Revamping your garden

Just like you clean up the wardrobe, gardens need cleaning and revamping.

Jane Ziriana Nakiryowa, a florist, says to revamp a garden, you have to look at the general feel of it. In regards to plants, she says some are not perennial. “After one year, these look old and lacklustre and thus the need to replace them.”

If you have perennials such as carnations and marigolds, just uproot the older plant and wait for the seeds to germinate.

 “When flowering, perennials dry out, they drop seeds which sprout into new plants. They may not flower for a few weeks but will surely have flower buds with time. All you have to do is weed the garden, taking note of the sprouting flowers and before long, you will have a beautiful garden again.”

Even without several flowering plants, she says you can invest in plants whose leaves are colourful such as crotons and Msaenda.

“That way, when your other plants are not flowering, there is still colour in your garden.”

She adds that you also have to get rid of plants that are difficult to maintain. “You might get drawn to a plant but then it starts getting tricky. For example, I love the Persian shield but it is a needy plant. Without the right attention, it loses the purple shine and turns pale green. I am considering replacing it.”

Nakiryowa also highlights the importance of applying manure to your garden. “You need to apply manure at least once every year, especially around shrubs so that they look lush.”

Garden pots

She also encourages homeowners to introduce stones into their gardens. “These give them an exotic look.” You can also go a step further to create rock gardens which introduces a desert look to the garden as well as instant beauty.

You could also introduce pots as a way of extending the garden to the verandah, Nakiryowa says adding that not only do they beautify the place, they create extra space, especially in situations where one could not afford a garden.

“You could also add stands so that you can accommodate as many pots as possible.”

Ivan Nkata, a landscaper, says adding a patio will make your garden look better. “Get a corner to have a patio within the compound. It can be open or canopied and if you like with a trellis for a climbing plant.”

If a patio is not possible, adding a bench or a swing is better. “You can also have both and they will add beauty to your garden.”

Add a fruit tree

Nakiryowa says you can also add fruit trees to your garden to create a shade. However, many are weary of these plants for their roots destroy wall. She agrees some tree roots grow so big and long and can damage the wall and floors. “If a tree has broad branches and a main stem that is not straight such as avocado, jackfruit, and mango trees then keep them away from the wall because chances are that the roots will behave in like manner.” However, some of these fruit tree species, more so the miniature versions, can grow near the wall because they do not grow so tall.

Another way to tell that a tree is not damaging is if it has only a tap root or shallow fibrous roots. “If a tree grows straight such as Ashok, then it is safe to put near the wall. The cane palm too has small fibrous roots that cannot penetrate through the bricks.”

Nakiryowa adds that trimming and taming trees into shrubs can totally limit the growth of an otherwise big errant tree. “Besides that, if a tree is becoming errant, tie it with a rope and try directing its growth. For example, mvule tree can grow in a pot without breaking it.”

Plants also need to be watered because dehydrated plants look limp and lose colour. “It is always great to water plants in the morning than the evening, lest they get attacked by fungus and other parasites. Plants also hate over watering so, know when to stop.”

Nkata says you could also add lighting to your garden. “These will add life to your garden when the sun cannot illuminate the beautiful flowers and coloured leaves.”

If you have a big garden but it has not been levelled, especially on a slope, Nkata says you can give it a new look by giving it two levels. “The one next to the house should be higher and smaller while the one further from the house is big.”

It is not a good gardening job if the lawn is buried in weeds. It is a big challenge for many garden lovers to rid their spaces of weeds yet if they do not, they will keep running in circles, doing the same thing over and over.

To reduce the number of weeds infesting your lawn, Charles Kakembo, a gardener, says it should be slashed regularly.

“Some weeds won’t stay alive when you constantly remove their leaves. Of course, others are stubborn.”

He adds that other way to avoid introducing weeds into your lawn is have your own mower. “When you borrow a mower, it comes with lots of seeds and weeds from other lawns to yours.”

After it is all said and done the best preventive measure against weeds is buying seeds and plant using broadcast method. “Buying from roadside venders means buying grass alongside the weeds therein. You will continuously weed your lawn.”

Grass seeds can be found in various agro-produce stores.