WOODLAND gardens aren’t only for large areas of land, even small shaded suburban spaces can be transformed into woodland habitats.
They provide a place of natural beauty and discovery as the seasons come and go as well as a home for all kinds of wildlife and – once established –they are also relatively low maintenance.
The secret to a stunning woodland garden is all in the layering.
Using the tallest plants – trees – to provide a canopy then add shade tolerant shrubs to create a layer below that followed by herbaceous perennials, bulbs and ground cover plants.
When planting make sure it’s in an informal haphazard way so you replicate the feeling of natural woodland, no straight lines.
Trees with light canopies such as silver birch are ideal for woodland gardens, as they have height and structure but don’t overwhelm the other plants.
Rowan and crab apple work well too.
If your garden is treeless, you can buy semi-mature trees to add an instant woodland effect.
Use shade-tolerant shrubs to create a layer beneath the canopy, to add all year round interest. These can be a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs such as skimmia, hydrangea and viburnum.
Herbaceous perennials like hellebores and hostas and springtime bulbs form a layer beneath the shrubs, adding splashes of colour and attracting pollinating insects. You can let spring bulbs naturalise, which results in wonderful swathes of flowers and foliage.
Many favourite wildflowers are native woodland plants and have adapted to growing under trees and in shady spots such as foxgloves, primroses and bluebells.
Let them self-seed to give an authentic natural woodland feel.
Finally, plan a natural way to move through and experience the garden by laying out an informal meandering and irregular path. It can be created with gravel or mulch, paved with stone or brick, or simply left bare and edged with timber.
As autumn really gets under way leaves are falling rapidly, and wind and rain are on the increase so here are some general gardening tips for this month from the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)…
- Clear up fallen leaves – especially from lawns, ponds and beds
- Raise containers onto pot feet to prevent waterlogging
- Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display next year
- Prune roses to prevent wind-rock
- Plant out winter bedding
- Cover brassicas with netting if pigeons are a problem
- Insulate outdoor containers from frost – bubblewrap works well
- Put out bird food to encourage winter birds into the garden.
