GALLERY: Gardening for every space and style
Quirky, madly intelligent, fun loving and academic to boot, Melanie spoke about her new book Garden Style and showed the members of the garden club a slide about what she has been up to in the gardening world over the past few years.
STAR of Gardening 101 on the Home Channel and author of Garden Style Melanie Walker was the guest speaker at the Johannesburg South Garden Club’s June 25 meeting.
Quirky, madly intelligent, fun loving and academic to boot, Melanie spoke about her new book Garden Style and showed the members of the garden club a slide about what she has been up to in the gardening world over the past few years.
“I’ve always had a passion for gardening and growing and more recently in garden design. Growing your own is becoming ‘big’ and however small your garden is, you can still achieve a veggie or herb garden. There’s just so much scope nowadays, especially with new materials coming in which will assist you to make flower, veggie and herb boxes.
“Vertical gardens are here to stay, even though when they first appeared many said they wouldn’t be around for long. They make use of such small spaces, and can also be used as dividers. Fabulous idea,” she said.
Melanie, who lives in Parkhurst, described her own garden as being completely low maintenance, and said if things work they stay. “If it doesn’t need watering often, then it belongs in my garden,” she laughed.
“Anything fussy definitely doesn’t belong. I have a little forest, a veggie section, as well as a small lawn for the dogs and my children.
“My children have learnt the technique of growing and caring for plants and vegetables and it’s great for them to spend hours outdoors pottering around. Which child wouldn’t love this?
“It’s so important from an early age you get your children outdoors, far too much of sitting around lounging indoors all day,” she added.
Design trends
“Crazy paving is taking the world by storm again as well as porcelain paving. Gabions (a box or cage filled with rocks or concrete) are being used widely in garden designs and can make a marvellous feature. Another big trend right now is wood, which can be incorporated into your garden or landscape. You can use pallets for garden furniture, plant boxes and lots of other ideas. Bring some structure into your garden and use gently worn items such as tin or steel.”
Colour your garden
“Bold is beautiful and vibrant jewel colours will be huge this year in the garden. Oranges, yellows and clashing colours will make for a super display, adding grey foliage. Don’t forget pink though, still one of my favourites. Use silver plants foliage with purple and blues. Now you can get colour swatches for your garden as well as indoors.”
Gardening for health
Melanie asked, “Who here is vegan or vegetarian?” A silence came over the garden club members, followed by bursts of laughter. “Veganism is one of the fastest-growing trends in the world. Try and be slightly self-sufficient by growing veggies or even herbs. Apart from tasting better they are far healthier than shop bought. You don’t have to have a separate garden bed for your veggies and herbs, incorporate them between your flowers. They’ll look amazing.”
Smaller spaces
Melanie chatted about how smaller gardens are being enjoyed, with more and more people living in townhouses or clusters.
“Fill up your small garden with plants, flowers, vegetables and herbs, making use of a vertical garden or planters. Design a small entertaining and seating area. Relaxing outdoors, especially in the winter sunshine we are so lucky to get, will be far warmer than being indoors.”
Melanie said her book Garden Style will help you to create the garden of your dreams with advice and ideas from whether you have a tiny urban courtyard or a roomy rural plot.
It should inspire you to make the most of your garden and if you are lucky enough to have one, your entertaining area.
Showing you 19 distinct garden styles, from sweeping woodland and grassland gardens, through moon, rock and rose gardens, to compact courtyard and cottage gardens, it also covers the fundamentals of gardening, such as understanding garden habitats, basic design elements and water-wise gardening.
Each chapter includes sections on planning and planting, with a list of key plants suited to each style, plus lots of helpful tips and features on different aspects of gardening and, of course, ample spectacular photos to inspire you.”
It was a fantastic morning with members enjoying every minute of Melanie’s talk and slide show.
“I could have gone on for hours longer,” laughed Melanie, “but now it’s time for tea.”
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