A garden is a place to disconnect. In it we usually find plants, as well as ponds, fountains, statues or other artificial elements, such as lattices.. But depending on the style you have, sometimes we may not find a single plant element, as in Zen gardens.
Even so, garden design is something that has been done for millennia. In fact, it is known that in Ancient Egypt ornamental plants were already cultivated, such as the blue lotus that they planted in the ponds, or the sycamore that provided good shade for those who visited the temples.
What is a garden?
the garden is a word that comes from French, and means orchard. But as in Spain ‘orchard’ was used to refer to a plot or plots of land where plants were grown for consumption, they began to use the term flower garden, to differentiate them. Soon the word ‘garden’ began to be used, something that made things much easier.
It was no longer cultivated solely for food, but also to enjoy the outdoors. In the beginning it was the aristocracy who could do it. In fact, it is difficult to find palaces, castles or temples in which there is no garden, or patio in which plants play a leading role.
The gardeners were the workers who were in charge of making the idea that kings, queens or princesses had come true. Today, they continue to have the same functions, but now they no longer -only- work for the monarchy, but they can also work for people like you and me.
Although, if you allow me: anyone who has a piece of land, or a space in which to put plants, can practice gardening. Obviously, the bigger the budget we have, the bigger our garden can be, but we have to know that it is possible to have one for very little money: you only need a pot, a little soil, and some plant that we want to grow.
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Types of gardens
Gardens are classified in several different wayssince on Earth there are different climates, and different types of soils, so not just any plant can be grown anywhere. In addition, depending on the culture and tastes of each country, different types of gardens are also distinguished.
For example, depending on their use, we distinguish public gardens from private ones. If it is old and interesting, we say it is a historical garden. But if a type of plant predominates in it, we say that it is a:
- Rose garden or rose garden
- Palm garden or palm grove
- Cactus garden
- Fern garden
- Orchard
According to its origin, we distinguish:
And, depending on your organization:
- Flowerbed or raised floor garden
- Rehearsal garden
- Potted garden. Learn More.
- Hydroponic garden
- Vertical garden. Learn More.
How do you design a garden?
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Diego Delso
Every design starts with an ideaand to have one, the most advisable thing is to visit botanical or private gardens – whenever possible, of course – in your area, since that way you will know what plants to put, and how to organize them. Once this is done, you can make a draft with some free program, or with paper and pen.
This draft is very important since you have to put where you are going to put the trees, palm trees, rockeries, relaxation areas, … well, everything “big” that you want to have, yes or yes, in your garden. You can leave the details for later, since you are always on time to put, change or remove things. But the basic design has to be on that program or paper.
Then you have to prepare the ground. Remove the wild herbs and stones with the help of a rototiller and a hoe, and then make a hole of about 50 x 50 centimeters and fill it with water. If you see that it absorbs quickly, perfect; but if it takes more than half an hour then it will be important install some drainage system.
When this issue is resolved, rake everything. It is not necessary that it be perfectly level, since now it is highly recommended to fertilize the soil with manure, for example, pouring a thick layer of about ten centimeters, and then mixing it with the help of the rake. In this way, the plants will grow well.
Then, you can start planting. Start with the ones that will be bigger: trees, palm trees. Think that they will be, so to speak, the “pillars” of your garden. Put them at a safe distance from walls and walls, and also between specimens. Palm trees do not have invasive roots, but there are certain trees such as ficus or elms that have to be planted far away, at least ten meters from walls, pipes, and other large plants.
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List of trees with aggressive roots
Now you can “fill in”; that is, plant the bushes, bushes and flowers so that your garden has color. You can even combine them, creating rockeries or flower beds. The latter are very good to define roads and trails.
Finally, install a irrigation system. The most recommended is drip irrigationespecially for areas where it rains little and it is hot, such as in the Mediterranean, where temperatures exceed 30 degrees several weeks each summer.
More tips for creating your garden
Gardening is not a mathematical art. Neither two plus two equals four, nor is it mandatory to put two rose bushes (for example) in each corner for color and aroma to the place. There are many ways to create a garden, and none are worse or better than the others. Therefore, my advice is:
- If you like a garden style, perfect; but if you feel like it, do not hesitate to give it your personal touch.
- Remember the tallest plants have to be behind the smallestbut only if the latter need sun. And, wouldn’t a lush tree surrounded by ferns look pretty to you?
- It is always better to opt for native plantsas these are genetically prepared to withstand the conditions in your area. But beware: give the outsiders a chance. Do it following logic (investigating them, discovering how much they grow, their rusticity, etc.), and you will surely get more than one nice surprise.
- Do you dream of having a garden with flowers? You can create wonderful flower beds with bulbous flowers, or with a combination of annuals, biannuals and perennials.
- If you live in a dry place, bet on having gardens without grass. Really, these green carpets consume a lot of water, a very, very scarce good in the whole world but especially in places where it also rains very occasionally. Instead, you can put flowers that serve as an alternative to grass.
Is it possible to have an orchard and a garden on the same land?
Yes of course. You can choose to divide the land into two different areasin which in one you will put only ornamental plants, and in the other for consumption; or combine bothsince there are many that embellish the spaces and that also have edible fruits. Some are perennial, such as cherry, almond, apple, or persimmon; others are harvested after a short time, such as green and red leaf lettuce, thyme, or parsley.
Know a little about your climate, and the land type you have, and so you can know which plants to grow. Just keep in mind that if you are going to have tomato plants, peppers, spearmint, and any other plant that needs sun, you have to plant the trees far from them since otherwise you would end up having a shade garden with time. Ideally, reserve an area that is always exposed to sunlightin this way you can have a vegetable garden and garden on your plot.
We hope that what we have told you has served you. Enjoy your garden.
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