Sarah Nabila

The north side of a house or as known as south in the southern hemisphere, is often considered a problem area because of its lack of direct sunlight. Again, it is quite possible to create an effective border there simply by choosing plants that like the shade.

Like so many other problems in gardening, this one will go away if you make a slight adjustment of attitude and decide to embrace the shade rather than be daunted by it. A visit to any of the big gardens will show shady areas that have been successfully planted, and there is no reason why you should not do the same on a smaller scale.

Many wildflowers will not grow in grass, needing disturbed soil to flourish. Poppies, cornflowers and corn marigolds are examples of these. They are mainly annuals and can be grown from seed in pots and then transplanted or sown directly from seed. Once established they will self sow and then reappear every year. A border can be devoted to them or they can be mixed into a general border.

What is a wildflower garden? A wildflower garden is one in which native flowers are grown in as near wild conditions as possible. The idea of wild conditions is not so much to create picturesque landscape but more to create conditions in which the flowers will grow.

Once upon a time there was only one type of dry garden, one that was naturally so. Nowadays, with the increasing desire to create a number of habitats in which to grow the widest range of plants, many gardeners set out actually to create these conditions. In either case, there are a large number of varied annuals and perennials that suit a dry environment.

While it is in general terms a good thing to try to improve soil conditions, it is possible to live with existing conditions by choosing your plants carefully. Many plants have adapted their demands so that they are able to live with drought, particularly plants that come originally from Mediterranean climates.

Most of us do not have the time to commit ourselves regularly to our garden, however much we wish we could. We also have conflicting demands on the garden, it is not just something beautiful to contemplate but also a place to live in and enjoy. So, we end up creating an informal garden that suits our lifestyle

Grass and hard surfaces have an important role to play in informal gardens. In many cases, such a garden will be a family one and grass has the obvious importance as a play area.

Containers can often play an extremely important part in a formal garden scheme, especially large ones filled with a single plant. A classic example is agapanthus placed at the entrance to a patio or at the bottom of some steps.

Many people dream of a cottage in the country, with roses growing around the door and a feast of color in the garden in front. Well, the good news is that you do not need to move to the country or even have a cottage to create such an attractive garden.