Many plants will tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions but some are so sensitivie that they may become very sick or even die under certain circumstances:
Soil acidity can be measured using a special pH meter or soil testing kit. The end result of either is a numerical assessment of the soil. A figure above [...]
This design is an example of where the use of walls and a bank have been combined. The area at the back of the house would catch a lot of sun and this is where the main area of paving has been positioned. Some cutting of slabs or any other rectangular paving units would be [...]
Perhaps the biggest advantage of a garden sloping towards the house as opposed to sloping the opposite way is that you can see everything in it. Two likely disadvantages are that it may make the house rather dark if the slope is steep, and drainage can be a problem with much of the water collecting [...]
If you have children you may feel that you want a lawn, however small, for them to play on. This is fine as long as you are prepared to keep it cut and have somewhere to store a mower: a small hand mower is probably all that is needed. If you are going to have [...]
The trend now is to integrate the garden and the living area so that the transition from one to the other is less noticeable. One good way of achieving this is to have a clear roof covering a patio area with French windows leading out from the house. The same floor covering, or similar colour, [...]
A double wall for planting is rather like a narrow raised bed. It is often used as a boundary for the front garden, as a feature in front of a porch and for surrounding a patio. The height of the wall will depend on its use: for instance, if it is to form the front [...]
Most people find water fascinating and even a small pool makes an attractive feature. In a backyard there may not be enough room for anything extravagant and a small square brick pool will often suffice. Stone pools can be bought and they look better than a plastic-lined one. If you have not got room for [...]