A New Terrace: Part 2

Step 5 - Planting

Like any sensible millennial, I had a Pinterest board collected over recent years which was going to guide my purchasing.

Click here to have a look at ideas I had for our terrace.

Before picking your plants there are a few things to consider:

1. What plants would suit your situation?

The late, great plantswoman Beth Chatto, instilled the principle of putting the right plant in the right place.

As simplistic as this sounds, most of us will have picked something up which we liked the look of at the garden centre with no plan for it, to then only look on, helpless, as the poor thing tries its best to put up with whatever spot you've found for it.

In this way, container gardening is no different to regular 'ground gardening'. Consider the exposure and light levels of your space. Is it un-shaded and windy? Is it dark and sheltered? There will be plants which specifically love whatever you have to offer, and others which can cope with both quite easily.

Another great strategy is to track down container-friendly versions of species and varieties that you've already spotted. They almost always exist so it's worth looking and that way, you and the plant will be very happy.

2. What look do I want?

You might like to think about a particular look you'd like to create, or a theme, be it a unifying flowering colour or types of foliage. Do I want jungle-looking plants? Do I want an arid-desert look? Do I want my garden to be green all year round? Or do I just want buckets of colour wherever I turn?

I started out with wanting a mix of jungle-like foliage and dark foliage with mainly white/purple flowering plants.

What I learnt from going down this path is that not everything you want will be available at your local nursery, and even if it is, it might be a different colour. As much as it hurt my Pinterest, I had to make do.

The type of look you want also might not match your environment that well. I found this out the hard way with a few of my larger shrubs which did not cope at all well with our terrace. Despite being okay with full-sun, sometimes it can be a bit too much even then. Scorched leaves and fungal diseases! Not fun at all.

Knowing the space a lot better now, I can take care to pick only what will be able to handle the intense sun during the summer.

When you know the look you want to go for, let's find out what our plants need more specifically.

3. What kind of care do I need to provide?

If you've already read up on your plants or read the advice on the label you will be made aware of any more specific soil, feeding, siting, watering, pruning requirements. Make sure that you aren't biting off more than you can chew as it will be a struggle for both you and the plant.

Some plants can benefit from a little preparation. 'Ceanothus' for instance, a fantastic evergreen shrub, great for pollinators, like an extra boost of potassium so it is recommended to bury a banana skin below the root ball when you're planting!

Not many will guide you to do this kind of thing but as a rule of thumb, fresh compost and decent drainage will see you through.

4. Getting them planted

Follow the guidance on the plant pot/label when planting out. It's often a good idea to keep them in their pots and arrange them to see how they might look once they're fully planted. When you're happy, go about removing them from their pots and getting them into their new homes.

It's good practice with a pot-bound plant, to tease some of the roots out. You can do this by rubbing around the root ball to loosen some of the trailing roots from the shape of the pot, but take care not to break them or cause damage generally.

One thing to bear in mind is the eventual height and spread of the plant. Don't be tempted to pack them in as you will find that all plants may perform poorly as time ticks by. They don't want to compete for water, nutrients or space. An estimate of this should be given on the pot or label.

Another is to ensure that the plants are firmed in, with no air pockets around the root ball along with ensuring that the root ball is not sticking up above the new soil level. No one likes a proud plant, (except in some very specific cases).

5. Managing your expectations

It's hard not to be excited to see your first flowers on a plant you've invested money and time in looking after. Some will be raring to go and give you a fantastic display in Year 1. Some you might have to wait until Year 2 or even 3 to see really flourish after they have established and grown to maturity. This can be said for a few perennials.

The opposite is also true if you've brought a relatively mature plant from the finely tuned care of a garden nursery to your own space, and you see a decline in growth or blooms year after year. In this case it's worth looking into why that might be and giving it more feed or checking the time at which you're pruning is correct for the plant.

You will get it right eventually. Gardening is all about trial and error which is how we all grow as gardeners.

Step 6 - Watering

Depending on the time of year that you're planting, you'll hopefully have a decent length of time for your plants to settle in prior to the start of winter. It's especially important during the first year to make sure your plants remain happy and are watered regularly. This allows them to establish fully and become more drought tolerant and therefore more forgiving in the future.

And Finally

When you are done with planting your new friends and given them their first drink in their new home, take a step back - mark the occasion. Take a few snaps so you can remind yourself in a few years time, how far you've come. Whatever happens from here you will learn from everything you've done and grow as a gardener.