How New Should it Be?

When I was in-between jobs last year (i.e. waiting for my next office job to come through) I took the pleasure of working as a ‘Residential Gardener’ for most of the summer. Granted general clean-up duties could sometimes be a drag, but there were many occasions where we would plant a shipment of new plants and shrubs. Straight from the nursery, off the truck, into the garden. This was always a lot of fun. Once everything was planted it was then a case of standing back and simply appreciating the work we had just done. One thing I used to sometimes notice was the mild apprehension on a client’s face once everything was planted. You could read their faces sometimes; “This doesn’t really look like what I saw in last month’s ‘Gardens Illustrated’ magazine.” Followed by a very hesitant, “So . . . these plants will definitely grow and move into shape, yeah?” Yes, they most certainly will.

I would often take the liberty of reassuring the client that the image they saw which had so inspired them didn’t just happen. It happens over time. It’s a work in progress. This is perhaps one of the more amazing and rewarding things about having a garden and how it encourages you to not think too much about how it’s all going. Because with regular attention it will keep going and going. These finished gardens that you see in magazines, as it were, have taken several years of growth to come into its own. In one of my recent design projects (I am currently studying Garden Design), my tutor instructed me to learn the art of plant spacing and to get an idea of the final shape and size. In other words; allow room for plants and shrubs to establish themselves and spread.

 A newly planted garden design will usually look quite bare, with lots of visible space between plants. At times a newly designed garden can often appear disjointed but in fact this is actually a good sign of foresight and sound horticultural practice, as it allows room for growth and movement. To answer the question presented in the title, ‘How new should it be?’ The simple answer is that some plants can be bought at full size. Trees and hedges can be purchased and delivered at full size and not surprisingly they look amazing. However, you need to bear in mind that the more fully grown you want the plants to be the more expense they will cost you. Fact. This is a very important aspect you will need to consider when you have an idea for your garden and you’re thinking with a budget in mind.

Why is this? The main reason is because large plants (in order to reach that size) have been looked after and attended to over the years. This requires a lot of time, effort, and know-how by a horticulturalist (or at least a very good gardener). In some instances, it may even require special facilities to make it all work. Another thing to consider is that if you are insisting on large fully formed plants delivery to your house alone may cost anywhere between £50-£100 for a special courier! Compared that to postage cost of £5-£10 for small shrubs and plants. Also, you are drastically restricting the range of plants to choose from because new and unusual cultivars simply won’t be available to buy at full size. The fact is exciting new cultivars can be risky for garden nurseries. All that time and effort to grow to full size, and they don’t sell. At a smaller size with a more affordable price tag the turnover is more likely.

 As the roots of new shrubs explore the new soil they are growing in, a new plant will establish much faster mainly due to the vitality a new plant has. They will spread their roots into the ground very quickly, whereas a larger tree may have trouble spreading its root-ball into different soil.  A new garden can feel really slow to show any signs of progress. But be assured as time moves on you begin to see plants and shrubs become vigorous making them ideal for long-term planting. Like any kind of growth; personal, creative, or otherwise, a garden takes time to come into their own – sometimes as long as three years. But why worry about this? Serious question; what is the hurry?

 For me, I always find a garden’s progress almost like a metaphor for personal growth. During the first year there’s a bit of uncertainly. What works? What doesn’t work? There are patches of soil, gaps even. In the second year, things are beginning to look more robust and rigorous. And by the third year the garden (and the design idea behind it) will begin to feel fully realised and finished.

Always remember to keep this in mind; a garden is a living and growing organism, and therefore it is really, never complete . . . it just keeps growing and evolving – one day at a time. Just like life, right?