How to Deal With Problem Areas in the Garden

When you take over a garden, new or old, you need to decide which of the existing features to keep. Some of features are focal points, while others, such as the boggy marsh over in the corner, a sun beaten area at the end of the garden or an unattractive view, may pose more of a problem and need to be screened or modified depending on your other plans for the garden. Here are several suggestions of how to cope with common problems.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Deal with shade problems. There are shaded areas in most gardens, and they need not pose problems unless the shade is very dense and almost unbroken throughout the day. If the shade is caused by trees or hedges, you may be able to thin or prune to let in more light. When this is not possible, choose plants that tolerate or thrive in shade, such as woodland species or those with gold or pale leaves.

2. Deal with problems caused by bog areas. You can waste a lot of time and money trying to ignore a boggy area in a garden if you plant it with shrubs or perennials that do not like wet conditions, the majority simply will not last. Instead, work with the damp conditions to create an attractive bog garden, packed with moisture-loving plants. If you have the financial means, it may be possible to drain the area.

3. Deal with problems caused high temperature and poor soil. If you have an area in your garden that is subjected to high temperatures, and where the soil is dry or poor, try to improve growing conditions before starting to plant. Incorporating bulky organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, compost or even composted bark, will help the soil to retain more moisture and can improve. You could also add some tall plants or shrubs adjacent to the area to create some shade. Select plants that prefer arid conditions and tolerate poor.

4. Deal with the problems caused by a slope. The simplest way to deal with a slope is to add new plants that thrive in these conditions, such as achillea, eryngium, rosemary and thyme. If your slope already has some groundcover plants, your best plan may be to clean them up and thin, replace or add to them where necessary. Alternatively, terrace the slope, or at least the steepest part of it. This will involve constructing a series of retaining walls--since these need to support a huge weight of soil, it is advisable to seek advice before you start.

5. Deal with a neglected or overgrown hedge. It is worth coming to grips with an overgrown hedge as soon as possible. Cut it back to size in stages over at least 2 years to minimize the shock to the plants. Overgrown conifer hedges pose a particularly difficult problem: if they are cut back hard into the central area of brown foliage, most will not produce good new growth since they have few dormant buds. Either remove them and replant the hedge or mask brown areas with climbers or scrambling plants.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't try to drain a bog by yourself.