be directed to the community stormwater system and you may be obliged to use a licensed plumbing contractor for some drainage work.