We can state with reasonable certainty that the composition of plants in a garden is like a work of art. The combination of colours, the variation of shapes and heights, the movements that are created and give volume to the whole, all contribute to forming and decorating the space we have available.
But is it only an ‘aesthetic’ question? Does this require the expertise of a painter, an artist? Not really: let us add that it is also important to know the location, the exposure, the soil, the needs of the different plant species that we insert, it is useful to know how their roots develop, how best to juxtapose herbaceous, tree and shrub species so that they do not compete with each other but, on the contrary, know how to make the most of the air and underground space available to them.
Plants, as we know, are living organisms, they use water, nutrients, grow, vegetate, root, flower, occupy and explore air and soil; let us remember this when deciding which plant to place on the terrace or in the garden: let us consider all these things: whether it prefers sun, shade or half-shade, whether it adapts to small or large containers, or in the ground, whether it has an upright, prostrate, creeping or drooping habit, or interesting autumn colours which, when combined with evergreens or other deciduous plants, can colour our outdoor space for longer in the year.
The foliage – future development. Perhaps one of the most difficult things for the uninitiated to predict, if we are talking about shrubs or even more so about trees, is to consider their future development. The trees we have planted in our flowerbed or garden will grow: their foliage, branches, leaves and root system will develop: it is therefore necessary to plan correctly and position them at appropriate distances from the house, or other buildings, or existing trees, to avoid having to transplant them or, even worse, cut them down. Even in city boulevards it happens that the distances between one tree and another, after 5-6 years one realises that the trees are too close together, precisely because one has not been careful about proper planning.
