THE JOYS OF PLANTING SUSTAINABLY
THE real magic of gardens begins once you’ve decided on the structure and can start to bring in plants. First decide how much time and budget you have available. If possible, start with the structure: trees, then hedges, shrubs and climbers. After that, consider herbaceous perennials and, finally, annuals. Your choices will range from the most sustainable and budget-conscious extreme of planting an acorn and waiting 30 years for a beautiful oak tree, to the least sustainable option of shipping in a fully grown oak from abroad and craning it into place. Most of us would choose somewhere in between. While there may be immediate gratification in an instant garden, it is less joyful when you know
