Start with great soil

I can’t emphasise enough the importance of good soil preparation. Firstly, understand the soil you have. Before selecting any new plants it is best to perform a soil test first to check on soil pH, and to confirm the type of soil structure you have. You can also test the levels of essential minerals and nutrients. Don’t worry, this is something I will do for you. If your soil is not up to scratch then it’s well worth putting in some effort to improve its texture and fertility, to give your plants the best chance of establishing quickly and growing to their full potential. Work in plenty of well-rotted organic matter, that’s ‘muck’ to me and you. This isn’t a quick fix though, and to get the best results, you’ll have to keep adding a bit more year on year. The plants will thank you for it and you’ll be rewarded with a wonderfully colourful display in your garden.