1. Preparation is key Take the time to understand the border or area you’re planting: is it sunny or shady, sheltered or exposed? What is the soil like?  With a little research and knowledge of your patch, you’ll be able to find plants that will thrive in almost any garden situation.

If your planting area is particularly tricky you could help the situation in a variety of ways: improving the soil, adding drainage, clearing back nearby areas to improve light. But unless the situation is very dire, you’re more likely to have success if you embrace any ‘problems’ and make them a feature of your planting choices.

2. Plant selection Once you know the constraints of the area, think about what you want it to look like. There’s no wrong or right answer, it’s just personal preference. What is key is deciding on a theme and sticking to it.
 
Consider the atmosphere you want to create; plants can really change the feel of a space. Do you want to feel cocooned, calmed or energised? This will influence the colours, combinations, size and scale of the plants you choose. Think in generalities to start with: do you want all blues, purples and silvers, or hot oranges and reds; do you want soft mounds or erect spikes.
 



 

3. When should it look it’s bestIt’s almost impossible to have a planting area that looks stunning for 12 months of the year, however much we wish for it. Trying to achieve this will most likely end up with it looking average all the time, so plant with seasonal peaks in mind.

Think about when you’re going to see the area the most and chose plants accordingly. An area at the back of your garden is most likely going to be visited in the summer, when you’re out enjoying the good weather, so chose exuberant summer flowering plants that will entice you into the garden. For areas that you see every day, you might think about more structural or evergreen plants that retain interest and provide a splash of green even in the depths of winter.

4. Shopping When you’ve thought about the above, you can either come up with a list of plants that you want, or you can go to the garden centre and see what they have that fulfils your criteria. It’s important to remain focused - garden centres are always trying to tempt us, so don’t get distracted from your goals.

Successful planting is a numbers game. However large the area, you’re going to have more impact if you have more plants of fewer species than if you buy one of everything. Think about buying in odd numbers – 3s, 5s, 7s - and never buy just one plant unless it’s a feature like a tree or climber for a specific location.

5. Planting outNow that you have your plants at home, make sure your planting area is ready. Dig it over, removing any weeds or rubbish, and make sure your new plants have been thoroughly soaked before planting. Once you have the hole, remove the plant from the pot, tease out its roots if very pot-bound, and firm it into the ground. Make sure you don’t bury the plant too deep (this could cause its stem to rot) or that its root ball isn’t sitting out of the ground (allowing the roots to dry out). Water the plant again in situ, making sure you don’t compact the soil around the plant.

6. AftercareMost plants will come with instructions on how they like to be treated. It’s worth keeping any instructions so that you can refer to them later. Remember to keep watering your plants as they become established, feed as much as required, and then sit back and enjoy your new blooms.