Five Ways to a Quick, Easy, and Beautiful Garden

(NC) - Gardens can create an oasis of tranquility for your family, or even serve as an educational springboard - opening minds to the world's natural wonders. It's easy and fun to create a beautiful garden. Here some tips from The Home Depot Canada, to ensure that your garden blooms and smells of success:

1. It All Starts With Good Soil  
   Getting and keeping good soil is one of the most important factors in creating a beautiful garden. "Plants generally like soil that is rich in organic matter and that doesn't drain too quickly," says John Mansz, gardening expert for The Home Depot Canada. "Adding organic matter loosens up the soil, promotes good drainage and improves the ability of the soil to deliver nutrients to the roots," says Mansz. While peat moss is often used as a soil conditioner, its large scale use destroys peat bogs that are important sites for wildlife and help protect the earth from global warming. Alternative soil conditioning such as PeatEliminator is all natural and environmentally responsible. It absorbs and retains more water than peat and has excellent aeration and drainage properties. (PeatEliminator is available at leading garden centers.)
    
2. Right Plant, Right Place  
   How much sun your garden receives determines which plants you can grow successfully. "Take note of the light conditions in your garden and choose plants that will be happy with what you have to offer," says Mansz. At your local garden center, be sure to check the plant tags for cultural requirements.
    
3. Instant Color  
   For instant color you can't go wrong with annuals that bloom non-stop from spring to frost. Some stars of the shade garden are browallia, coleus, fuchsia, impatiens, and lobelia. "In sunny locations celosia, cleome, cosmos, gazania, marigold and portulaca will shine," says Mansz.
    
4. Water Wisely  
   Water when needed, usually when the soil is dry. "Avoid frequent shallow waterings that encourage roots to stay near the surface instead of reaching deep into the soil for moisture," says Mansz. "Plants that have deep roots are better able to withstand periods of drought." A water-retaining supplement like SoilSponge which can be added to your soil can increase the days between waterings. This natural product acts like thousands of mini sponges, absorbing water and releasing it as the plants need it.
    
5. Feed Them and Weed Them  
   Good food is necessary for plants to grow strong and beautiful. Start them off to a good start with transplant fertilizer at planting time. Subsequently, apply an all purpose fertilizer every two weeks for optimum performance.
    

To have a beautiful garden and get a good return on your investment in terms of both time and money, you have to eliminate the weeds. "Mulch is a gardener's best friend and is by far your best defense against weeds," says Mansz. Once your garden is planted, spread mulch between your plants. Mulch also helps to hold moisture in the soil by slowing down evaporation. You can use wood chips, cocoa beans, pine needles and many other natural products.