In my first article, I discussed garden landscaping for new sites, houses or buildings newly constructed, far easier to design and plan than established gardens. These are normally gardens meeting the requirements of the previous owners, they will have a beauty, but not always meeting with your envisaged result. How do you change the garden to meet your requirements?

These are the difficult decisions you will have to make. Considering the existing plants are probably well established, and you are going to remove, and add, new smaller plants. These will, in the beginning, look inapposite when planted amid the more established plants, but do not make the mistake of planting new plants too close to old plants. Also do not plant the new plants too close to each other trying to make them more visible. Consider the result, the final size, and avoid creating a problem for the future. Always try to picture the final established garden with all plants at a mature age, and have patience, allow nature time to reach the required result. Plants with differing growth rates will finally reach your envisage result.

How to change the garden to meet your required result, think on the following items.

• Start with a plan. (Very important)

Draw up a plan depicting the areas you wish to change. Water features, pathways and flowerbeds that need major changes to meet your requirements.

• Flowerbeds requiring major changes.

What is requiring removal and can the plants be utilised elsewhere? Mature plants are not always easy to transplant, but you do not want to waste what nature has already accomplished. Plan carefully where you're considering replanting the older established plants. Make sure the ultimate demise of a plant, will not badly affect the present situation. Plan for their success, but consider the possible failure of the transplant. Ensure all the planed transplants appear on the beginning plan.

• Pathways and water features.

Will their planned positions need lawn grass removal? Or are there flowers and plants requiring replanting? Here, as in the first article, consider constructing these first. The grass for removal, maybe required in another area, sod it with enough soil on the roots, and lay it in an area where it is easily watered, without damaging another area. The driveway is ideal as a temporary nursery for grass. Consider laying it on a plastic sheet, so that the recovering root growth contained and ready for replanting. If you do not require it, see if the neighbours might need grass, try not to throw away an established plant. Plants, for replanting else ware, (they should show on the plan) transplant them directly to their new positions.

• Follow with the remodelling of old flowerbeds.

After the construction, change the existing flowerbeds, transplanting the plants to their new positions. Follow with the new planting ensuring you follow the plan. Back ground plants that have endured a lot of shade in the past may suffer from sunburn in their new positions, take this into consideration and allow them time to acclimatise to their new conditions. I am not going to tell you how to transplant, as every plant has a differing modus operandi, but suffice it to say, remove as much of the root system as possible, the more the better, and correctly prepare the area of it's planting properly. You want the transplanted plant to endure a minimum of stress and suffering. Soil removed for the transplant, used to fill the resultant hole of removal.

• New beds and new grassed areas.

Place the grass removed for remodelling back into their required position, as soon as possible. Ensure enough root developing fertilisers is applied before laying the grass. I prefer a good organic fertiliser for this, as it assists the soil and organisms, as well as the grass. Root development, a necessity, use organic fertilisers they do not easily burn plants, and they are slow releasing, giving the roots an extended help. New flowerbeds, prepare them correctly, compost and organic fertilisers, apply sufficient, for good healthy growth. Apply sufficient irrigation, you have placed a plant in an area, totally differing from the nursery's, so keep this in mind and give love and care for their acclimatisation.

The garden now meets your plan, look after it, do not kill it with kindness. Apply sufficient irrigation and fertiliser to ensure a healthy garden, but remember to allow nature to persist in achieving the required result.