Plant Selection
Alice Bowe is renowned for her passion for colour when it comes to the selection of both plants and garden design. She says she draws inspiration from art but she also makes no compromises when it comes eco-friendliness.
To create a perfect blend between beauty and eco-friendliness, you are recommended to choose plants for your garden according to:
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Beauty. Obviously, you want your garden to look beautiful and the plants therefore must meet your taste for aesthetic appeal. But when selecting individual plants, it is a good idea to keep in mind the overall look of your garden. That way you will create a sense of harmony and sophistication, and give your property an additional charm.
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Characteristics. Some plants produce gorgeous blossoms but for a very short period of time. If you want your garden to delight you with its beauty most of the year, you should therefore also pay attention to characteristics of the plants, especially to time and duration of flowering, are they evergreen or deciduous, how long they take to mature, etc..
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Maintenance. There is a huge difference in the amount of care required between different plant species. So if you would like to enjoy your garden and spend as little time for its maintenance as possible, you should obviously focus on plants that do not need much care. Plant as many perennials as possible, choose drought-resistant plants if you live in an area with low precipitation, winter-hardy plants if your climate is harsh during the winter, etc..
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Susceptibility to pests and diseases. Besides delighting with its beauty, a garden should also allow you to bring nature closer to your doorstep. To create a gorgeous garden that will thrive with life, you should avoid plants that are highly vulnerable to pests and diseases. That way you will also avoid the need to use potentially toxic chemicals to keep these plants healthy and appealing. If you would like to plant them anyway, be sure to use non-toxic measures to keep them healthy and pest-free.
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Eco-friendliness. Alice Bowe recommends to choose eco-friendly plants. Ideally, your garden should include as many native plants as possible as these attract wildlife species. You can also grow exotic plants but you are advised to make sure that they grow well in your region in order to avoid the need for chemicals. Also, keep in mind that some plants are invasive and that may be very problematic if they ‘escape’ into the nature. So be sure to take all the necessary measures to prevent them from spreading out of your garden.