Adding value to your garden

A beautiful garden with the right plants can increase the value of a home, provide habitat for insects and birds, define space, enhance our well-being and create a green corridor. 

Colour

Foliage colour offers an interesting aspect in the garden. Choosing plants with different foliage colours and flowering times create diversity.  Some plants are grown primarily for their foliage, whereas some are grown for their flowers. Play around with foliage colours to define separate areas in the garden. Choose different foliage colours to light up dark corners. For example, shaded areas benefit from plants with bright colours like blue, pink, yellow and white.

Height

For the garden to become established, it takes 3-5 years and lots of patience. Please keep in mind that plants might grow for an extended period before they reach their full potential. Investigate the ultimate height of the plants before planting. The plants that grow tall should not be planted near the house or window.

Shape

The variety of shapes provides visual interest in the garden. The evergreen and deciduous characteristics of plants can significantly contribute to their appearance. Evergreen plants tend to maintain a consistent appearance, while deciduous plants are more likely to vary slightly with seasonal changes. Create focal points with plants that have interesting level shapes like grasses, Dietes sp., Chasmanthes and Arum lilies.

Soil

The condition of the soil is crucial for the plant's survival. It is best to choose plants that can adapt to sandy or clay soil when gardening in these soil types. Adding compost to the garden can also improve drainage and moisture retention.

Texture

Coarse-textured plants have big leaves, while fine-textured plants have small leaves, flowers and often look soft. The finer elements provide a calming background, while coarse-textured plants can enhance contrast in the garden. The visual impact of tiny leathery grey leaves is very different to that of large dark-green glossy leaves. 

Water Requirements

The requirements for water varies according to the type of plants. For a couple of weeks after planting, water the plants regularly. It is advisable to select plants that tend to cope with their surroundings. The water requirement of plants growing under shade is commonly less than those in full sun. Group plants according to their water and light requirements together.