| Of all the components, parts, pieces, and plants | | | | inches or so of soil and then adding a healthy |
| that go into making up your small garden design | | | | topsoil mix fortified with peat moss. Even though |
| the most important, by far, is the soil itself. | | | | this seems to be a good way to attack the |
| Soil rich in nutrients, with good drainage, is the | | | | problem, in reality all you have done is build a |
| best insurance you can get to enhance your new | | | | bathtub that will retain water to the point where |
| garden. On the other hand, if your soil is not | | | | the soil you have added is soggy all the time. |
| healthy, or if your site does not have good | | | | If this is your challenge I think the only real |
| drainage, there is almost no chance of | | | | workable solution is to build raised planting beds. |
| successfully growing a healthy, vibrant garden. | | | | Adding six to twelve inches of height, or even |
| Obviously, all plants need water, and some need | | | | more, will allow the planting bed to drain through |
| more than others but most plants used in | | | | your structure naturally which, in turn, will |
| landscaping will not do well if they are over | | | | promote healthy growth. |
| watered. So, when planning your small garden | | | | Correctly planning your beds at the beginning is |
| design, you must include planning on how your | | | | critical to your later success. Remember that |
| planting beds are going to drain. | | | | once you begin planting it will not be possible to |
| Because many areas of the country have soil | | | | add more soil to your beds without removing all |
| that has a very high clay content, drainage can be | | | | the already installed planting first. |
| pretty challenging. | | | | As they used to say, keep the six "Ps" in mind: |
| Many gardeners deal with clay by digging out six | | | | Prior Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance! |