Real World Gardener Design Principles part 2 in Design Elements

Design Principles part 2 Site Analysis Are you all set to re-design your garden to give it a new lease of life? <ul><li>Perhaps just one area needs re-doing.</li> <li>Autumn is the best time to think about that but first there are a few basics to consider.</li> </ul>   Things to Consider You first need to consider the factors that cannot be changed, these are: climatic zone  aspect soil texture/type  soil pH  site hydrology or drainage  the views into and out of the site  water availability  <ul><li>Having time to observe some of these factors can also work to your advantage as you can then see the difference in these elements through all the seasons.</li> <li>The majority of gardening problems are caused by gardeners not understanding the climatic needs of their plants. It's important to note that Australia has a warmer climate than the countries of origin of most of our introduced plants. </li> </ul> <p>I'm talking with Glenice Buck of <a href='http://www.glenicebuckdesigns.com.au/'>www.glenicebuckdesigns.com.au</a> Top tips:</p> <ul><li>Firstly, get to know your soil, the soil’s pH and how well does it drain, ie hydrology.</li> <li>You can also look up soil texture test on the internet.</li> <li>Consider water availability, particularly if you don’t have access to town water.</li> <li>Then what views have you got and which need hiding.</li> </ul> Elements you can change. <ul><li>Plants-move them if possible if they don't suit their location.</li> <li>Look at lifespan of the existing trees or shrubs. Have they past their use by date? Have some sort of succession plan in place for these plants.</li> <li>Decking or paving can be changed but think about re-using the material in the garden, or selling on a local buy, swap and sell, rather than throwing them into landfill.</li> </ul> Draw up a Mudmap Now is the time to draw a rough map of you garden and house, including the boundary lines. Mark structures that are going to stay, such as taps, clothesline, pathways, driveway