• Harmony and balance between house and garden should be your first concern.
  
      The style of the garden should suit or complement that of the house. Do not, for example, plan an intricate and 'busy" garden if your house is a bungalow of simple and straightforward lines.
  
  
• Examine you soil.
  
      Remember that good gardening depends on good soil. Find out what type of soil you are working with and how you can improve it. Very light sandy soil is not beneficial to plants because it does not retain enough moisture and organic compounds. On the other hand, some grounds are so sticky which retains moisture to a high degree. Thus, it becomes hard and compact, and fails to admit air properly. Sometimes you have to add sand, clay and compost to get the type of soil that grows plants best.
  
  
• Use mulches.
  
      Mulch is used in the garden for many reasons. It helps the soil retain moisture, provides nutrients, discourages weeds, provides drainage, insulates the soil in winter and cools it in summer, provides food for soil creatures and improves soil structure. Some of the mulches you can use are cocoa shells, manure, gravel and grit, pebbles, grass clippings, bark and path with gravel.
  
  
• Plan your garden's drainage.
  
      Even the healthiest plants die if subjected to long periods in standing water as commonly see during rainy season. Do not put delicate plants in the ground. You can use pots for them.
  
  
• Watch your planting plan.
  
      In gardens, as in art, the great excellence is "simplicity". Think of how your plantings will look in a few years when they are grown to avoid overcrowding. Do not congest a small space with confusing designs. Avoid geometrical planning, such as driveway in the middle of a garden. Avoid unimaginative lines of plants and shrubs.
  
  
• Color the year around by studying the flowering schedule of plants in the Philippines.
  
      Break the monotony. If you want your garden to look always lively, plan your garden in such a manner that there will always something in bloom. Some plants bloom during dry seasons, others on wet seasons and others are permanent in feature.
  
  
  On Maintaining the garden
  
  
  
• Cut off the tops and extra long branches regularly.
  
      Pruning is important because it directs, alters or rejuvenates the growth of plants. It also removes undesirable growth and promotes health. It creates a particular shape of the [plant and produces more flower or even fruits.
  
  
• Never mow off more than the topmost third of a blade of grass at one time.
  
      Even if the lawn is overgrown, mow off just a third; then wait a few days and mow another third. Because each blade of grass provides food for the entire plant, continual scalping will compromise the health of the lawn. Some of its roots may die; it will be less able to withstand extremes of temperature, lack of water, and incursions by pests and diseases.
  
  
• Always test your soil for moisture and look at your plants before you water.
  
      The first few weeks of plating will necessitate watering until the plants are well rooted and grown. Don't be too generous in watering your plants. It leaches fertilizer and soil nutrients from the root zone; it creates wet conditions that encourage diseases. You should try to water your plants earlier in the day, so the sun can help dry off any water left on the plant.
  
  
• Don't apply liquid fertilizer at the same time you plant.
  
      No matter how carefully you remove plants from their containers and place them in the ground, some root hairs will break. The fertilizer will reach the roots immediately and enter them at the broken points, "burning" them and causing further dieback. Wait 2 to 3 weeks after planting before you fertilize; by then, the newly set-out plants should have recovered from any root damage.
  
  
• Prevent plant diseases from attacking your prized plants.
  
      Good gardening practices will fend off many diseases. To keep plant problems under control, keep plants healthy by giving them the water, light, and fertilizer they need to flourish. Remove diseased plants immediately and dispose them right away. Take care also not to injure plants when transplanting, pruning or mowing. And most of all, keep your garden clean.
  
      Trial and error is the way many gardeners (like me) learn about what to plant and where plants like to live in your garden. Sometimes it means putting a plant in the shade instead of in the sun, or pruning back some new growth even though the plant looks fine. Suddenly you will discover two plants that look good together and one blooms right after the other! Sometimes you can plan this, and sometimes it just happens. That's part of the fun of gardening, you are always learning. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or try something different...one book may say try this while another says you should try that but you have to see what works best for you and for your garden.
  
  
  
  Sources:
• Steiner, Mona Lisa. 1986. Philippine Ornamental Plants And Their Care. Bulacan, Philippines: Enrian Press
• www.homestore.com/HomeGarden/Gardening/Basics.Last retrieved: March 6, 2005

by: garette