Alan Titchmarsh reveals the right plants to choose if your garden has ‘tricky spots’
Every gardener has that one bit of their garden that makes them throw their hands up in despair: too dry, too wet, or too shady – there’s always a trouble spot. But expert Alan Titchmarsh says there’s always a solution, and it’s just a case of "Right plant, right place.”
He explains in the BBC Gardeners' World magazine: “My own garden is not short of tricky spots. There is a dry, shady bed beneath an ancient yew tree; a sun-scorched border along the south-facing aspect of the house; a winding path beneath trees where the branches need to be thinned if I want anything other than ferns to grow under them.”
But for each of those areas, he explains. It’s just a case of identifying a plant that will thrive in those conditions: “In general, bright-flowered plants need sunlight to encourage pollinating insects. Don't try growing brilliant summer bedding plants in deep shade.”
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He points out that bluebells, snowdrops and wood anemones have evolved over many centuries to thrive in the dappled shade of woodland, blooming before the trees are in full leaf to gain maximum benefit from the sunlight. Picking out plants that are well-adapted to the conditions you’re working with is the key to happy gardening.
For shady areas in your own garden, a Rose of Sharon or foxglove will add a splash of colour. Foxgloves, in particular, will seed themselves around readily, bringing plenty of bright colour under trees during spring and summer.
A shaded bed that also tends to be rather dry presents a double challenge. In that case, you might want to consider an ornamental ivy, such as Glacier or White Wonder, which will brighten up your garden in winter. Or there’s Jack Frost, or Brunnera. Alan says it will spread happily in even the poorest of soils, bringing out a sprinkling of blue flowers.
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Damp, clay soils can be hard work when it comes to digging, but the advantage of naturally moist soil is that once they’re established, plants will be able to tap into that underground reservoir of moisture: “Adjusting clay soil with organic matter and sharp sand or grit will help improve drainage and widen the range of plants that will establish happily here,” Alan says.
If the soil in your garden tends to be dry, that presents its own challenges. Dry soil is easy to cultivate after heavy rain, Alan says, because it drains so well, “but they cannot hold onto moisture or nutrients.”
To fix that, you’ll need to add plenty of well-rotted garden compost or manure. At this time of year, nature is providing you with plenty of wet leaves – don’t let them go to waste, bag them up and add them to your compost.
For every challenge, nature will have provided a solution: “Above all, don't lose heart,” Alan says. “Remember the old saying: Right plant, right place".